Eleven Steps to a Better Cup of Coffee

If you're like most coffee drinkers, you probably think you are already getting an awesome cup of coffee. However odds are that you can probably still enhance the quality by following these eleven steps:

1 . Use Quality Coffee Beans

Stay out of the grocery stores! OK that is a substantial statement, but seriously do not buy coffee beans at the grocery store. No one knows when it was roasted and that is a critical, a key point in coffee freshness. These beans are known for being stale, whether they are in the gravity bins (especially stale! ) or bagged (usually stale! ). No one really knows how long the beans have been in the bins or carriers. Buy best ground coffee from an area independent coffee shop or artisan coffee roaster that can verify the roasting date. This can be the only way to know you are buying freshly roasted coffee beans of gourmet quality. Their reputation is on the line so they really strive for the best quality coffee freshly roasted.

2 . Store Properly Remove your beans from the original bag and invest an airtight container like Tupperware or Glad Ware. The more opaque the container, the better to keep harmful lightweight out. Extreme light like keeping coffee in a glass jar on the sink can cause deterioration of your beans, providing your final cup of coffee to taste flat or stale.

Do not store in the freezer or refrigerator. Keep these in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place like a cupboard or pantry. Refrigerators harbor several odors and coffee is very porous. It will act like a sponge to odors whether it's ground or whole bean. Freezers can cause freezer burn, and the flavor oils to crack and lose flavor. These oils are the location where the flavor is. Storing in the freezer freezes the surface condensation each time the coffee is taken out of the freezer.

Excessive moisture will cause your beans to stale faster and shorten the life span of your coffee so a cool, dry and additionally dark place it recommended for storage.

3. Proper Grind and Grind Just Before Using

The grind of the flavored coffee matters. Your coffee should be ground for the type of brewing method you are using. Coarse for French press in addition to single serve, fine for espresso. The in between matter but for most auto-drip makers your grind should be simply finer than coarse meaning that when you rub it between your fingers the grinds should feel similar to typical breads crumbs. Espresso grinds should feel like somewhere between sugar and powdered sugar. Also, by using a burr grinder your caffeine will receive less friction than a typical blade grinder giving your grinds less chance to get scorched at the time of grinding.

Coffee is very porous and will absorb odors and air (oxygen) very fast. Oxygen will make your coffee tastes really bad! So , the longer your coffee is ground and not used the longer it has to stagnant and make a bad cup.

4. Measure Properly

Weigh your coffee before you grind it. To make a good, well-rounded cup of coffee you should use approximately. 75oz (22g) of coffee beans to every 8oz of cold water. You can +/- to help taste but this is a good starting point.

5. Purified Water at Precise Temperature

Fresh, clean tap water (purified is actually best) or quality spring water is recommended. Do not use mineral water, distilled water or tap water using any type of odor. It will make your coffee taste bad. The water should be between 195-205 degrees when ready to brew. At this temperature, the coffee will get proper extraction to optimize the flavor oils and caramelized sugars contained in the coffee bean. This is hard to accomplish with most home brewers as the heating elements are not heat adjustable nor are generally they reliable to heat to the proper temperature at all. Good home coffee brewers will cost about $200 nevertheless are well worth it and last a lot longer. If you can, try the single cup pour over methods available and other brewing methods such as French press or siphon. The taste difference is remarkable. Google search just about every method for more information.

6. Brew Just Enough to Drink

Letting your brewed coffee sit waiting is not a good idea. Plus more so please do not let it sit on the hot plate! This is a good way to cook your coffee. Constant 'keep warm' mode like this will make it taste bitter. If you have to brew more than one cup and are not going to finish is normally right away, get an airpot of air tight hot container to keep it in. Still drink it in a hour or so but it will buy your more time.

7. Let it Cool

By letting your coffee cool to approximately 170 degrees (for black coffee) you will not only avoid burning your mouth, you will also get a more enjoyable coffee experience since you also will taste the true essence of what coffee is all about: the brightness, the chocolaty notes, the citrus paperwork, the spices. It's all there, get a little geeky! If you insist on pouring cream and sugar in your a cup of coffee, forget #7 and for #8 respectively!

8. Drink it Black

This is the coffee geek purist in people coming out! I used to drink my coffee with cream and sugar all the time until I got into the coffee company years ago. Society decided cream and sugar was the norm because of bad tasting coffee, not because coffee preferences bad. Coffee used to be bitter as a rule, but that was your father's cup! Most likely the canned stuff from the grocer's. Ick! That is the old-school coffee made from Robusta beans, a low-grade coffee. Today the high quality coffee beans are termed Arabica and you get them from coffee houses and artisan coffee roasters. When beans are blended and roasting properly black coffee is not bitter. It may take some getting used to but I assure you that you are missing a whole lot of great tasting coffee by adding cream and sugar!

9. Throw Out Any Leftover Brewed Coffee

This is part of #6 previously mentioned, but deserves its own number. If you have brewed coffee left over past an hour in an airpot or air-tight container, toss it out. Brewed coffee has a life span as well and letting it cook itself in a container is not part of the idea.

10. Throw Out Any Leftover Coffee Beans

OK let me clarify! By this I mean the coffee that is left over when 21 days. Coffee beans have a life span of approximately 21 days from the day it is roasted. I prefer to drink quarry within 10 days but that is just the coffee geek again. If you can span your coffee for used in 21 days of the day it's roasted you will get a better tasting and far more superior cup. I know, you are wondering "how do I know when my Seattle's Best or Newman's Own coffee beans were actually roasted? " Properly, see #1 above for your answer.

11. Rinse and Repeat

That says it all! If you follow these measures I promise you will notice a more flavorful and tasty cup of brew!

Tony DiCorpo is a coffee roaster, barista and coffee business consultant. He has authored many articles on coffee and the coffee business. Tony has comprehensive experience in business and collectively more than 20 years experience in sales, business management, entrepreneurship and the coffee business.