One of the big advantages of the single cup coffee makers, like the Keurig range, is their easy no-fuss approach to making a good cup of coffee. There is little mess, simple operation and, depending on the coffee used, a great cup of coffee at the end of a quick process.
However, there are a number of issues that can arise that impact on how well that coffee tastes, and in this article we are going to look at three of the main problems that can arise. The first issue will be cleaning the coffee machine on a regular basis; the second on the type of water used; and the third the water temperature.
Clean Your Keurig Machine
First, make sure the machine is cleaned on a regular basis. How regular? Well, this depends on how often it is used. But if the machine is not cleaned one can get a lot of build up and that comes through in the taste. The two biggest problems to making a good cup of coffee is having a machine that is not regularly cleaned and not using enough coffee for the amount of water being used – if you under “coffee” it you are going to end up with dishwater.
A simple step of running water through the machine without any coffee can help to clean out the pipes and lead a better tasting cup of coffee. If you are not sure on how to do a water only brew cycle then we have a few videos on what others do and these can be found over below at the end of this article.
One approach a friend uses for the cleaning process is really just back to basics:
- Step 1: clean the water reservoir system with baking soda and run white vinegar with water through the machine;
- Step 2: run tap water through the machine until you can’t smell the vinegar any more. The vinegar removes scale deposits and other junk deposited by tap water over time. It’s also safe for the machine, unlike common cleaners from the store where it’s anyone’s guess as to what chemical is in it;
- Step 3: add baking soda through a wash cycle to remove any after tastes and remove any stains; and
- Step 4: of course remember to give the drip tray a clean too. Ok, it doesn’t make the coffee maker make any better coffee, but it keeps it all tidy.
Clean Purified or Spring Water
Having clean purified or spring water used in the water dispenser makes a big difference in the quality of the taste at the end of the process. Some towns and cities are blessed with great tasting water, while some of us aren’t. Even if you are not wanting to go out and buy the bottled water, perhaps just keeping aside water that has been boiled already and left to chill will make a difference.
Water Temperature and Amount
When you brew coffee the perfect water temperature is between 90 degrees Celsius (195 Fahrenheit) and 96 degrees Celsius (205 degrees Fahrenheit). This will ensure the proper extraction of the flavor from the coffee.
The proportion of coffee to water is equally important. I recommend starting with a ratio of 4 oz of water to 7 grams of coffee and adjusting to taste.