There used to be three selections for coffee lovers at their local supermarket: Folgers, Maxwell House, or the store brand. But in today's world of Starbucks and the infinite imitators it's spawned, how does one tell the distinction between really gourmet coffee and expensive coffee barely higher than the shop brand standard? however, do you choose between all the various exotic flavors? however, do you keep your coffee fresh once you've bought it? Below are some tips to assist you to brew that excellent cup.
1. First, if you're going to pick what you like, you have to grasp what you prefer. It sounds obvious, but several coffee drinkers don't understand what "dark," "full-bodied," "nutty," etc. actually taste like.
2. Speaking of what you like, did you know that the coffees that have "European names" (ie, "French Roast") have nothing to do with the country of origin but the coffee style? French Roast coffee is usually bittersweet; Italian Roast is even darker and more bitter. Not surprisingly, American Roast is significantly less dark and less bitter. Many folks prefer darker roasts, but the darker the roast, the less you will relish the refined flavors.
3. By contrast, coffees with "non-European" names are from that country. So Sumatra coffee, for example, is from the island of Sumatra, and so forth. The coffees from different areas all have slightly different flavors primarily based on the various soil varieties (level of acidity and different factors).
4. Which is better? whole, or ground? A better question to raise is: how fresh the coffee? whether or not it's ground or not makes less distinction than how fresh the coffee is. Choose a coffee (whole or ground) prepackaged in associate degree airtight instrumentality. Porous containers, such as paper bags, will permit coffee to go stale quickly. Once you open that container, your coffee starts to lose its freshness. This means if you’re shopping for coffee in bulk however you're solely drinking a cup per day, your coffee can be bland in six months' time.
5. If you're picking out whole beans at your neighborhood market, stay away from beans that are split, broken, or cracked.
6. And what about decaffeinated coffee? will you still get a similar flavor and body as its caffeinated cousin? though some restaurants serve a weak cup of decaf this is often not a result of the coffee however of improper brewing. Allowing the coffee to sit out for a protracted time on the burner additionally causes it to become bitter and flat. By brewing a decaffeinated coffee cup in the correct means and by consuming it before it turns bitter, you can relish your cup of joe without the alkaloid aspect effects.
7. And by the way, before you brew that perfect cup of gourmet coffee, make certain your coffee machine is clean! There's nothing worse than the residue of old coffee smell mixture in together with your recently bought gourmet coffee. This is true for your grinder additionally as for your coffee maker“ and particularly if you enjoy testing completely different flavored coffees. If you do not clean your equipment frequently, your "hazelnut" coffee may simply taste a lot just like the "vanilla" coffee you had last week.