The answer is equipment. You need to grind that fresh roasted coffee just before you brew it and you need the proper grinder. The cheap blade grinders do a poor, inconsistent job basically breaking the coffee into pieces. A burr grinder uses two plates with machined burrs to mill the coffee to a consistent texture. There are many burr grinders available and you don’t have to break the bank to have a quality product.

The grind is very important and this grinder is adjustable. Finding the grind for you will take some experimenting. Correct grind is very important to the body and flavor, to fine can cause bitterness from over extraction, to course can cause under extraction. The correct grind will produce a balance between the acidic elements and the natural sugars giving a smooth coffee. Some prefer a finer grind that give more solids and a deeper coffee flavor.

Measurement of the coffee is the next step. It can be done by volume or by weight. Recommended measure for a 12 cup brewer is 3 ounces. If this is to strong for your taste add hot water to regulate the flavor, don’t cut back on the coffee as this will result in a bitter cup. Weight measurement with a scale will give a more consistent cup. Different roasts have a different weight. Using a scoop measure with a French Roast will give you a different weight than a cinnamon roast.

The Coffee brewer must have a high enough temperature and enough hot water volume to properly extract the flavor from the grinds. Also the “shower head” must be of the design that it agitates the grinds in the filter basket to allow for complete extraction. A great unit is the Bunn ThermoFresh brewer. It is built for home use from the design of the commercial units used in the coffee shop.

Remember, to make great coffee, you need:

• Fresh Roasted Coffee
• Correct Grind
• Correct measure
• Quality Coffee Brewer