Coffee is one of the oldest drinks known to man. The invention of pre-ground coffee that simply needed to be brewed was the first major change in how coffee was sold. Once that became the norm for many households, instant coffee was introduced, before quickly fading. Coffee manufacturers tried numerous different ideas to make coffee new and exciting – and of course boost sales. After many of these innovations were deemed unnecessary, the coffee industry introduced the single-serve coffee, commonly known as the K-cup. While it’s widely used today in offices and some homes, some people still wonder how to make a great cup of coffee with a single-serve device.
Control The Strength
One K-cup is not necessarily the equivalent of one cup of coffee. The old style of brewing allowed you to add more or less coffee grounds per cup of water, so you could make the coffee stronger or weaker. K-cups seemingly take that option away from the user, making a cup of coffee stronger by adding an extra k-cup or decreasing water. However, that does not need to be the case. It is actually possible to choose a smaller water setting than the size of the cup of coffee you wish to drink. If you repeat this process and utilize several K-cups to make a cup of coffee, you can make the coffee stronger. Some newer machines, even allow for adjusting specific water levels to make your coffee become stronger or weaker, giving you more control than if you utilized the normal settings. In addition, K-cups actually come in varying strengths. It is best to purchase the strength you typically prefer.
The Perfect Amount
Most people prefer to add something such as milk, creamer, or sugar to the coffee, as opposed to drinking it black. However, the amount of sweetener or creamer you need for a cup of coffee may vary based on its strength and the size of the cup. Once you determine how sweet or creamy you prefer your coffee, you can mix your K-cup coffee to your liking. Consider it the barista’s version of drink mixology. For instance, if you prefer a very sweet, very light (almost milky) coffee, you may want to use three or four teaspoons of sugar and a quarter cup of cream in a 16-ounce cup. However, if you prefer to actually taste your coffee, maybe only half a teaspoon of sugar and a tablespoon of cream would be perfect. Remember, if you are using a flavored cream, there is already added sweetener, which will only add to the sugar you’ve already put in your coffee. If you do not like your coffee too sweet, you may choose to avoid the additional sweetener altogether.
The Flavor Peak
Coffee is at its’ finest when packaged at its’ peak. Depending on the roast (and the roaster) this typically occurs several hours after the roast . The coffee has been cooled but is still out-gassing, This “sweet spot” can be captured if the roaster has the means to package the coffee on-site. An unexpected dividend of packaging is this manner is that the CO2 (from the out-gassing) create a positive pressure that combats the introduction of oxygen gas thereby preserving that flavor. Visually, the top displays a characteristic dome shape that when punctured emits a swish sound and an aroma that is similar to coffee cans of times past. The result is coffee at its’ finest… truly an “ah ha” experience.
No matter how you make your coffee, the most important factor in a perfect cup of coffee starts with the coffee itself. Make sure your coffee beans are high quality and full of taste. To obtain amazing K-cups of the highest quality, contact Gorby Coffee at (651) 408-5768.