Protect your gourmet coffee from light, heat and other moisture substance. Move your coffee to an airtight container, or just keep it in a bag that is rolled tight. At higher elevations various factors come together in process of growing the best gourmet coffee. Store it in a cool and dark place or it is good to keep them in freezer as well for best preservation. The coffee bean full-grown at eminent altitudes is much stronger than those grown at lower elevations.
Grinding Coffee Beans
Grind your coffee only as much as you require just before brewing, otherwise it would oxidize and lose its flavor. It is suggested to burr the coffee grinder over a blade grinder as it has more consistency. Use the apt grind for your coffee maker. A medium grind is good for vacuum pot and a finer grind in case of a manual drip method.
Use Fresh Water
Your best gourmet coffee can be spoiled by bad water. Do not use distilled water as it makes a flat cup of coffee. You should use only fresh cold water. Filtered water is also suggested to use.
Measure
Using two level tablespoons of ground coffee powder for each six ounces of water is recommended. Adjust your particular taste according to the need and do not trust the calculation given on your drip coffee maker as they are normally wrong.
Brewing Method
Bad brewing methods may have a larger impact on the taste of coffee than does the quality of the beans. A good cup of gourmet coffee is brewed using the manual drip technique, a French press pot or may be a vacuum pot. Traditional electric drip coffee machines do a good job but select it carefully. Coffee could be kept warm on a burner for only 25 minutes before the flavor turns to bitter. Brewing coffee only for 5 minutes is good before you are ready to drink the same.
