What’s your idea of the perfect cup of coffee? For some folks, it’s a sweet, creamy, dreamy blended drink with plenty of whip. For others, it’s all about the pursuit of the perfect roast, presented without fuss.
The HeyPumpkin staff weighed in on their favorite coffee style, plus the tricks and tips that they use at home to brew a perfect cup.
Cold Brew for Life – Erin & Anna
Erin: I’m an iced coffee person, one hundred percent. Cold brew is my favorite way to make coffee, even if it does require some patience and planning. I’ve got a system from CoffeeSock, a company that makes really cool, sustainable cloth filters that you fill with coarsely ground beans and then submerge in water overnight. In fact, I love CoffeeSock so much that we reached out to the company’s founders, Robert and Corina Guilleroy, who shared with me a little bit about their philosophy and the origin story of the product.
My jar makes a week’s worth of concentrated cold brew concentrate for a fraction of the price of my usual Starbucks run. And no, this is not a sponsored post. I just really love my CoffeeSock!
Related: Starbucks Summer Recommendations
I like cold brew because it has a smoother, more mellow taste; it has less acidity than coffee brewed with heat. It’s a lot like making sun tea–less bitterness, more depth of flavor. I’m also terribly lazy, so if remember to set up my cold brew on Sunday night, I can have a nice, tall glass of iced coffee every morning for the rest of the week with minimal effort.
Cold Brew – Quick and Easy
Anna: All I need is some Califia Cold Brew, Califia Coconut/Almond Blend, and one pump of sugar-free vanilla syrup to create the richest, smoothest, creamiest, and most satisfying cup of joe. Iced coffee for the win!
Or check out what we have to say about Trader Joe’s.
@heypumpkindaily Trader Joe’s instant cold brew coffee review! ##coffee ##coldbrew ##traderjoesfoodreviews ##traderjoeshaul ##fypシ
♬ GROW – HOAX
Back to Basics – Kat
Kat: I like it black, with a little bit of sugar to sweeten the deal. We have a French press for “fancy coffee” on the weekends, but we use a good ol’ regular automatic during the week when we’re both working.
Related: How Baristas Really Make Their Coffee at Home
My best advice for getting a robust cup out of the machine: use freshly ground coffee, and clean the coffee maker or pot every day to get rid of any residual oils that can make the pot taste burnt or bitter. And if you like milk in your coffee, pick up a little battery-operated milk frother on Amazon for less than 10 bucks. I don’t do it super often, but I like oat milk in my coffee occasionally. but I whip out the milk frother to make it super fancy.
Decaf Queen – Jenny
Jenny: Despite drinking coffee since before I can remember (seriously, no wonder I’m only 5’1″), a couple of years back my body decided that caffeine was evil. So now I’m forever on the hunt for the perfect cup of decaf, which is difficult because I really, really love a dark roast.
I’ve found a few decent brands that like making at home (in a French press with a healthy splash of creamer) that kind of seem like the real thing, but it means I basically never order out anymore because most people think “decaf” should equal “light roast.”
Drinking Black Coffee Is Not a Personality Trait – Zoe
Zoe: Try as I might to become a black coffee drinker, I cannot let go of my beloved creamer. It turns my morning coffee into a delicious treat and gets me excited to start another day. My advice for coffee drinkers is to not be ashamed to admit you like drinking coffee with creamer! You shouldn’t have to suffer through another cup of black coffee again. It doesn’t mean you’re not a real coffee drinker, it just means you like sugar, too. And that’s OK!
Unlock a World of Flavor
Erin: Another trick I use is to stick with plain half-and-half for creamer and then add LorAnn Flavor Oils to make my own fancy flavored coffees at home. These little beauties are designed for candy making, but they’re great for coffee, too. Instead of buying flavored creamers (which are full of artificial flavors and sugars), I just add a couple drops of flavor oil to my iced coffee.
Right now, my favorites are Bavarian Cream and Vanilla Butternut, but there are dozens to choose from. And pro tip: you can also use these flavor oils to DIY your own Le Croix with bottled seltzer or a SodaStream! Just make sure to look for the LorAnn Flavor Oils that are water-soluble.
The Best Souvenir – JP
JP: Usually, I’m a utilitarian coffee drinker. Folgers through the coffee machine with a splash of half and half to cut back on the acidity. But when I have the time, I like making cold brew or using the french press. And whenever I travel, I always try to find a local coffee place and buy a bag of their beans… it’s my go-to souvenir. I used to buy those super tacky coffee mugs with city names plastered all over them, but I’ve run out of cupboard space.
A Luxurious Start to the Day – Katie
Katie: Give me a strong coffee with milk and I’m happy all day. I love using my Nespresso to make my morning coffee and I add milk using their frothing machine. They have so many coffee pod flavors with different intensities and the fact you can recycle the pods makes me feel great about supporting the product! Most days I stick with their classic Stomio which has an intensity of 8 or the Odacio with an intensity of 7 but there are days that call for a Vanilla Custard Pie!
