No matter who you are, you can always learn more about something. Even experts should strive to acquire more knowledge about their chosen subjects. This idea holds especially true, however, for people with little to no deep insight about a topic. People just entering the world of coffee, or just on it peripherally, might have a lot of unanswered questions about it. Here are nine questions about coffee you were too afraid to ask, with their answers.

What Are the Differences between Light and Dark Roasts?

When you buy coffee, you probably notice that there are a few different options for beans. You’ll see a variety of coffees that come in light, dark, or medium roasts. What distinguishes a dark roast from a light one?

Light roasts spend less time in the roasting process; so, they typically retain the most characteristics from their origin beans. With dark roasts, you’re usually tasting the roasting more than the bean itself. Light roasts will also have slightly more caffeine, while dark roasts will show more oil on the surface. So long as the coffee bean isn’t burnt or charred, the quality of your coffee won’t depended on the type of roast you buy. Instead, it’s really dependent upon your palate.

How Hot Should It Be?

Temperature is one of the most important elements to a cup of coffee. You don’t want it to be too hot or too cold. And brewing temperature is an entire other consideration. You should brew your coffee at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you only want to serve or drink it around 180 degrees.

Unfortunately, coffee machines tend to burn your brew, giving it a burnt taste and a stale after taste. If you really want to taste your coffee the way it’s meant to be, forego the machine in favor of a French press, pour over, or premium coffee capsule that doesn’t require a machine.

Are Coffee Capsules Good?

You’ve likely seen or tried coffee capsules at some point. Some people swear by them for their convenience. But how do they taste?

While machine-based coffee pods use low-quality instant coffee, machine-free premium coffee capsules are made from luxury-grade beans. These allow you to create a perfect cup of coffee in an extremely short amount of time. They are also incredibly versatile, allowing customers to

Why Is Coffee Bitter?

It’s important to emphasize the difference between “good bitter” and “bad bitter.” Good bitter is found in dark roast coffee and derives from chemical compounds including caffeine and acidity. These usually make your cup of Joe taste rich, dark, or maybe slightly citrusy.

Conversely, bad bitter taste like spent matchheads, coal, or old pennies. These nasty flavors can be caused by over roasting the beans during processing or by using a shoddy coffee maker.

Is It Okay to Use Cream?

There are some coffee purists who insist on adding nothing to their brews. So, is it okay for you to add things like cream and sugar? Of course! Just do whatever you think tastes the best. It doesn’t matter if it’s not what a barista or coffee aficionado would choose for themselves. In fact, some studies have shown that people who prefer black coffee exhibit more psychopathic tendencies. Pass the cream.

Where Does the Best Coffee Come from?

There are many countries around the world that make coffee. The ideal conditions for producing the crop are near the equator—between 25 degrees north and 30 degrees south. Places such as Hawaii, Costa Rica, and Colombia all make great coffee. Many people consider Ethiopian coffee to be the best, as that’s where the crop originated. It’s still grown there, and provides the drinker with a strong, distinct taste.

Should I Grind My Own Beans?

If you’re making coffee at home, you have the option to buy pre-ground beans or grind your own. So, which should you do? There’s certainly a convenience factor to buying pre-ground coffee. However, it’s going to taste much better if you grind the beans immediately before making coffee. Oxygen begins contaminating the beans as soon as they are ground, which degrades the flavor.

How Much Caffeine Is in a Cup of Coffee?

Caffeine is the substance in coffee that keeps you awake. This can be good or bad depending on the time of day. There are about 95 milligrams of caffeine in a standard cup of drip coffee. This number probably doesn’t mean that much to you. For reference, a cup of tea or a soda has about half as much caffeine. Energy drinks have a comparable caffeine content. Everyone will be affected differently by caffeine. You can also develop a tolerance to it. So over time, one cup of coffee won’t affect you the same way if you drink it consistently. There’s so much to learn about the ins and outs of coffee. These are some of the most commonly asked questions about the topic. Hopefully this has cleared up some things for you regarding coffee.

Save those coffee grounds from your morning coffee and put them to good use! From fertilizing your garden, deodorizing your fridge, to cleaning your pots and pans, there are so many ways you can use coffee grounds! So next time you make a cup of hot coffee, save the grounds! Take a look at our top 10 ways you can use coffee grounds around your home!

1. Get Rid of Scratches on Wood Furniture

Furniture a bit banged up? Steep some coffee grounds and dip in a q tip. Dab the q tip on scratches to hide them.

2. Clean Your Pots and Pans

Place a spoonful of coffee in a dirty pot to help scrub away grease. The coffee acts as an abrasive to get rid of stuck-on food and oil.

3. Give Seedlings a Coffee Boost

When planting seedlings, stir some coffee grounds into the dirt to raise nitrogen levels in the soil. You can also add the coffee grounds to your watering can to give them a boost that way.

4. Age Paper

This one is great for craft projects! If you want your boring white paper to have an aged look, dip the paper into coffee diluted with water. Leave it to sit for a minute, then take the paper out and dab it dry.

5. Get Rid of Insects

Sprinkle coffee grounds around plants to keep bugs at bay. Make a ring around the plants to ward off slugs and ants that want at your precious flowers!

Photo By: Trusty Joe

6. Deodorize Your Fridge

Fridge smelling funky? Put a small amount of dry coffee grounds in a cup at the bottom of your fridge. The coffee will absorb any odors that are lingering in your fridge.

7. Give Your Blue Hydrangeas a Boost

If you’re trying to grow Blue Hydrangeas, add coffee grounds into the soil before planting. The coffee will increase the acidity level of the soil and it will also help the flowers absorb any aluminum in the soil, which helps keep them a vibrant blue!

8. Keep Ashes From Flying Around

If you’re trying to keep ashes from flying all over your floor as you’re cleaning out your fireplace, sprinkle damp coffee grounds over them. The damp grounds will help keep the dust down.

9. Get Rid of Cockroaches

Get rid of these unwanted visitors by filling up a jar with an inch of damp coffee grounds. Take out some sticky tape and wrap it around the jar’s neck. The coffee will help draw the cockroaches into the trap.

10. Clean Your Hands

To get rid of onion or garlic odors from your hands, rub coffee grounds on them before washing them with soap.Photos: Yankee Magazine, Cleanipedia, Well and Good, Brandon and Shelby, Black Down Garden Centre, Working Mom Adventures, Deborah Silver, Passion Potager, Pest Control Toronto, Home Food Safety.

We’re always looking for ways to make our own homemade drinks instead of buying the packaged ones in the grocery store. Instead of buying mocha coffee loaded with artificial flavors, why not make your own? You can customize this delicious drink any way you like. Try adding whipped cream, marshmallows, or a peppermint stick for a twist. Warm up this winter with this delicious mocha coffee that’ll soon become a favorite!

[yumprint-recipe id=’87’] Photos: Sunset, Careening Segue.

We go crazy for anything homemade, and this pumpkin spice latte is no exception. The taste is phenomenal, and dare we say, better than the real thing! This recipe uses canned pumpkin, black pepper, whipped cream, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Super easy homemade pumpkin spice latte that tastes way better than the real thing!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp canned pumpkin
• 1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice, plus more for garnish
• ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 to 2 shots espresso, about 1/4 cup
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped until firm peaks form

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the pumpkin with the pumpkin pie spice and black pepper for 2 minutes. Stir constantly.
2. Add the sugar and stir until the mixture looks like a bubbly thick syrup.
3. Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract. Warm over medium heat and make sure it doesn’t boil over.
4. Process the milk mixture in a blender until frothy.
5. Make the espresso/coffee and divide between two mugs. Add the frothed milk. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, or nutmeg.

Photos and recipe: The Kitchn.

No one likes cleaning the grill. It takes up too much time, and the gunk never seems to want to come off. If you’re having trouble getting it looking like new, get your hands on some coffee and say good-bye to hours of scrubbing!

Since coffee is acidic, it will work for cleaning up all that gunked up grease on your grill. Get a pot of coffee and pour it in a basin. Soak your grill grates (you can also throw in BBQ utensils and oven burners) for 1 hour. Give it a quick scrub to loosen the grease and rinse it with warm water. Good as new!

Photos: Durashield Covers, A Mum ‘n the Oven.  

Iced coffees are one of those things that we can’t resist in the summer. They’re usually on the pricey side at most coffee shops, and sometimes they don’t taste that great, either. Making your own iced coffee is simple, and you’re in control of the recipe! Add in condensed milk, whole milk, or half-and-half for extra flavor! You can also add some whipped cream on top if you’re feeling adventurous! Read on for the recipe!

Perfect Home-Made Iced Coffee

The best iced coffee you’ve ever tasted! Try it with half-and-half and top with whipped cream!

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground coffee
• 8 gallons of water
• sugar
• condensed milk, half-and-half, 2% milk, or soy milk
• whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large container, combine coffee and water. Mix well and cover. Allow to steep for at least 8 hours.
2. When the time has passed, strain the liquid through a doubled cheesecloth in a separate container. Refrigerate until chilled. This amount of coffee can stay in the fridge for up to 3 weeks if kept tightly covered.
3. When ready to serve, fill a glass with ice and fill halfway with coffee. Add sugar and the creamer of your choice and top with whipped cream.

Photos: The Pioneer Woman, How Sweet Eats, Audi Rose.

These soft cranberry scones are made with kitchen cupboard staples, and are quick to whip up for breakfast or brunch. You can spread them with butter or jam, and even dip them in your tea or coffee. In this recipe we used cranberries, but you can use blueberries or strawberries as well. Remember, when mixing the dough, don’t over-mix or you’ll end up with a hard, dense scone.

Soft Cranberry Scones

These cranberry scones make the perfect Sunday breakfast or brunch. Quick to prepare and bake, they’re great for unexpected guests!

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup cold butter
• 3 tbsp 3% milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 tsp coarse sugar

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. In another bowl, combine milk and 2 tbsp of the beaten egg. Add to the crumb mixture and until just moistened.
3. Stir in cranberries.
4. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead gently a 6-7 times. Pat the dough into a 6 inch circle, and cut into 4 wedges.
5. Place the wedges onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush with the remaining egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
6. Bake the scones at 425° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with jam and butter.

Photos: Greedy Guts, Food Coma Blog, In Good Taste Blog.