Want to know how to up your coffee game at work? Read on for some of our favourite tips and tricks! I don't know about you, but work is just not working for me if it does not involve coffee. Even as I am writing this article to share with you, I am sipping on a delicious cup of coffee (from my Blue Coffee Box). For the longest I can remember, work and coffee have been partners in crime. Great ideas usually happen whilst you are sipping on a cup of coffee left over from one of those notorious coffee breaks. But have you ever really paid attention to the flavour and taste of the coffee from the break room? For some, it comes straight out of a machine after putting in a few coins. For others, it's the coffee pods or automatic drip machines.
The coffee has been sitting since the first thing that morning (and coffee, when left all day on a burner, tastes burnt and bitter). You can bet that your coffee break will not be such a break. So how can one make sure that the afternoon coffee break is of quality, both in time and in the coffee chosen to drink? These are a few suggestions we think will help up your coffee game at work.
How to Step Up Your Coffee Game at Work
Time to Ditch the Coffee Pod
While a coffee pod such as Nespresso can be convenient, they can be expensive (and there is no telling how old the coffee is in those pods!) With the coffee pods, you're paying premium bean prices for non-premium beans and many of those pods are not good for the environment. So, it's time to get rid of the convenience and the bad tasting coffee.
BYOP (Bring Your Own Pour-Over/French Press/Kettle)
For me, I love the ease of a pour-over carafe like the Chemex. It is easily portable and you can grind extra beans before you leave the house for you to use in your coffee that day. [Related Article: How to Make Coffee Using the Chemex Pour Over] An electric kettle which you can plug in at your desk will allow you to get precise with your water temperature.
If you prefer a French press or a pour over setup, you can make your coffee in smaller batches. This will allow you to control the flavour.
Keep a Jug or Bottle of Purified Water At Your Desk
There is 98 percent water in your cup of coffee. It means that the quality of water has a significant role in the taste of coffee. It contains dissolved minerals, chemicals, and gases, many of which have a noticeable role to play when brewing.
The best kind of water to use when making coffee at home or in the office is purified bottled water. Chemically, our brewing water meaning the water that comes out of your tap _x0097_ is not pure. In order to get a great cup of coffee, use good, clean water. Check this article out for the precise chemical breakdown in water for your coffee.
Buy the Best Beans You Can Afford and Grind Per Use
If you want a great cup of coffee on your coffee break, do us both a favour and buy whole coffee beans (a Blue Coffee Box subscription should fit the bill!).
Invest in your coffee game, because you, my friend, can afford it. Each coffee bean has flavour locked away inside. When you grind those beans, it releases that flavour right then. I don't know about you but I would much rather have a fresh cup of coffee on my coffee break than I would just an okay cup of coffee wouldn't you? [Related article: When is it Best to Use Fresh Roasted Coffee Beans]
Storing Your Beans Properly
Coffee beans are best kept in an airtight container. Keep your coffee beans at room temperature. By doing this, your beans will stay fresh longer (Click here to learn about our favourite storage containers). If you love coffee as much as we do, do yourself a favour and take the time to research the perfect amount of beans needed. Also learn which grind works best for you, what temperature to brew them at, and for how long.
Once you have tested and tried which method works best for you, then you will be on your way to making great coffee for your next coffee break. [Related Article: The Best Way to Store Coffee and Keep it Fresh]
