Walking into a specialty coffee shop these days can be intimidating, to say the least. It takes a whole new vocabulary just to order a cup of coffee, with lingo that includes words like “double, skinny, no whip, 3/4 shot decaf” and more. Though it can seem excessive to a newcomer, you may find that you actually enjoy the options that you have now. Read on for some ways to decipher the meaning of these things.
If you love coffee but are considered about your weight, then add some Stevia in your coffee rather than sugar or creams. This is a natural sweetener that is better for your body. You can find it at any health food store or at a grocery store.
Try a French press if you want coffee with a kick. Flavor is compromised by the paper coffee filters used in drip-style coffee brewers. Conversely a French press actually squeezes out extra oil for more flavor. This leaves the bean’s oils within the coffee, giving it a rich flavor.
If you are a fan of iced coffee, try making some coffee, then chilling it in the refrigerator overnight. It will cool, without the flavor diminishing. You can add your cream and sugar before placing it in the refrigerator so it is ready to drink. Your iced coffee will be perfect every time.
While your coffee is brewing, try soaking the coffee mugs in hot water. A cold mug will cool off your drink before you can even get it to your lips! When the coffee is ready, simply dry off the mugs and serve. This trick will keep it hot much longer.
Use your used coffee grounds in your compost pile! Coffee grounds offer many beneficial ingredients to a compost pile including pest control. Coffee grounds contain caffeine which helps prohibit the growth of fungus that can quickly destroy your vegetable garden. The next time you brew a fresh pot of joe don’t throw away those grounds; add them to your compost pile!
Make sure that you always refrain from putting coffee beans in the freezer or refrigerator. When these beans are placed in areas that contain food, it will absorb the smells of the food and take away from the coffee taste. This will ruin the quality of your coffee, as you should always separate beans from other nourishments.
Avoid purchasing beans that come in cans or in vacuum-sealed bags. Coffee beans need to be protected by valve-sealed bags to remain fresh. Besides, valve-sealed bags allow the carbon dioxide that emanates from the beans to escape, which means the beans will retain all their flavor and stay fresh longer.
When you are storing coffee, try not to store it in containers that are made out of glass. While there may seem to be airtight, the reality is that they are not, and a lot of air will be able to reach the coffee. This will negatively affect the taste.
Avoid using pre-flavored and packaged coffee beans. These beans are sprayed with extra oils that are very difficult to clean out of grinders and coffee machines. That oil stays in the machines and mixes with later batches causing strange-tasting coffee. They also tend to make the coffee smell better than it tastes.
Clean your coffee grinder regularly. Coffee grinds go stale quickly. As a result, it is necessary to clean your grinder often. If the grinder is not cleaned on a regular basis, old stale grinds will be mixed with your freshly ground coffee. It is best to clean the grinder thoroughly every few days.
Avoid reheating your coffee at all costs. When you reheat your coffee, it tends to lose a lot of its natural flavors. If you do not plan on drinking your coffee right away, but you want to make sure it stays hot, your best bet is to pour it into an insulated mug.
Make sure that you refrain from combining coffee beans from different brands. Not only will the flavor be different, but you will also be combining two sets of coffees that have different expiration dates and levels of freshness. Stick with the same brand and the same bag of coffee beans each time.
You do not have to quit caffeine in one bold move. You can make your own “semi” caffeine-free brew by grinding equal parts of regular beans and de-caf beans. If you buy coffee that has already been ground, just buy a package of each type of coffee, and split them 50/50 when you make your brew.
To cut down on acidic coffee, pull out that salt shaker. You can use just a pinch of salt in your coffee grounds when brewing to curb the acidity of the brew. Be careful not to overdo it. Too much salt will obviously change the overall taste of the brew.
Not all coffee should be stored in the freezer because doing so could result in less tasty coffee. Instead, you should divide your weekly stash of beans into equal amounts and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. The future week amounts can be stored in the freezer.
If you are finding it difficult to pinpoint what flavor best matches your pallet, try switching from single brews to blended ones. If you are unsure which flavors to combine, talk with a coffee shop employee and ask for a recommendation. Many stores will offer you samples of the flavored coffees before you purchase a full bag.
Do you enjoy creamy coffees and rich cappuccinos? These beverages contain huge amounts of calories. Actually, drinking a cappuccino from your favorite coffee shop can be compared to eating an ice cream. Ask about calories the next time you order a creamy beverage and try drinking black coffee if you need to watch your weight.
Now that you have had a full immersion into the world of ordering specialty coffee drinks, you are ready to dive right in and order up the perfect coffee exactly the way you like it. Be bold and experiment, then sit back with a newspaper and enjoy the world’s favorite beverage.
