Coffee Explanations

by Erin Marissa Russell

What’s the best grind for coffee? It depends on the machine and the type of coffee you want to make. You will find standard recommendations for most types of coffee makers in the section below.

When you’re getting ready to make coffee in a new setup or you’re using a grinder for the first time, you need to know how finely or coarsely to grind the coffee beans you will use. However, there’s no answer to this question that applies to every possible way of making coffee. Instead, each preparation method has a grind size that is recommended. Within those categories, there is sometimes variation from one type of coffee maker to another. 

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by Matt Gibson

Two fancy coffee making methods — pour over and French press. If you are a coffee drinker who has only had experience drinking coffee made from the standard electric drip coffee machines, it’s about time you graduated to one of these hands on, easy to learn brewing system that will produce a more flavorful cup of coffee. But what’s the difference between pour over and French press? Both pour over systems and French presses are excellent devices for brewing small batches of strong, flavorful coffee that will easily put your old electric drip coffee maker to shame. But they are a little bit different as far as how you make the coffee, and how it tastes.

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QUESTION: What are the best brands of Columbian coffee? Everyone says Columbian coffee is supposed to be really delicious and not so bitter, but I don’t know how to buy it. – Teresa F

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QUESTION: What coffee is best for beginners? I tried one of those dark roast Sumatra coffees at Starbucks and it was just too bitter and kind of gross. – Alica R

ANSWER: When you’re just getting started drinking coffee, there’s so much to learn that just buying some coffee beans to try out can be intimidating. And there are some things that practiced coffee drinkers enjoy that aren’t so appealing to a beginner. Whether you’re just learning about coffee yourself or looking for a gift for a beginning coffee drinker, here are some tips to give you ideas about what to avoid and what to choose.

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QUESTION: What’s different about pour over coffee? I don’t get it. Doesn’t a coffee machine do the same thing? — Eddy H

ANSWER: If you are a coffee drinker, you are most likely familiar with the common electric drip coffee machine that brews coffee quickly and easily. Most electric drip coffee machines are super affordable and especially easy to use. Just plug it in, put in a filter, add ground coffee beans, fill the reservoir with water, and turn the machine on, and in just a few minutes, your coffee is ready. Inside the machine, a heating element heats up your water to the correct temperature. The water travels through the tubing and drips into the filter basket where it flows through the coffee grounds, absorbing their flavor and caffeine, as it travels through the grounds and into your coffee pot. 

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