Brew up a better cup by adhering to this advice from one of the North’s coffee stars, Jody Treeter.
1. Use freshly roasted beans. 2. Use purified water. 3. Use the proper grind.
- French press or percolator: coarse grind
- Drip: a little coarser than sugar granules
- Stove-top espresso: a little finer than sugar granules
4. Drink immediately. If you make extra, transfer the coffee to a thermal container. Never leave coffee exposed to heat. “It is an absolute no-no leaving it on any type of burner,” Treeter says. Also, never microwave coffee. Once it cools, coffee changes chemical composition. “When you microwave, it’s a big chemistry experiment.” 5. Don’t freeze or refrigerate coffee beans or ground coffee. Keep it in an air-tight container in a pantry.
6. Don’t drink coffee out of paper or Styrofoam.
7. Measure 1.5 to 2 tablespoons per 8 oz cup.
8. Treeter recommends a French press, but if using a drip coffee-maker, use a gold mesh filter (best) or unbleached filters. 9. Clean your drip coffee-maker regularly. Run vinegar solution (3 parts water: 1 part vinegar) through the machine. Then flush with pure water five times to eliminate vinegar residue.
Check out our coffee video series: Higher Grounds: Fair Trade and Delicious and How to Make the Perfect Cup of Coffee.
Jody Treeter is co-owner of Higher Grounds Trading Company.