Spring...flowers...new life...Coffee - What more could you want?
We are right smack dab in my favorite season of the year! Of course I am only imagining the wonder of it all, because as I write this we are continuing to experience one of the wettest and coldest winters that I can remember! Yep, to have this ready for you today, I am writing it around 45 days in advance...doesn't seem right, huh? But that is the way it is...you know, you have to plan ahead in this life of ours to make sure you can share and learn from each other and not be late, or rushed too much...boy, let me tell you, I am not rushed today! :o)
That brings me to the topic of the moment, rushing to make our favorite beverage, no matter what roast it is. Do you grind your own coffee in the mornings, or do you do it the night before...maybe you simply reach into the frig and pull out one of our coffee bags, measure and go! Do you have a minute? I think we need to talk!
Folks are always asking me how to store their coffee so that it will be fresh, and maintain its flavor and aroma. There are as many opinions on this as there is time to rattle on about each of them. Many years ago, I was told to always store my coffee in the freezer so that it would not get stale...then a few years later I was told that I was ruining my coffee simply by freezing it. Next, I was given the advice to always put my unused coffee in the frig...a nice cool dark spot to preserve its character. Then I was told that that could end up either drying out the coffee or making it too moist!
Finally, my coffee expert friends told me to disregard everything I had heard and simply buy enough to drink in one week...sounds great but may not be too practical if I really want good quality coffee everytime I want to brew a pot!
Here is my humble opinion...if you like whole bean coffee, buy it in packages that have one way valves, and buy it in a quantity that will make your life easy, and stress free. Do not get more than you can drink in a month...open each package as you need it, grind to the fine, drip level for drip coffee makers (this allows for more flavor from the edges), place the ground coffee into the coffee maker and brew immediately. I know this goes against the ease of fixing your coffee for brewing the night before, but hey, this is my opinion here! :o) Once you have opened your coffee package, empty into a sealed container and store in a cool place in your kitchen or office...you can store in frig if you must!
For those that like to buy already ground coffee...only buy from suppliers that grind your coffee shortly before shipping to you... If you buy The Alpaca Bean Coffee, you will get a finely ground coffee, packaged in a bag with a one way valve for preserving freshness. Open each bag as you need (remembering not to get too much at a time), place coffee in maker the morning you brew, and store the remainder in a sealed container, in a cool dark place in your kitchen or office. I believe that if you are an avid coffee drinker, you will consume your coffee before you will notice a drop off in quality.
There you have it, another opinion, and now you need to spend some time forming your own...cause, you know, that is the only one that really counts!
The Coffeeman
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