When you have awaken from your slumber, you will be happy to have a great cup of coffee. Is one of your favorite smells the scent of freshly brewed coffee in the morning? You’ve probably discovered that one cup simply isn’t enough! Read this article to expand your coffee horizons and learn about options you might not have known about.

Buy a standard coffee grinder. By grinding your own beans, you can ensure that your coffee tastes fresh. Generally, grinders will allow you to pre-select how coarse you want your beans ground. If you do not want an additional appliance in your kitchen, try to find coffee makers featuring integrated grinders.

Iced Coffee

One problem with iced coffee is that the melting ice dilutes the coffee over time. To reduce this, keep an ice tray of leftover brewed coffee in the freezer to be used with your iced coffee. These coffee cubes will only intensify the flavor of your iced coffee as they melt.

Purchase and grind coffee beans yourself. No cup of coffee is as tasty as one brewed from beans just ground moments ago. Lots of selections can be found at local groceries and specialty shops. Try different flavors for awhile until you find the one that hits the spot for you.

If you want to add sweetness without adding calories, then consider trying sugar alternatives like Stevia. Stevia is made from plants and its natural sweetness is great for diabetic coffee lovers, or those who are watching their waistline. Most supermarkets and niche health stores offer Stevia.

Now matter how badly you need a caffeine fix, don’t pour your coffee until it is fully brewed. While you can do this with some machines, the coffee quality will not be as good. Try getting one with a timer instead. These coffee makers will start brewing your coffee before you wake up.

Only use cold water for drip coffee brewers. Hot water is not recommended for these type of brewers. As the water brews, it is heated. Your coffee grounds are going to get burned if you brew them with hot water. You will ruin the taste of your coffee and it might be dangerous.

Don’t keep coffee beans or grounds in the fridge. It is a myth that the dark and cold environment will help the coffee to stay fresh longer. Quite the opposite is true. The beans and grounds will absorb the scents from all the other food in the fridge, and will taste bad quickly.

Do you need to cut down on sugar? There are alternatives for sweetening your coffee. Agave nectar, for example, contains sugar but will not harm your blood sugar. Stevia and other sweeteners can sweeten coffee as well and are completely safe.

Don’t drink coffee past 3pm. Coffee has lots of caffeine; therefore, drinking coffee late into the night can make you stay up way too late. Don’t drink any after 3 p.m.

Does your coffee not taste as good as what you find in a coffee shop? Consider using more coffee. A majority of coffee shops will use about two tbsp of coffee grounds for every six oz. of water. Experiment with your own ratios until you find your magic number that gives you the flavor you’re looking for.

Make sure that you use high quality water with your coffee. If your water does not taste good, neither will your coffee. You will want to brew with water that has minerals in it instead of distilled water. This will prevent your coffee from tasting bitter.

Is your coffee better tasting when you put creamer or milk in there? Adding milk to coffee seems straightforward, but if you think about it, it could be done several different ways. Milk frothing machines or heating up your milk are both great ways to change the texture. Using varying amounts of milk in a cup of coffee will result in different flavor.

Using quality water with your coffee maker can really help your coffee to taste its best. The water will have an influence on the overall flavor of your beverage. Test out the water first to ascertain it is acceptable before you start brewing.

Does a large portion of your income get spent at the coffee shop? Save money by purchasing your own reusable mug and a home coffee press. You can brew your own gourmet coffees for a fraction of the price you’d spend elsewhere. It may be that you can also save a great deal of time by avoiding cafes each day.

Don’t wake up tomorrow wishing you followed advice in this article. Your coffee tomorrow morning will be much better if you use the above tips. Remember this advice as you begin the brewing process.