Making the Perfect Cup of Coffee

Making the perfect cup of coffee is not exactly an easy task.  There are many different variables which will determine how it turns out.  If you want to drink excellent coffee every time, then here are a few tips.

The coffee beans you use to make your coffee are the most important ingredient.  Most people prefer Arabica beans because they offer more flavor.  Whatever type of beans you select you should consider roasting them yourself.  If you do not, then you should at least ensure they have been roasted a short time before you purchase them.

Coffee also tastes best when the beans are ground right before they are brewed.  If you grind more beans than you need at the moment, then it is important for you to store them properly.  The longer they are exposed to the air the more quickly they will lose their freshness.

When buying a grinder for your beans you will need to make the choice between burr and blade grinders.  Most people prefer to use burr grinders.  They are able to produce finer grounds, which is very important when making certain types of coffee.

If you want your coffee to taste great, then it is important to maintain your equipment properly.  Ideally, you will clean your machine after each use.  If you brew coffee in dirty machines, then it will likely have a bitter taste.

Although the beans are very important, water is also quite important.  It makes up a larger percentage of the resulting coffee than the beans actually do.  Instead of using regular tap water to make your coffee you should consider using filtered or bottled water. 

Just make sure you do not use water which has been softened.  This is a step people typically take if they have hard water running from their tap.  Coffee tastes best when it is made with water containing certain organic minerals.  If you take the minerals out of the water, then the coffee will have a flat taste.

After brewing a pot of coffee many people keep it on the warming plate to keep it warm for later drinking.  This is a mistake since it will keep cooking the coffee and cause it to have a burnt taste when you come back later.  It is a much better idea to use a thermal carafe to keep your coffee warm.

Making the perfect cup of coffee requires paying attention to many different details.  Hopefully with these tips you will be able to start brewing better pots of coffee.