Best Coffee – Save Money! Make a Great Cup Of Coffee At Home

 

Coffee drinkers will all agree that the best coffee is all about taste. Whether the highest end, exotic blend or a basic household variety…whatever tastes excellent to you is “the best” coffee.

So, what do you do? Many people buy their coffee out on the road, rather than making it at home, for obvious reasons.

But what about the price? $1.50 – $3.00 a cup really saps the budget when you always buy out. But how can you face home-brewed coffee after you have enjoyed the very finest earlier that day?

• Keep the coffee maker clean. Before you even start, clean the pot, filter basket and the little spout at the underside of the basket, too. You don’t have to wash the pot literally every time but if there is a fine film coating the pot, after you’ve swept it with clear water, it’s a sign that it’s time! Best practice: wash it every morning before the first pot is made. Use dish-washing liquid and warm sudsy water. Rinse very well. At least once a month, descale it (clean it) with a commercial coffee cleaning product (pictured at the sidebar) or using white vinegar.
• Make it with great tasting water. Depending on the quality of your tap water, your coffee will taste much better if it’s made with filtered water. Drinking water tastes better purified. Coffee tastes better made with good tasting water, too.

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• Use top quality coffee. This is a matter of taste. Some of us are very happy with commercial brands found in the grocery store. Others require a higher-price, “fashion” brands such as Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. The ultimate could be considered to be the “designer” brands, only available through coffee shops and specialty stores.
• Select the flavor that appeals to your palate. If you like a lighter roast, you will never be happy with the robust beans no matter how well it’s brewed. Stick with what you like. Adventurous? Then, by all means, experiment but keep your favorite on hand if you strike out with Spicy-hot Chocolato Roasto Beano (I made that up).

• Grind your own. The flavor and aroma of the coffee bean stays sealed in until it is first released by grinding. “Fresher is better” is the motto.
• Store it in the freezer. Yes, whether beans or ground, your coffee will stay fresh, longer when refrigerated or even frozen!
• Never reuse filters. Use a single paper filter, brand new every time. This is no place to try to economize. Though metal filters are available for some coffee makers, they can hold onto a bitter taste unless very well cleaned each time. Paper filters are fast and effective.
• Find the formula. You need to learn your coffee maker. Use just the right amount of coffee per cup brewed for your tastes–not necessarily the recipe on the container.
• Don’t burn it. Some coffee makers turn themselves off after 20 minutes or so. That is perfect. Others stay on as long as you leave them. The coffee will burn after a while and that can taste nasty. Turn it off and reheat in the microwave as you want more…or make a fresh pot. For more tips on great tasting coffee: How To Store Coffee and Keep It Fresh
• Serve it in a hot mug. Coffee loses it’s heat quickly when put in a cold coffee mug. Assuming that you like it piping hot, pre-heat your mug by pouring hot water in it and letting it sit for a minute or two. Pour out the water and pour in your coffee!