How to Make Great Coffee

Anyone who loves coffee knows one thing, what a bad cup tastes like. I was always a coffee drinker, even as a teenager. I think I started because dad drank it and well who doesn't want to be like dad. However, over the years from the late nights at college to the overnights in the Army I have become something of a connoisseur. Here are some tips to help you achieve near perfection:

I can guarantee you will NEVER have a great cup of instant coffee. I don't understand instant coffee. IInstant coffe tastes like brown wood water regardless of brand or cost. I know, I know, sometimes you are in a rush, or camping or your pot is broken. My advice, make time to brew coffee, take a generator to the woods, buy a reserve pot or drink hot orange juice with your bagel.

Use a French press. It is without question the best way to get great fresh full-flavored coffee even from cheaper beans. A French press is a tall cylinder usually with stainless steel lid and pump. French presses make the riches coffee hands down. If you prefer you coffee less strong, an automatic-drip maker is a good second choice. Stay clear however of that old percolator (sorry grandma). Percolators boil grinds destroying coffee flavor. Don't worry about price. You can get a good 3-7 cup French press between $20-$40 depending on brand.

All filters are not created equal. Would you make iced tea with a bag dipped in bleach? Stay away from chlorine-bleached filters (the white ones). Use natural filters which cost about the same but without leaving unwanted taste. If you want to be "eco-friendly", opt for a reusable gold filter. Just be aware that you will have more sediment in the bottom of your pot.