The first step starts out with picking the right type of bean. What coffee fits you? Are you a French roast type of guy or gal? Or more of an organic Mexican chica or chico? Or do you seek a complex blend of varietal coffee beans, combining the best of all flavor profiles?
Next, grinding. If you purchase whole bean coffee, always grind your beans as close to the brew time as possible as it will help the aroma and flavors be at their best. A burr grinder is preferable because all of the coffee is ground to a consistent size. A blade grinder is less preferable because some coffee will be ground more finely than the rest. If you normally grind your coffee at home with a blade grinder, try having it ground at the store with a burr grinder. You may be surprised at the difference! If you cannot grind immediately before you brew, make sure your grind fits your machine. If you have a french press, make sure your beans are ground for a french press -- not a paper filter. This will allow you to get as much flavor out of your coffee as possible. Just tell our barista what type of machine you have and we will be happy to grind it for your machine.
Third, be sure the coffee container you are using is clean! Just because you are putting the same thing in it that you did the day before does not mean you don't need to clean it. You should remove any coffee oils before brewing.
Another key is using fresh water that is not too hard and has enough minerals in it to add to the flavor. Proportion of coffee to water is subjective. It varies, but the National Coffee Association of America suggests a general guideline is 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water.
The last tip to the perfect cuppa joe is coffee should not be kept heated or reheated. Coffee always taste better fresh; after all, it is a food product!
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