Freshness Tips
-If possible, buy whole bean coffee and grind only what you intend to use at that time. Heat, light, humidity and oxygen will all accelerate the deterioration of the flavour and aroma by damaging the delicate coffee oils.
-Store coffee in a cool, dark, air tight container or if possible, in a vacuum sealed container.
-Do not store your coffee in the refrigerator, the coffee with absorb odors which will affect the taste.
-If you don't plan on drinking your coffee within a couple of weeks you can store it in the freezer. Condensation will affect the beans so avoid taking them in and out frequently.
Brewing Tips
-Never use hot water to brew coffee in a coffee maker, always use cold.
-If you find that you take a while to drink your coffee, buy a brewer that brews directly into a thermal pot or carafe. This will keep the coffee hot for you, for more than an hour, without leaving it on the direct heat resulting in the burnt, over-cooked taste.
-If you find black coffee to be slightly bitter or too strong, make a regular pot of coffee and mix hot water into the strong coffee. This will get rid of the bitterness and make the coffee smoother. You may not have a need for cream or sugar anymore.
-For the best coffee, wait for the machine to completely finish brewing before pouring yourself a cup.
Grinding Tips
-Grinding a little fresh coffee and then throw it away before each use. Hopefully this will remove any stale coffee trapped in the grinder after washing.
-When buying a grinder, look for a flat grinding burr (or a conical burr) instead of a blade. The grind will be more consistent and it won't generate as much heat as a blade (too much heat during grinding will burn the beans).
-Make sure you are grinding your beans correctly for your brew type. Start by using a medium grind, time the brew cycle. 6 minutes or longer means the coffee will result in a bitter taste due to over-extraction. In this case you would adjust your grind to be more coarse. 4 minutes or less, adjust the grind to be more fine.
