Making a Great Cup of Coffee

I have to start my day with a fresh, hot, strong cup of coffee. Coffee is a must-have drink for many people. A good cup of coffee can be a ritual and for some it's almost a religion. There are people that will drink anything brewed and some who would rather go without than drink coffee made with inferior beans, bad tasting water, or in a dirty coffeepot. Some people think that all it takes to make great coffee is to buy the best ban. That is a good starting place but there is more to it than just the bean. Here are some considerations to think about, when it comes to making a great cup of coffee.

Using fresh beans: The coffee bean is where the magic starts. You can brew your coffee in the most expensive, most advanced coffeemaker I the universe but if you are using stale or inferior beans, your pot of coffee will taste horrible. Having said this, you need to make sure that you are buying whole coffee beans from the freshest sources, or that your coffee bean grounds produced from beans kept as fresh as possible. Keep them fresh. Lately we've tested the Keurig K Cup system and the coffee is always fresh.

Bean grinding: Typically, there are several different grinds that a machine will make for a coffee bean. There are course grinds, espresso grinds, and standard drip grinds. There are also fine grinds as well. The finer the grind of coffee, the more oils and essence from the bean released. However, a fine grind will also need a fine filter. The feel of the coffee on the palate can be affected by the grind as well.

Using good tasting water: This is an important factor when it comes to brewing a pot of coffee. If the water taste like minerals or chemicals, then the coffee won't taste as good as it should. It might taste too acidic, or it might have a strange taste. Many coffee purist only brew their pots of coffee with filtered, or with purified water. This way, they are getting the best water experience to brew their coffee beans with. No one wants the taste of impure water competing with their fine coffee beans. Using water from a filtered tap or filtered refrigerator cold water works great.

Using a good and clean coffeemaker: Many people continuously brew coffee in the same pot, not giving a thought about the cleanness of the coffee. While it's true the water is heated up to boiling level to brew the beans, the coffee bean grounds leave oil deposits, and stains. Tap water will leave lime or calcium deposits in the brewing compartment of the coffeemaker. This compromises the taste of the final pot of coffee. A coffeemaker can be cleaned easily and in a nontoxic way by running some vinegar and water through the coffeemaker. Vinegar will remove lime and calcium deposits. Make sure to rinse well to remove any hint of the vinegar. Wash your carafe with soap and water.

Filters: There are several types of filters, depending on the grind that produced or bought. There are wide filters for standard drip coffeemakers. There are small cone paper filters, and there are metal filters that are reusable. The filter that will be used will depend on the consumer. However, a reusable filter, or a paper filter made from unbleached paper does a great job at protecting the integrity of the coffee's taste.