How To Make A Better Cup Of Coffee

You CAN make a better cup of coffee at home!!

With the growing number of coffee shops and kiosks these days, it seems that we're drinking more coffee than ever.  Consumer surveys back this up - suggesting that coffee-based shops are some of the fastest-growing retail businesses around -- even during the past recession.

So then, how does the frugal coffee lover skip the $5-or more cup of coffee and make their own good tasting cup at home?

What follows are tips towards getting a better cup.  Remember - coffee should "taste" good;  Keep changing-up your routine until you get it right!

• Use Columbian coffee - grounds or beans.  Yes, Columbian costs more.  But it always amazes me that the same people who skip the Columbian coffee in favor of the cheaper "regular roasts" are the same people who buy those premium cups of coffee at the coffee house - and then wonder out loud why THEIR coffee at home never tastes as good.  Bottom line - you get what you pay for;  Buy the Columbian grounds or beans.
• Over measure/Under Pour.  My rule of thumb for making good coffee is to "over-measure" the grounds, and then "under-measure" the water you pour into the pot.  If you usually use one scoop to 4 cups of water, use one-and-a-half scoops to 4 cups of water.  Stronger coffee has more intense flavor.  Again, this is what you're paying for at the premium shops.
• Clean your coffee pot routinely.  Also, clean the inside water tank.  Running plain white vinegar through a brew cycle at least once a month will do wonders for your coffee results.
• Use fresh coffee.  Tempting as it might be to stock up on 50-pounds of coffee at the wholesale club, in  this case - it pays to NOT stock up as much.  Buy and use your coffee and you'll always have fresh grounds and beans.
• Don't freeze your coffee.  "Common wisdom" was that you should store your beans and grounds in the freezer.  By it's nature, a freezer removes moisture to keep things cold;  That very process removes the oils in the coffee that give it flavor.  The freezer also makes it easy for the grounds and beans to pick up "tastes" from the other items you have stored there.