WASHINGTON – If you brew coffee at home but you’re not happy with the taste, don’t be bitter.
The National Coffee Association has helpful home-brewing tips for non-coffee experts.
- Start with clean equipment. If you can’t remember the last time you cleaned your coffeemaker, it’s probably time to do it according to the instructions that came with the brewer.
- Choose whole bean coffee instead of ground, buy it as soon as possible after it’s roasted and, if possible, grind the beans right before you brew.
- If you use a blade grinder, try a burr grinder instead for a difference in flavor that might surprise you.
- Water might be another reason taste is off. If you use tap water, try letting it run a few seconds before filling the pot or switch to filtered or bottled water.
- Coffee tastes best when you drink it right after it’s brewed. Leaving the coffee pot on the burner for as little as 15 minutes could lead to that dreaded burned taste.
For more, check out the National Coffee Association’s “definitive guide” to brewing coffee.
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