Making a Good Cup of Coffee

By

cookwie

Percolators make coffee with more caffeine and a stronger flavor than possibly what you are used to, hence the difference.

By Jeanette in South Texas (Guest Post)

I read somewhere to never clean a coffee pot with dishsoap because you can't get it all out. Use the vinegar / water combination instead. I can really tell in difference in my pot toward the end of the month...coffee starts getting bitter. The vinegar-cleaning sweetens it back up! If you Goggle "good coffee," you'll find many websites and almost as many different suggestions as below! Personally, I think the water temp. is a very important issue.

I occasionally test it with a candy thermometer to make sure it's good and hot...about 180 degrees. Even though your coffeepot is new, perhaps it's defective in this area. One other idea: I read somewhere that if possible, purchase and use a copper, reusable filter. It will let the coffee oils though that are traditionally "caught" by paper filters, affecting the taste. If you must use them, neither white or brown "natural" filters appear to make a difference in taste.

P.S. SAVE those used coffee grounds! Put a few (cooled) tablespoons of them in your geranium pots about once a month and you will have glorious blooms and healthy plants!

By michele (Guest Post)

This is for percolated coffee. I recently came across an old recipe book named "Seems Like I Done It This-a-way" by Cleo Stiles Bryan. She writes:

1/2 cup coffee
3 cups boiling water
Put coffee in the strainer and the water in the bottom of the percolator. Set strainer in place, cover and put over a slow fire. After water begins to bubble up, percolate 3 to 5 minutes.

By

immekc

Always always always start with COLD water. Then add your coffee and you will get good coffee.

By

metroplex

I have a Braun coffee maker - like Mr. Coffee and I always use 3 teaspoons of coffee up to each water line in the pot.

If I'm making 6 cups of coffee, I fill the pot up to the water line and add 9 teaspoons of coffee. Three teaspoons per cup.

This is important though: buy an actual coffee measurer. They hold 3 teaspoons and there's no messing about with dropping grounds. I find my coffee tastes better when I do this; I guess the measurements are more accurate?

My sister has a saying '3 teaspoons per cup, plus one for the pot'! That works too.

I also use hot water.

But try bottled water. I buy one gallon containers of water for $1.09 at the dollar store. They changed it from charging one dollar to charging $1.09!

My coffee brand itself isn't so fancy. I use Masterblend that I buy at Walmart; it's always cheaper than brand names, unless there's a terrifice sale.

But my husband says I make the best cup of coffee in the world! Maybe he just likes me.....

Good luck!