Coffee Talk - 101

• February 3, 2012
• 1 note
• #coffee talk

I used to consider myself a coffee snob.

In all actuality, I’m well past that now.

I was a coffee snob when I still drank Starbucks now and then. I was a coffee snob while I was still exclusively using a french press, and never using a timer.

So, what does that make me now? The guy who has five different brew methods at my disposal (I pick by the different characteristics each give to a cup of coffee), will not order Starbucks unless desperate beyond measure, and really only trusts ONE local coffee shop to deliver a good cup of coffee?

A coffee elitist.

Now I’m not saying I’ve arrived. There are people in coffee LIGHT years ahead of me. But my knowledge and passion for this particular commodity, the number two traded commodity in all the world (just behind oil), is ever growing. I read books on coffee. I experiment with different ratios of water to coffee, I adjust my grind, and I love teaching others what I’ve learned.

So, I’ve decided I want to start sharing some of my knowledge here. Truth is, most everyone I know is drinking crappy coffee, and they don’t have to. There are various tips and tricks that can enhance your cup of coffee RIGHT NOW without spending a dime. Well, for most of you. If you’re using a Keurig, I really can’t help… because that wretched machine gives you absolutely NO control over anything. So, drink up if you like stale, lifeless, boring coffee. Honestly, I’ve come to the conclusion that Keurig’s are really just for people who use coffee as a delivery mechanism for cream and sugar. That’s fine, if that’s what you like, but this probably isn’t for you then. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it, if you have to add sugar and/or cream to your coffee, then you’re not drinking good enough coffee. Coffee is NATURALLY sweet, it does not need sugar if you’re drinking fresh roasted, fresh ground, delicious coffee.

So, today’s tip is simple, and a great start for anyone using a standard drip coffee maker. Rinse your filter with hot water before putting your coffee grounds in it. Seriously. That’s it. This simple step will make whatever you’re drinking already better, regardless of all other factors. Paper filters impart a papery taste into your coffee unless they’re rinsed. You may not notice it because it’s what you’re used to, but I promise you it’s there.