Quality Water Makes a Difference

Water is the second most important ingredient in your coffee, so remember, even the best arabicas aren't worth beans if you mix them with bad water. And by coffee's standards, bad water includes foul-tasting water, chlorinated water, and water rich in calcium. Do any of these factors remind you of your tapwater? If so, here's a simple, minutely more pricey solution. Brew your next coffee with springwater. Then sit back and enjoy the difference...

But the quality of the water is not your only concern. The right water temperature is equally important. Thus, while it should never boil (except for a Turkish coffee), the water must be hot enough to extract the tasteful wonders from the beans. The ideal temperature sits between 90°C and 95°C, that is, the moment when the water first begins to simmer.

Finally, the coffee must be - as we all know - drank hot, but never reheated!

The Right Grind