Before you start brewing your own coffee, you must first think about a few different steps. You could get lost if you’re a beginner and are looking to purchase some coffee. Continue reading for some helpful advice to consider when searching for the coffee that best suits your specific needs.
Buy a coffee grinder, and buy whole bean coffee. There is no substitute for the taste of freshly ground beans. If you can’t afford a coffee grinder, you can still buy whole beans. Most supermarkets have grinders that you can use to grind your coffee purchase before you leave the store.
If you want the best iced coffee that you have ever had, you need to brew the coffee cold. If you do try to make hot coffee cold, you can end up with a pretty awful brew. If you start your brewing right before bedtime, you will have delicious iced coffee for your morning commute.
Just because you are drinking a dark roast coffee does not mean your coffee has more caffeine in it. This is just the way the beans were prepared, not how much caffeine is in them. If your coffee has the term Robusta on it’s packaging, it usually has twice the amount of caffeine as standard Arabica coffee.
If you like a strong cup of coffee, rich with flavor, consider buying a French press. A French press squeezes the beans resulting in a flavorful blend. Regular coffee machines have paper filters that absorb the flavor-rich oils.
One way to keep coffee fresh is by buying whole bean coffee and only grinding as much as you plan on drinking at the time. Most coffee loses its flavor because people make more than they plan on drinking. Light, humidity, air, and oxygen can quickly decrease the flavor and aroma of your coffee by damaging its oils.
If you are buying coffee from a drive-in window, always error on the side of caution to stay as protected as possible. Typically, when you are buying coffee in this form, it will be piping hot, as you will not want to burn your hands or other areas of your body.
If you are used to an independent coffee house, then be careful when ordering in Starbucks. They have a very different language for their products, as part of their distinct branding. The Caramel Macchiato you love back home is not going to taste at all the same in a Starbucks while on the road.
Avoid buying coffee beans from bins where several of the beans are visibly broken. Chances are these beans are either old and dry or have been exposed to heat or light. All of these conditions allow the rich flavor of fresh beans to seap out. A bin full of fresh beans should also have a very strong aroma.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and mix coffees until you find one that you like best. You can often find ready made blends at specialty shops and purchase a sample to try before you buy.
Cappuccino is a popular coffee based drink that many people enjoy. It does not have a lot of caffeine, and comes in several delicious flavors. It is quite sweet, and is high in calories unless you choose the low-fat version. Many convenience stores and gas stations have cappuccino machines so you can enjoy a cup on the road.
Understand that the fineness of your grind affects the quality of your coffee taste. A very fine grind will leave your coffee tasting really strong, whereas a course grind will give a very dull and weak taste. Some people prefer different types of tastes, so understand this before making coffee for them.
If you prefer a strong cup of coffee than you should roast your beans from 12 to 14 minutes. The bean sugar caramelizes, giving the beans a slightly oily appearance when taken out of the roaster. This will give your coffee almost a smokey taste, perfect for espressos or those who just love a strong cup of joe.
If you are grinding your own coffee, the medium grind is preferable for regular purposes. It works great for the home drip brewer. It should be around the consistency of common table salt when you are done. Practice with your own machine until you learn what produces flavors you prefer.
Be sure to clean your coffee machine. Many people just keep making coffee over and over again, but you have got to make sure you clean it regularly. Run a mixture of vinegar and water through your machine to naturally clean the machine instead of using chemicals. When you do this, you can be assured you have the most delicious coffee you can have.
Hopefully, this article has helped you learn a bit more about the coffee world. Lots of options exist, and you do not want to make a bad call. Keep in mind what you’ve just read as you go about searching for that perfect cup of Joe.
