There isn’t an adult in the world who couldn’t use a nice cup of coffee every now and then to serve as a pick-me-up. Some people can’t go a single morning without their cup of joe. The following article will teach you how to make the best tasting cup of coffee for your drinking pleasure.
It might be wise to purchase a Keruig maker for those times when you just want one cup of coffee. These let you brew only one cup at a time, and you can choose among a number of flavors. Each maker has a different attribute, so select wisely.
If you must add something creamy to your coffee, consider using real milk instead of whitener. Whitener is a frightening blend of ingredients you can’t pronounce, while milk of any sort – be it cream, homo, 2% or skim – provides protein, vitamin B12 and other great nutrients your body needs.
The human body needs at least four hours to eliminate caffeine. You should keep this in mind if you want to drink a cup of coffee before going to bed. It is best to drink a decaffeinated beverage if you need to go to sleep within the next few hours.
While freezing bulk coffee can extend its shelf life, you should be careful not to freeze your coffee for too long. If you keep it around for much longer than that, the quality will begin to decrease.
If you drink your coffee cold, think past just traditional cream and sugar. Mix entire fruits into your coffee. You can add foods like oranges, cherries and strawberries for interesting additions to the flavor. Even think about spicing things up with cinnamon or cardamom. The possibilities for you are nearly endless!
Make sure you use clean and fresh water whenever you brew coffee so that it tastes good. The type of water you use makes a big difference. Test out the water first to ascertain it is acceptable before you start brewing.
If regular coffee no longer provides you enough caffeine, consider brewing espresso. This does mean you will need a different piece of equipment, as your regular coffee maker likely cannot do it. Espresso machines are typically expensive though, and the intensity of the caffeine levels is too much for some. Try espresso a few times somewhere else before making this commitment for your home.
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.
Avoid purchasing beans that come in cans or in vacuum-sealed bags. Coffee beans need to be protected by valve-sealed bags to remain fresh. Besides, valve-sealed bags allow the carbon dioxide that emanates from the beans to escape, which means the beans will retain all their flavor and stay fresh longer.
To get the ideal flavor from your coffee beans, the water needs to be just the right temperature. Boiling water is too hot and as a result will sap the more bitter oils from your beans. Alternately, water that is not hot enough will not brew all the flavor from your beans leaving you with a very bland coffee.
You do not have to try the cold turkey method when attempting to reduce your caffeine intake. It is possible to make coffee that is “half-decaf” by splitting your brew between normal beans and those without caffeine. If you’re using pre-ground coffee, use equal parts in the coffee machine.
To get the broadest exposure to different coffee types, consider participating in a tasting. This is a low-cost way for you to try a wide variety of beans. Tastings also give you the opportunity to see how each bean is best brewed. Do not be afraid to ask your barista for other recommendations based on what you like or dislike.
When brewing coffee that will end up iced, make it extra-strong. Use up to two tablespoons of ground coffee for every four ounces of water. This ensures that your coffee will not taste diluted or watered-down once you pour it over the ice. Never pour hot coffee into a cold glass, however; allow it to cool first.
You can use coffee to bring the shine back to hair that looks worn and dull. Brew some extra strong coffee then allow it to cool. Place it on hair that is clean and dry and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. After that, rinse your hair and style it as you normally would.
The size of your coffee grounds has a lot to do with the way your coffee tastes. A finer coffee grind will mean that more surface area of the bean is exposed to water while a coarser grind will mean less. No matter which grind you prefer, an even grind particle size is very important for a great cup of coffee.
To give brownies, frosting, or other chocolaty treats more depth and complexity, add coffee. The type of coffee depends on the recipe. In some cases, you can replace some of the liquid with cooled, brewed coffee. In other recipes, a couple of teaspoons of instant coffee granules or very finely ground coffee is better.
If your home coffee brewing is going over your budget, think about stretching out your premium brews by mixing in a little lower quality coffee. The taste will not be too far off, and you can stretch out your pricier grounds a lot longer. In the end, you should be able to get back on budget without sacrificing great taste.
As was mentioned earlier, everyone enjoys a nice tasting cup of coffee, at least once in awhile. When you use the tips given in the article above, you are well on your way to making great tasting coffee that will surely brighten up your day. Just remember not to overdo it!
