Coffee Brewing Tips

1. Grind your own coffee just prior to brewing. If you don't already grind your own, you should consider doing so. It's a key factor in getting the greatest amount of wonderful flavor from your coffee.

2. Use the correct grind for your method of brewing. If your coffee is bitter and overly strong, it may mean that you're using too fine a grind and thus slowing up the brewing process too much. If your brew lacks flavor or strength, it may mean that you're using a grind that's too coarse for your method (see Coffee Grinding).

3. Use freshly drawn cold water. Hot water has a tendency to be flat and stale.

4. Use the right amount of coffee. Suggested proportions are two level tablespoons (or 1 standard coffee measure) of coffee per twelve ounces (one coffee cup) of water. Adjust the amount of coffee to your own taste, but strongly brewed coffee tastes better.

5. Clean the coffeemaker and server often. Be sure to "de-lime" your automatic drip coffeemaker often...especially if you have a lot of minerals in your water.

6. Make sure the water temperature is as close to 200 degrees as possible. If you're using a pour-over drip method or plunger pot, just heat the water to boiling and let it cool off a minute or two before pouring through the coffee. If you use an automatic drip coffeemaker, test the temperature of the water as it comes out into the ground coffee chamber. If it is substantially lower than 200 degrees (cheap coffeemakers often are), invest in a new high quality coffeemaker.

7. Make a full pot. When using an automatic drip coffeemaker it is best to brew to full capacity. A drip pot made to brew six cups of coffee will make its best-tasting coffee if you brew all six.

8. Never re-use grounds. If using the plunger method, pour and serve as soon as brewing is complete.

9. Serve coffee immediately after brewing. With drip methods, stir the brew before serving. Coffee holds its flavor very well for about 20 minutes, and is usually still drinkable for up to an hour. Don't serve coffee that has been on the hot plate for an hour.

10. Do not reheat cooled coffee. Also, don't mix old coffee with new. Consider a thermal vacuum coffee carafe. It will keep freshly-brewed coffee hot for eight hours at full flavor.

11. Don't use bad tasting water to make your coffee. If your tap water isn't pleasant to drink, use bottled or purified water for your coffee.

12. Use Brown & Jenkins Fresh-Roasted Coffee! When combined with the above tips, you'll have the greatest cup of coffee... every cup, every time.