1. Grind your Beans Daily
The single most important way to improve your cup of coffee is to buy whole bean coffee and grind only as much as you need for brewing. Coffee stales within hours of grinding, which is why fresh ground coffee is imperative to the quality of your cup of coffee. The best way to grind is a burr mill grinder, which produces the most even grind. However, even using an inexpensive blade grinder daily is a vast improvement over pre-ground coffee.
2. Buy Fresh-Roasted Coffee
Most coffees found in supermarkets (and unfortunately restaurants) are weeks if not months old. Coffee is a food product and like most food products it stales in a few weeks, but commercial coffee companies market to the ignorance of its consumers. Demand fresh-roasted coffee and don’t buy it unless you know when it was roasted.
3. Watch your Water!
Water makes up 99% of a cup of coffee. Water temperature and quality are therefore important factors in your cup quality. Don’t use water that you would not drink on its own. Use cold bottled or filtered water for brewing. Coffee brewing temperature is best between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure your coffee pot gets your water hot enough to brew it properly.
4. Use an Adequate Amount
The Specialty Coffee Association of America recommends two level tablespoons (about 10 grams) per six ounce cup of coffee. Keep in mind that most actual drinking cups in the
5. Store the Coffee
From crop to cup, coffee is a delicate product. It would be foolish to buy, grind and brew well only to damage by neglecting good storage. Keep your coffee beans in an air-tight container and keep it out of direct light. Store your beans in the freezer if you wish (although not all would agree), but do not store them in the refrigerator as they can pick flavors and aromas from the food around it.
If you have any further questions about coffee or would like some input on coffee equipment (i.e. - coffeepots, grinders, etc.) feel free to contact us.
