When you sit down to enjoy a cup of coffee, you want it to be hot and delicious, fragrant and tasty. What you don’t want is a drink that looks oily and tastes like an old pair of unwashed socks. But that is exactly what you might get if you are guilty of any of these three common coffee-making sins.
1. Don’t Wash Your Coffeemaker
Perhaps the worst sin when it comes to making a pot of coffee is not keeping the machine clean. Chances are you wouldn’t drink milk from the same glass every day without giving it a thorough washing – why would you allow your coffeemaker to go without a good clean? Coffee beans are naturally oily and exude a residue that clings to the inside of the coffee machine and serving carafe. You can actually see it; if you draw a finger around the inside you can feel the oily residue, too.
Always clean your coffeemaker with soap and water daily and occasionally follow this by running through a cycle of equal parts of water and plain white vinegar. It’s a good idea to do this deep cleansing at least once a month and preferably once a week.
2. Don’t Store Your Coffee Beans Properly
Many people buy a container of coffee than stick it in the larder without another thought. But what’s happening to the quality of the coffee if you don’t store it properly? Chances are the coffee beans will degrade and your morning drink won’t taste fresh or smell appetizing.
Air and light are coffee’s biggest enemies. Whilst coffee beans will last about a month in an airtight canister stored in a dark, dry cupboard, ground coffee is much more fragile and should be used within two weeks of opening the container. And if someone tells you to store your coffee in the freezer, it’s best to ignore this advice. The extreme temperature, moisture and odours in the freezer are detrimental to the quality of the coffee.
3. Don’t Use Fresh Coffee Beans
Now that you know an opened container of ground coffee is only fresh for a couple weeks and coffee beans last only for about a month, perhaps it is time you changed how you buy coffee. It’s best to purchase only the amount you will use within that time period for best results. Stale coffee makes a stale-tasting beverage that no amount of extra flavouring can hide.
When it comes to coffee, why not make the best cup you can? Avoid these three ways many consumers sabotage a pot of coffee and chances are you will enjoy the taste and smell of this popular drink more and more.
Damien Higgins writes for Eden Springs. The Eden office coffee maker is an excellent way to have delicious coffee at work.
