The Best Cup of Drip Coffee Possible

With a "good" cup of coffee costing almost as much as a good sandwich these days, more and more people are taking to making their coffee at home from an "old fashioned" drip coffee machine. With the influence of Starbucks and the others out there, people are demanding a better cup of coffee all of the time. This article should help you make the best cup of drip coffee possible.

Coffee from a can just doesn't work for the general public anymore. You know what I'm talking about and it sounds as lousy to you as it does to me. The good news is that great coffee beans can be obtained at pretty much any grocery store. If you use coupons (and if you don't, shame on you), you should do quite well if you aren't too worried about the brand name. My tip for you - worry about quality more than anything else. The big stores like Sams Club and Costco offer big bags of coffee beans at some very good prices. Your author's favorite, in case you're interested, is Kirkland brand (two pound) of Espresso Roast (Starbucks) that you can find at Costco.

Be willing to experiment with different bean types to find the kind of coffee you like best. For what it is worth, more times than not, I've found that a good espresso roast makes a great cup of drip coffee as well. Do experiment though, you just might be surprised at what you find.

Good beans deserve a good grind. You'd be surprised at the difference between a good grind and a bad one. If you don't have a good grinder at home, consider grinding the beans at the store where they were purchased as the grinders there often do a great job. Burr grinders are the best, and the most expensive.

It is probably obvious but good water makes a difference as well. The more things you take out of the water, the better your coffee will taste.

A good drip machine is also a must. More than anything else, the warming element is what you need to worry about. If you find that your coffee often has that scalded burned taste, the warmer might be too hot. And, of course, there is seldom a way to change that so, … you'll need a new machine.

Consider the French Press alternative. French presses are dirt cheap, make an incredible cup of coffee, and never leave you worrying about overactive warmers, water tube build-up and the like. Remember that the grind for French Press is different than normal drip coffee so grind accordingly.

What about people stuck in a bad coffee situation in the office or somewhere else? Here's a trick that can help with some issues: Bring in a cinnamon shaker and dash a little on the grinds before starting the machine. This will give the coffee a bit more taste, hide some of the bad taste and help with the aroma. Grab the coffee as soon as is brewed and, most of all, lobby for better coffee.

You're worth it.

About The Author

Chiacchia Del is the webmaster of Yo! Coffee, the Internet's hot spot for all things coffee. You can read more of her work at http://www.yocoffee.com .

http://www.yocoffee.com

Why Antique Coffee Grinders Are So Great For Grinding Coffee Beans

For coffee lovers, the rich smell of freshly ground coffee beans in the morning is enticing. The aroma fills the house and you can almost taste the coffee before you pour it in your cup. The delightful aroma increases as the coffee brews and you stand ready with your mug in your hand just waiting to take that first delightful sip. For coffee lovers such as this, an antique coffee grinder is a welcome kitchen appliance.

Reasons to Buy an Antique Coffee Grinder

You can buy pre-ground beans in packages or cans, but there is no comparison to the taste of the freshly ground ones. You can also buy whole beans at the grocery store and grind them there, but if the person who used the machine before you ground a different flavor of bean, then that flavor could change the flavor of the ones you choose to grind.

You also have to grind all of the beans at once, instead of grinding them as you need them. Grinding them all at once will still allow that fresh taste to come through in the first cups that you brew but the flavor may decrease with each successive cup that you make. That's why it's better to own your own coffee mill. A lot of people purchase electric coffee grinders. They work well but they make a lot of noise. There's also the chance that it may heat up the beans and take away from the great flavor.

Unlike their electric cousins, antique coffee grinders grind the beans to the proper texture with the added benefit of not overheating the beans. Another reason to own one is that they are beautiful objects, rich in history. Since they come in different styles, you can find one that will go well with whatever decor you have in your kitchen.

What Styles do They Come in?

Some antique coffee grinders mount on the wall, while others are countertop models. They are made from a variety of materials, one of which unpainted wood. These have handles that are made of cast iron and have intricate designs painted on them. There are other collectible coffee grinders, such as the Parker Nation Coffee mill. This mill was created circa 1905, in Connecticut. The beautiful bronze finish at the top sets them apart from other antique coffee mills. Another popular one was made in the 1920s, during the famous Art Deco era. Its sleek design makes it an attractive addition to any kitchen.

An antique coffee grinder is a great investment, not only for the wonderful coffee it provides but also because it's attractive and lends a sense of history to your home

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Gourmet Coffee Gifts at http://www.gourmetcoffeeplus.com

Gourmet Coffee Gifts http://www.gourmetcoffeeplus.com

Why Is Coffee Not My Cup Of Tea? Is It Stale?

In many cases it is due to over stocking. How does coffee get to the point of being stale? Stale coffee can leave a bad taste in your mouth, but if you buy coffee that is guaranteed fresh when you brew it then it will taste smooth and refreshing. Stale coffee itself is horrible to drink. After some research it a cured to me that the problem is lack of freshness, and coffee that was brewed hours ago. So what is giving coffee such a bad rap? In fact, fresh coffee is smooth and tasty even undoctored. Fresh coffee is never bitter. Most everyone that I have talked to that does not like coffee said that it is the bitter taste they don't like.

Another problem is over stocking. This is the main reason coffee gets to the point of being stale. Poor packaging is when the product is not properly sealed from the manufacture, or the seal is broken then the coffee is exposed to the air, which dries out the coffee.

What about coffee that was brewed 4 hours ago? If you were to brew a cup of coffee will be horrible. I have worked for a grocery store before and I have seen products stay on the shelves for months. Do you see the problem now? It can vary, but the average length is about 6 months. How long can coffee remain fresh in a vacuum-sealed container? The problem is they can sit on that coffee for month, or even years until it is sold. Many distributors of coffee buy by volume to get the coffee at a cheaper price. When a store over stocks there products the product sits longer on the shelf or in the back and over time the freshness fades away.

How fresh is your coffee? My wife hates coffee because of her first bad experience, and after I roasted her a fresh batch she admitted that it was really good and not bitter. If it is not fresh don't drink it. The coffee can have a burnt taste that is also bitter. In many cases the coffee appears thicker because the water is vaporized over time.

America's Perception of "Gourmet" Coffee

It's an enormous industry involving many players in the supply chain—the growers and farm workers, the processing mills, exporters and importers, small-batch roasters and huge commercial roasters, coffeehouses and cafes—all of who do their part to bring coffee to you, the final consumer. Coffee is the second most-highly traded commodity in the world next to oil.

Considering how large the coffee industry is, how much of what's marketed as gourmet could actually be considered truly gourmet coffee? Which, unfortunately, doesn't seem to apply to the coffee most Americans drink on a daily basis. By definition, it implies rare, expensive, high-quality, or at least sophisticated in some form of its preparation and service. You'll find one word dominates the label rhetoric: "Gourmet." Gourmet, it's such a over-used term. Take a walk down the coffee aisle of a grocery store and read the labels.

In fact, the reality is they're much likelier selling the exact opposite of high quality coffee beans. That being the case, it becomes hard to believe the ads and labels on store shelves claiming rich, delicious, gourmet coffee. Sad to say, it's estimated only 10 percent of coffee sold is considered poor to satisfactory in quality.

Dark roasting covers a multitude of sins, including any flavor flaws. It's precisely because of their low quality. While there are some specific coffees that taste wonderful as a dark roast, there's a reason most coffee today is roasted so dark. Not necessarily true. Somehow the influential marketing gurus at roasting companies have managed to convince the masses that dark roasted coffee equals gourmet coffee. For instance, consider the ever applauded Dark Roast.

Why use expensive, high-grade beans for flavored coffee, since the natural flavors themselves will never be detected over the added flavorings of Irish cream, French Vanilla, or Hazelnut. And then there's flavored coffee—a low-quality bean masquerading as gourmet coffee.

And for a true connoisseur of coffee, that's what you should be looking for. A lighter roast shows that the roaster has confidence in the quality of the beans. Of course the actual lightness of the roast will depend on your personal taste. Similar to grilling a steak, a great coffee will often taste great as rare to medium, or, in coffee terms, light to medium. Though the marketing says otherwise, coffee that is indeed gourmet should never require extensive roasting.