History of Coffee: Part V - Speciality Coffee

With the large multi-national coffee companies focused purely on coffee as a commodity rather then a drink to be savoured, it allowed a new sector to emerge in the coffee industry: Speciality Coffee. Speciality coffee was nothing new, rather the opposite; it stripped coffee making back down to the grass roots: pure arabica beans, roasted long enough for the coffee to fully develop all its characteristics and flavours.

During the 'Dark Age' of coffee there was still excellent coffee available, if you knew where to look for it. A number of small cafes and shops continued to trade, sourcing and roasting high quality arabica beans. These outlets were typically run and frequented by immigrants (usually Arabs, Turks, Greeks and Italians), far from the mainstream.

All this began to change in the 1960s, with the post World War II 'Baby Boomers' coming into adulthood. Many of this generation were keen not to follow in their parents footsteps, preferring to act in a more bohemian way. For them, these cafes and shops were an ideal place to meet, read poetry, take drugs and experience alternative culture.

One such coffee shop in Berkeley (California) is widely credited as being the main inspiration on the emergence of the speciality coffee sector. Peet's Coffee & Tea store, opened in 1966 by Alfred Peet (dubbed the 'grandfather of speciality coffee'), enthused a number of its customers, who later became key players in the speciality sector. Peet, an immigrant from Alkmaar (Holland), had developed a distinctive style of roasting coffee from working in his family's coffee and tea business. After emigrating to California, aged thirty-five, he opened his shop employing his artisan coffee roasting techniques to build a loyal customer base. Peet's coffee was so loved that he even had his own set of groupies: the 'Peetniks'.

Two of Peet's most important customers (historically) were a couple of Seattle coffee lovers named Jerry Baldwin and Gordon Bowker. In 1971, after tasting Peet's fine brews, they were inspired to open their own coffee shop back in Seattle called Starbucks. Starbucks opened as a bean-only-store, steadily building a loyal customer base during the 70s and early 80s through its fine arabicas and darker roasts.

In 1984, the director of retail operations and marketing, Howard Schultz, tried to persuade Baldwin and Bowker to open the first Starbucks coffeehouse. Schultz had just returned from a trip to Milan, where he had noticed the existence of coffeehouses on almost every block. These were not just places to enjoy great espresso coffee, but also served as meeting places. Schultz was keen to recreate this kind of coffeehouse in America, but Baldwin and Bowker rejected Schultz's plans as they were unwilling to get into the restaurant business.

Undeterred, Schultz left Starbucks in 1985 to open his own coffeehouse, 'Il Giornale'. Still using Starbucks coffee beans to make espresso drinks, Il Giornale proved extremely popular with the Seattle public. So popular in fact() that, in 1987, Schultz was able to buy Starbucks from Bowker and Schultz. Changing Il Giornale's name to Starbucks, Schultz began to rapidly expand, opening over 1,000 stores in a decade.

The story of the first British speciality coffeehouse also involves Alfred Peet. In 1995, Scott and Ally Svenson wanted to open a coffeehouse in Covent Garden, London. Their background was in marketing and design and, even though they were originally from Seattle, they did not know much about coffee. This is why they approached Steven Macatonia and Jeremy Torz of Union Coffee Roasters. Steven and Jeremy had fallen in love with coffee while working at Peet's in California. On their return home they decided to open their own roasting outlet and were soon supplying places such as the River Café, the Caprice, and the Ivy.

The Covent Garden coffeehouse, named the Seattle Coffee Company, was another big success and inevitably expansion soon followed. The rapid growth of the company caused increasing demand on Union Coffee Roasters, so the two companies decided to merge together. In 1998, after opening over 60 outlets throughout the UK, Starbucks came knocking at their door. They saw the acquisition of the Seattle Coffee Company as an ideal way to enter the UK market. Soon the Seattle Coffee Company was no more, with all its stores re-branded as Starbucks.

The popularity of coffeehouses has been phenomenal. Almost every high street in Britain has a least one coffeehouse now. Words such as espresso, cappuccino and café latte are commonplace. In fact the price of a café latte is now one of the products that the British government use to measure inflation. Market analysers believe that the success of the coffeehouse is not solely due to the coffee they serve, but the atmosphere in which it is served. Coffeehouses in Britain in the 1990s were a break from convention. In the consumerist landscape of the high-street, coffeehouses represented a place to relax. Customers were encouraged to take their time over their coffee; sit on big comfy sofas; offered the daily newspapers to read; allowed to idle the afternoon away watching the world go by. In other words, coffeehouses had returned to playing their original role in society, as they had done when they first arrived in Britain back in 17th Century.

The growth of these coffeehouses has helped to heighten the public's awareness of the speciality coffee sector. Increasingly, individuals are looking to have a slice of the coffeehouse in their own home, investing in espresso makers and other coffee accessories. Coffee is now widely available from a multitude of origins, roasted to differing degrees and ground to your requirement. In short, the 'Dark Age' of coffee is well and truly over.

James Grierson is the owner of Galla Coffee: http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk - Uk online retailer of designer coffee accessories. Through the Coffee Knowledge section of his website he aims to help people understand more about coffee and give them tips on how to make great tasting coffee in their home.

Check out http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk/acatalog/Coffee_Knowledge.html for more articles or if you have a question send it to: coffeeknowledge@gallacoffee.co.uk

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The Bunn Coffee Maker Won't Leave a Bitter Taste in Your Mouth

There are many different coffee makers available in the marketplace to choose from. One of them is the Bunn Coffee maker. The Bunn Coffee Maker is made by the Bunn-O-Matic Corporation. The Bunn-O-Matic Corporation was founded in 1957 and they are credited with introducing the first paper coffee filter. Over the years the company has evolved and started making commercial beverage equipment and, more recently, home coffee brewers. There are seven different types of Bunn Coffee brewers available which include; My Café Brewer. My Café Brewer brews one cup of coffee at a time. The Bunn coffee makers take pride in brewing coffee at home that matches the standards of the expensive restaurant cups of coffee. They have a stainless steel tank with an advanced spray head, which dissipates the water over the coffee, and a very effective hot water heater. The coffee machines are either black or white with a stainless steel trunk which allows them to blend with any of the home décor styles. The decanter on most of the machines can hold up to ten cups of perfectly brewed coffee. Bunn also makes the BCG Grinder for pre-grinding your coffee beans.

The Bunn Advantage claims that Bunn Coffee makers brew coffee that is robust in flavor without the common bitterness encountered with some coffee machines. Bunn Coffee makers do this by using a patented system that keeps the temperature at the ideal brewing temperature of 2000 Fahrenheit. The coffee maker has a fast brew cycle which exposes the water to the ground coffee beans for the perfect length of time for a perfect coffee flavor. The Bunn Coffee maker creates the right amount of turbulence via its spray head to suspend the ground coffee and extract it's flavor uniformly for the perfect cup of coffee.

How to Use a Bunn Coffee Maker

Start with a good quality coffee that has been well stored. The coffee maker requires one tablespoon of ground coffee for one brewed cup. Use good clean odorless water preferably water that has been filtered. If you need to keep your coffee for more than 30 minutes store it in a thermal carafe; it can hold its flavor here for up to 60 minutes. Clean your decanter after every use, even the faintest trace of old coffee can taint your fresh pot.

Bunn Coffee maker replacement parts can easily be obtained from vendors and from the manufacturer. Parts for the Bunn coffee maker are easily accessible. On the companies website you can find access to customer service representatives who can answer your questions and help find the replacement part or accessory that you need. Bunn coffee makers are available at many different locations. You can purchase your coffee maker online at the different sites of the coffee makers distributors. There are Bunn coffee makers and replacement parts available on the different auction sites online; this allows you to purchase your coffee maker at a discounted price.

Eric Comforth is a consultant who writes on many consumer topics. Learn more about coffee makers at Coffee Maker Central

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Myriad Varieties of Coffee Makers With Enhancements

Coffee is one of the most important beverages that are known to have many benefits for people of all age groups when it comes to stimulating them and keeping them active for a prolonged time period. There are a lot of appliances that serve the purpose of brewing coffee without having to add water. Hence, manual coffee preparation is not necessary and the whole process is made automatic. Many households with working professionals opt for these appliances that are termed as Coffee Makers. Coffee making appliances are available in various designs, with different capacities and with different specifications too. There is a huge spectrum of devices for the public to choose from, according to their custom needs.

The working of the simple coffee making device is easy and simple enough for any layman to understand. Coffee is put in the device container in a simple powder form and water is added according to the specified measurements given on the container. The device is plugged on. In a few seconds, a delicious aroma of coffee reaches you with the gurgling sound and depending on the strength that you need, you can keep the coffee brewing for as long as you like. The decoction will then be ready and upon adding warm milk and sugar, you can get to sip that mind blowing coffee that will make you drool. What an awesome way to refresh yourself! This is particularly useful in hostels and offices where there are huge coffee stations installed where continuous brewing takes place and instant coffee can be served.

The inner mechanism of the sleek and stylish coffee pot can be segregated into three basic parts which are the reservoir, used for storing the water that is needed for heating and brewing coffee; the shower head through which extremely hot water is sprayed over the coffee and the coffee bean container. In certain types of coffee making appliances there is an additional drip area where the water drips onto the coffee brewer. The basic working is quite comprehensible. Water is poured into the reservoir and then after continuous heating, it is passed through slender white tubes into the shower head where the hot water is showered onto the coffee beans for good brewing. In other Coffee Makers, the hot water is made to pass through the perforated sheets called the drip area from where the water is allowed to drip into the coffee container. Here, the brewing starts and continues until the taste and the pungent sensation is fulfilled up to your liking and then the appliance will be switched off either automatically or manually as per the model standard.

The heating element is another important component when it comes to the coffee maker. It is also the most critical and important as many a times, failure occurs because of malfunctions and manufacturing defects in the heating filament. It is made of an aluminum extrusion and is coupled with slim white tubes that carry hot water from the reservoir to the drip area. It is therefore, extremely important to note that you have a satisfactory warranty on the heating filament. The overall making of the coffee ultimately relies on the heating element and its apt working. Thus, it can be easily said that this equipment is the heart of the coffee making device.

Many coffee brewers come with an internal alarm installed in the device that will automatically switch the device on. Thus, people can pre set the time that they want their coffee to brew, so that while they wake up and have a wash, their coffee will be getting ready according to their preference. It will be quite a hassle free affair to get up from slumber and directly sip your favorite coffee that will energize you before you set about doing the other chores lined up for the day.

In certain up market coffee machines, it is not even necessary to put in coffee in the form of powder. Coffee beans can be directly added and they will be roasted to perfection using the modern state of the art technology. These roasted coffee beans will then be crushed into fine powder and after this operation; the water will be added that will start the brewing process. Thus, you will have instant freshly ground coffee at your disposal. This can be mixed with chicory or other forms of sweeteners where the bitter taste of the coffee will get reduced and give you a richer and juicier taste.

More advanced Coffee Makers also have the facility of adding up milk and sugar and other ingredients to stir up the whole mug of coffee without any contribution from you. Coffee is first brewed with hot water, then the decoction is mixed with milk and sugar set according to the measurements of your choice and then after the final brewing, that cup of perfect coffee is ready to drink. The joy of waking up and finding an almost readymade cup of coffee waiting for you is pure ecstasy. Of course, these models are on the more expensive side, but then when it is value for money, splurging does not seem to be a bad idea.

There are coffee brewing devices that allow you to use a small quantity of coffee before brewing it in a lump sum amount. This is typical for a family where the mother wakes up way before the others and wishes to have a cup of coffee before she sets up everything for the day. In such cases, after the machine is switched on, it will prepare a cup of coffee according to the set of instructions given and then proceed to make the quantity of coffee that is required for the whole family. In this way, two batches of coffee can be made where the tastes can be altered too and saved in the program list.

Thus, these wonderful appliances are finding their way in almost all the kitchens and have become more of a style statement and a status symbol that oozes class and panache in addition to providing great services. Thus, coffee brewing appliances are excellent devices to splurge on.

Ramya Mohan is a renowned expert author and has written numerous articles. She can be contacted for article writing jobs at myara4u1990@gmail.com.

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Mr. Coffee Versus Bunn-o-Matic - The Coffee Maker Battle Heats Up

For coffee lovers, there are few things more appealing than being met in the early a.m. hours by a perfectly brewed pot of coffee. That first cup sets the mood for your entire day, doesn't it? If it's brewed up right, you'll feel that extra zing in your step from morning till night. However, if that first cup is too strong or too weak, too hot or not hot enough, you quickly find yourself spiraling into a first-class coffee crisis.

So, how do you avoid a coffee catastrophe? It's simple, buy the best coffee maker on the market made especially for your coffee-drinking needs! Sounds simple enough, right? But, who makes the best coffee maker today? In other words, who is the All-Time Champion of Coffee Makers?

Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to welcome you to our title bout of the day where two mighty coffee making titans - Mr. Coffee and Bunn-o-Matic - will meet in the kitchen to crown the undisputed coffee making champion of the world.

Introducing The Coffee Maker Contenders

In the green corner, we have Mr. Coffee - long-recognized as the undisputed champion of home coffee makers. Affordable with many models to choose from, Mr. Coffee currently has over a dozen models on the market retailing from between $24.99 to $89.99. With makers serving up between one and twelve cups, he'll be hard to beat. In fact, Mr. Coffee is in great shape with an amazing array of features and settings, including single serve, speed brew, switch, programmable, and thermal models.

In the red corner, we have the Bunn-o-Matic - king of the commercial coffee making market. Found in restaurants and chosen by baristas around the world, Bunn-o-Matic is known for his professional-grade machines. With a limited variety (e.g., currently seven models, with one single serve and 6-10 cup models), judges will need to pay close attention to the details to see what kind of punch the Bunn-o-Matic packs. One thing is for sure: with a starting price of $89.95, Bunn-o-Matic definitely tips the scales as a higher-priced option for home consumers.

For those of you who are new to the clash of the coffee makers, here's what the judges will be looking for during the brew-off:

Cup size

How many cups can your coffee maker cook up (say that five times fast)? Most brands today have single-serve and multiple cup models, with 10-12 cups being the upper limit for most home coffee makers.

Timer

If having your coffee pre-made for you when you wake up is important, then a timer is going to be key! Timers allow you to set the time when your coffee maker will start doing its thing and brewing you up your beloved coffee.

Space

If you have unlimited counter space, then this criterion might not matter much to you. But, for those of you for whom counter space is at a premium, deciding upon a model that fits your space as well as your décor might be an important consideration.

But, to truly separate the two competitors, our judges will also be looking closely at the following four areas:

Ease of Use

This is self-explanatory - at 6 a.m., you want a machine that is easy to use

Durability

As you know, coffee makers aren't the most pampered of home appliances. They can get pretty banged up with daily use. Choosing a hardy model is essential.

Ease of Cleaning

Starting with a well-maintained and cleaned pot is one of the best ways to assure yourself of a great cup of coffee day after day.

Style

Yes, in the end, many of us like our coffee makers to look cool. Sure, while it's true that they are simply functional machines, we want these machines to represent our love for coffee.

The fight is on between the top coffee makers in the world. So, who wins the home coffee maker battle? Bunn-o-Matic definitely has significantly higher priced models and less of a home-based selection, but is known for superior performance and durability. Mr. Coffee has a wider range of home models to choose from and most of their machines are significantly less expensive than even the lowest priced Bunn-o-Matic.

In the end, it's a personal choice for you to decide. Remember, a great cup of coffee ends up being more than your coffee maker. Quality water, beans, and the proper grind for your machine all make a big difference in whether your coffee maker and first cup of coffee are winners. Good luck!

Jon Butt is the host of [http://www.the-coffee-guide.com/coffee-makers.html] ">The Coffee Guide, an innovative website dedicated to all things coffee. From beans to gourmet, espresso machines to coffee makers, or just great tasting coffee

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Brewing the Perfect Cup of Coffee

Do you remember your first experience with coffee? I'm sorry to say that I do. All I remember is that it was powdered and freeze dried and worst of all, decaf. I remember sitting in a restaurant with my mother and stepfather asking a waitress for Sanka, and explaining to my mother that I'd had it before and avoiding her disapproving stare. What was wrong with a ten year old drinking coffee? It was Sanka for God's sake!

My remaining experiences between ten and thirty five were noncommittal and mediocre to say the least. Mixing Tasters Choice in tepid tap water, graduating to Maxwell House and a Mr. Coffee; suffice it to say that there was no passion in my coffee. If I asked a girl out for a cup of coffee, it usually meant a Styrofoam cup at a Dunkin' Donuts or a Winchell's somewhere.

Then I stepped into my first Specialty Coffee Shop. Now that I remember well. It was a combination bookstore and coffee shop called the Upstart Crow in San Diego, California. The most important thing to me was the feeling I got when I walked in there. Complete comfort. There, I was able to sit in one of their comfortable armchairs, sit back, cross my legs and enjoy a cup of joe while reading a good book. Back then I was into science fiction and I remember vividly reading 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card while sipping some of the most wonderful coffee from a paper cup.

Oh that coffee! Rich and smooth, I fell into it's flavor; jumped actually. I spent many a day off sitting in that shop in Seaport Village... then I left San Diego for Atlanta and it was back to Maxwell House and Sanka. sigh...

Then, simply because I was unemployed and late with the rent I walked into a local Starbucks and asked for an application. I was hired and that's where my obsession with coffee renewed itself. I was sent to their training center for intensive classes teaching not only how to promote the product, but how to differentiate the taste between two coffees and most importantly, how to brew and serve the perfect cup. This, my faithful reader is what I am going to teach you now. Get ready to learn how to brew the perfect cup of coffee!

The Fundamentals of Coffee

All coffee, no matter whether you get it from your local coffee shop or the supermarket has four basic fundamentals:

Proportion

Grind

Water

Freshness

Let's look at each of these one by one...

Proportion

The ratio between coffee and water is an important one. Anyone who's ever had coffee that's too weak or too strong knows what I'm talking about. When it comes to brewing the perfect cup of coffee, the proportion should be two tablespoons of ground coffee to every six ounces of water. No more no less. A lot of people try to stretch their coffee for two weeks or more without realizing what a sacrifice to the taste this is. Use too little coffee and it tastes weak. Use too much and it becomes bitter and you risk a terrible nights sleep.

The best way to measure two tablespoons is with a measuring scoop. There are scoops that are specifically measured for two tablespoons but if you don't have one made especially for coffee measuring then you can use a standard 18 cup measuring cup. If you don't have that you can use regular run of the mill tablespoons, but that method isn't as precise. If you want to purchase a coffee scoop, you can get one at a specialty coffee shop or online. Starbucks is a good place to get one.

Grind

The type of grind you use for your coffee depends upon what kind of coffee maker you brew your coffee in. If you use an espresso machine you use a fine grind. For automatic drip coffee makers (such as Mr. Coffee), you use a medium grind and you use a coarse grind for coffee presses (my preferred way of brewing). There are other grinds as well, just as there are other ways to brew coffee such as percolators and Turkish coffees.

If were going to talk about the way a coffee is ground, then we also have to talk about grinders. Basically there are two types of grinders: blade and burr Blade grinders have two blades that rotate at a high speed to grind your beans. The pros of this method is that blade grinders are affordable. The cons are that they generally break down quicker.

Burr grinders grind the beans between two textured plates and the grind is much more consistent than a blade grinder. Also, it's easier to adjust the grind with a burr grinder. To get an espresso grind with a blade grinder, you have to hold the grind button for x amount of seconds. A burr grinder allows you to turn a dial and voila! Your grind is done. Obviously, I prefer a burr grinder.

Water

It's pretty much a good idea to use fresh, clean water to brew your coffee. If at all possible, try not to use tap water; you should always use filtered or bottled water. Before you begin screaming at me that you don't have that kind of money, don't worry. Yes, using nothing but bottled water is not exactly cost effective but there are inexpensive water filters available to purchase. Water filtration pitchers are also a good way to get fresh water for brewing.

Your water should be heated to just below boiling, around 190 degrees. You don't want your water to be too hot. It could overheat the grounds and spoil the taste of your coffee.

Freshness

This is pretty obvious. Once a bag is opened, the freshness lasts about a week. After grinding, it lasts about two days. The best way to keep your beans and ground coffee fresher longer is to keep it in an airtight container like the one shown here. And never, ever freeze your coffee no matter what you've heard or read. Coffee that is frozen is a high risk for freezer burn and take it from one who has experienced the horror: freezer burnt coffee is not a great taste!

Well those are the basics. I hope you enjoyed reading this article and Happy Brewing!

Loy Williams' articles can be found at his website Coffee-Basics.com along with other quality content about his prime obsession; coffee. Be sure to check it out: http://www.coffee-basics.com

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Which Coffee Maker? Grinding Out the Answer

When you stop at the convenience store or at a local coffee shop for your morning cup of coffee have you ever wondered how your cup of coffee came about? No, not how it was brewed but how it was that you are able to drink a cup of coffee. Sure, the coffee machine plays an important role in making your perfectly brewed cup of coffee, but just how did that coffee maker first come about, or how did the first person who ever sipped the first cup of coffee discover its magic?

Legend goes back to a lonely sheep herder in Ethiopia who noticed his sheep acting strangely every time they ate certain red berries from a certain bush. One has to wonder why he himself decided to give the berries a try. Well that is of no consequence because since that life altering decision man has been enjoying coffee in many different cultures, different countries and different places. Do you know they even drink coffee on the Space Shuttle? I wonder what kind of coffee machine they have.

The one million dollar question is exactly what makes a good cup of coffee? Does buying one of the best coffee makers lead to a great cup of coffee? Not necessarily.. Start with great coffee beans. You can even roast your own coffee beans with the Home coffee roaster machines. Roasting machines allow coffee drinkers to buy premium coffee beans at discount prices and roast them at home. The coffee drinker is in charge of the roasting level; medium or dark roast. Coffee drinkers also advise against buying pre-ground coffee, pre-grinding diminishes the coffee flavor and aroma. Apparently the best part of the coffee bean is found deep within it therefore pre-ground, once the package is opened loses that rich coffee aroma. Grinding your beans before you start percolating your coffee ensures you get the most out of the bean. Talking about grinding the beans there are also two types of coffee grinders; burr and blade grinders, both serve the purpose equally well, so the type of grinder you have does not affect your cup of coffee.

Shopping for coffee makers

There are three different types of coffee makers. There are filter coffee makers that basically drip hot boiling water over the ground coffee beans then filter the coffee over a disposable paper filter. Then there are the espresso/cappuccino coffee makers and finally the combination coffee makers that make both cappuccino and filter coffee. Choose a coffee machine that suits your needs. Take into consideration how much and how often you drink coffee. How much you are willing to spend on seeking the perfect cup of coffee. Remember to look online, you can find many discount coffee makers.

Whether you enjoy your coffee with or without cream or whether you enjoy a robust and flavorful cup of black coffee remember to thank that lowly sheep herder who took a risk and ate the first coffee bean.

Eric Comforth is a consultant who writes on many consumer topics. Learn more about coffee makers at Coffee Maker Central

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Secrets to the Perfect Cup of Coffee

How to Make the Perfect Cup of Coffee

Want to know how to make the perfect cup of coffee? A few simple steps will make your coffee taste great every cup.

Before you even start, when you bring your coffee home, store it in an airtight container that blocks the light. Ceramic is best because plastic and metal containers can impart a taste to your coffee or coffee beans. Keep your coffee at room temperature. Storing it in the refrigerator or freezer will also lead to deteriorating flavor. Water or ice attaches itself to the porous coffee and ruins the taste. And buy only the amount of coffee that can be used within a couple of weeks.

Enthusiasts agree. Coffee drinkers who want the perfect flavor use whole coffee beans and grind their coffee just before brewing. Coffee grinders improve the taste of coffee because they release the oils and aromas of the coffee beans immediately before you brew your coffee. Experts advocate using two heaping tablespoons of whole beans to the grinder for every six ounces of water you use.

Since coffee is 99% water, use water that is free from chlorine and other minerals. You want the taste of the coffee, not the taste of the water used for brewing. And if you have control of the temperature of your water, keep it between 195 degrees and 205 degrees to ensure getting the best flavor extraction from your ground coffee.

And what about that coffee maker? Drip coffee makers are easy and can produce terrific coffee. The key to making perfect coffee with a drip coffee maker is making sure to use a gold, nylon, or other type of permanent filter. Permanent coffee filters insure that the flavor molecules from the coffee grinds pass into the water without adding additional flavors. Those disposable paper filters have an aftertaste that they impart to the coffee on the one hand and on the other, they absorb those special aromatic oils from the grinds that are essential for excellent taste. If you must use paper filters, use the unbleached kind and rinse them with hot water before you use them.

When was the last time you cleaned your coffee pot and mugs and cups? Clean equipment can make a tremendous difference in how your coffee tastes. Every so often clean out your mugs and cups with baking soda and water, and rinse them out thoroughly. Every month pour a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water into your drip coffee maker and turn it on. Let the mixture run all the way through, turn off you coffee maker and let it cool for a half hour. Pour out the vinegar mixture and run one or two reservoirs full of clear water to rinse it out, letting the pot cool for 15 to 20 minutes between each rinse.

And one last step. Be sure to drink it while its fresh - more that 20 minutes after brewing is done, your coffee will begin to taste bitter. Now its time to make your coffee.

And now--ENJOY.

Joe Bland will help you bring your ordinary coffee to gourmet coffee status. Find how some easy habits will easily make your next cup your best. Check out the articles and tips at [http://www.Gourmet-Coffee-Authority.com].

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