Many coffee drinkers have difficulty choosing between store-bought and home-brewed coffee. They must consider things like price, convenience, taste and more. It can be difficult, though, to recreate the taste that you get from professional coffee shops. The below article provides excellent tips on improving the taste of coffee brewed in your home.
Do not warm up coffee that has already been brewed. While this certainly does not let dangerous fumes into the air, as some have claimed, it does have an effect on taste. Coffee compounds begin breaking down shortly after brewing, particularly if the coffee has been left to sit over heat. It may develop a taste that is bitter or “off”.
Some people like to store their coffee in the refrigerator. If you do this, use only an airtight container. If it isn’t, the food smells will be absorbed and taint the coffee. If the container is not airtight, moisture can also seep in, robbing the coffee of its flavor.
You should always focus on the coffee taste first. Look around local shops. Fresh beans are not that hard to find. If you hail from a smaller town, you can purchase them online. Though this route may cost a bit, you are still unlikely to spend as much as you would at a coffee shop for a cup of joe.
Put some money towards a simple coffee grinder. This really brings out the flavor of the coffee by leaving the oils intact. Many machines give you the option to tinker with varying levels of fineness when grinding your beans. If you do not want to buy an additional product, simply search for coffee makers that have grinders.
Use the right amount of water when brewing coffee. If you don’t use enough water, your coffee is going to be very strong. Alternatively, if you use too much water, your coffee is weakened. Two cups is the proper amount of water to add to your brew.
You might get a different taste from coffee beans that were grown in different parts of the world. Experiment with many blends and brands to become a true aficionado. Prices shouldn’t influence your choice since you may boost energy more with one blend. This would cause you to drink less than a weaker blend.
You don’t have to store your coffee in the freezer. Coffee can absorb flavors and scents from nearby food items. The best storage place for your coffee is an airtight, opaque canister at room temperature. If you wish to put it in the refrigerator, then make sure it’s kept in sealed freezer bags.
Make sure you are storing your coffee beans properly. Coffee beans will absorb flavors. They will also lose their own flavors over time, especially when exposed to heat or light. Therefore, you should keep your beans inside an air tight, non-translucent container.
Avoid storing your coffee near the oven. Coffee that is exposed to heat loses its flavor quickly. Steer clear of counter tops and cabinets, even if it is above the oven itself.
Never just throw coffee grounds into a coffee maker without measuring first. Match the number of cups you’d like to the right measurement of grounds. Remember that most coffee mugs hold approximately six ounces of liquid while a measuring cup has eight ounces. For every 6 ounces of water you should use 2 tablespoons of coffee. If you use a measuring cup, you’ll end up with watery coffee.
To lower your caffeine consumption, you don’t need to just quit. Grind up half decaf and half regular beans to make your own blend. If you normally use ground coffee, simply use half of each when you make coffee.
While it seems like it would be the most straightforward method, making iced coffee by pouring coffee over ice cubes doesn’t give the best results. If you do this, it will make your coffee much too watered down. A better way to make iced coffee is to freeze coffee as you would ice cubes and use those instead. This way, you can thaw the cubes and have instant iced coffee whenever you want.
Many people use artificial sweeteners in their coffees, and you might be one of them. Artificial sweetener can cause your coffee to taste rather bland. Instead, try a small amount of raw sugar or even drinking your next cup of coffee black. If you do use sweetener, limit it to only a half a packet.
People who make coffee in their home know how hard it is to get the taste and quality of coffee from a shop. Perhaps you will be tempted to quit wasting money in coffee shops once you see that using the advice in this piece allows you to brew wonderful coffee at home.