Learn How To Love Your Java Again
Whether piping hot or iced in the summer, coffee is a beverage that has enjoyed extraordinary popularity for hundreds of years. The best way to become a true coffee expert is to take the time necessary to gain a strong knowledge base on the topic. Use the tips and information below, and you will soon be the resident coffee expert in your household.
Do you enjoy serving coffee to your guests? You can make it interesting by decorating homemade lattes. With a little bit of practice, you will be able to produce pretty patterns and designs to give your coffee that special touch. Use milk and melted chocolate to practice when you make your own.
Try adding spices to your coffee grounds to create your own “artisan” flavors. Think about things you would add to chocolate if you are having trouble deciding what to try. Start with simple things like cinnamon and nutmeg. You can also do things like adding a little vanilla abstract to your cup to enrich the flavor of your coffee.
When you are done with your coffee grinds, do not throw them away. What many people do not know is that used coffee grinds have many uses. They can be used for gardening, getting hardened food off your dishes and removing foul smells. Simply put them in a ziploc bag and put it in a cabinet.
If you really want the freshest coffee with a gourmet taste, avoid pre-packaged coffee that sits on the grocer’s shelves. Purchase your coffee beans directly from the roaster through their website. Most roaster’s will have the coffee on your doorstep in just a couple days. This enables you to enjoy the beans when they are at their most flavorful.
For people who really enjoy a great cup of coffee, never take your beans or grind out of the freezer and into the hot water. Keep your beans at room temperature prior to brewing. If you have a lot, freeze some and keep enough at room temperature for the week.
If you are living alone, or are the only one in your family who drinks coffee, consider purchasing a single-serve coffee maker. Companies such as Keurig have created coffee makers that use a coffee pod, a single serving of coffee grounds in a small container that fits inside the machine. This type of coffee maker is also useful if you like to drink a different flavor of coffee each day.
Freshly roasted coffee beans are used to prepare the best coffee. Make sure you look at the expiration date when buying whole beans. Typically, beans from a specialty coffee shop are fresher than those bought at a grocery store.
Do you find it difficult to get coffee shop quality coffee? The amount of coffee you use may be the reason. Most coffee shops use two tablespoons of coffee for six ounces of water. Tinker around with different quantities and formulas of your own until you discover the flavor that you love.
Avoid buying coffee beans from bins where several of the beans are visibly broken. Chances are these beans are either old and dry or have been exposed to heat or light. All of these conditions allow the rich flavor of fresh beans to seap out. A bin full of fresh beans should also have a very strong aroma.
Do you add any artificial sweeteners to your coffee? These sweeteners can change your coffee’s flavor and cause it to taste bland. Drink black coffee or use raw sugar for the best flavor. If you have to use a sweetener, use only half of one packet.
Did you know you could get addicted to caffeine? If you suffer from headaches or get irritated when you go a whole day without drinking coffee, you might be addicted. Try getting rid of your addiction by reducing the quantity of coffee you drink or by choosing a weaker blend.
Eliminate the expense of coffee shop lattes by making your own at home. With practice you can even teach yourself to create the fancy designs produced by the baristas at your favorite local coffee shop. All you need to perfect your design is patience and practice. Pour the milk into the cup slowly and finish with melted chocolate.
Most coffee drinkers prefer a mild cup of coffee over any other strength. Roast your beans for around 7 minutes, or until they double in size and pop. This will make you a wonderfully mild and smooth cup of coffee. This is perfect for iced coffees and other coffee drinks.
You can change your coffee’s flavor without switching to different beans by utilizing various additives. As an example, it is possible to achieve varying degrees of sweetness by using milk and creamer. Flavored milks and soy milks are more exotic additions. Syrups can also add an unmatched, unique flavor to coffee.
Even though avid coffee drinkers prefer fresh brewed coffee, some people use instant coffee granules to make a quick cup rather than a whole pot. The flavor of the instant coffee is different than brewed coffee, and most people think it is inferior. It is quite convenient though, and some consider that convenience worthwhile.
If you grind your own coffee, bean storage is critical. You can use an airtight container for shorter term storage. For longer storage, like if you have bought in bulk, put in an airtight container and freeze. Keeping air away from your beans will keep them fresh and help preserve the flavor.
Coffee can be addictive as many hard drugs. If you are drinking more than five or six cups a day, you may have a problem. It might be hard to quit cold turkey, but try to avoid withdraw symptoms by tapering off gradually. Reduce your daily intake by one cup a day every week until you are down to a reasonable coffee consumption level.
Though it comes in a dizzying array of varieties and can be made into a wide selection of custom beverages, coffee is considered by many to be a true staple. In order to develop into a coffee aficionado, a solid base of knowledge is critical. With any luck, the information above has provided you with just that.
