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Posts: 661
1/9/10 8:05 P

Clean the pot out really good with baking soda.

current weight: 196.0

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Posts: 1
1/8/10 7:58 A

It might be the brand of coffee you are using. I tried Caribou coffee once and I liked it, but my husband did not.

Posts: 162
1/7/10 6:23 P

It might be something to do with the storage time, coffee is very particular about freshness.

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Posts: 1,180
1/4/10 2:39 P

If you grind the coffee and then store it in a sealed bag or container, preferably in dark/cool area, you shouldn't be noticing a taste decrease because of the grinds.

Seeing as though you've never cleaned your maker before, I'm guessing that's the culprit. Vinegar and water should work. However, I'm not sure how high-tech your pot is, but if you just use a basic pot with an on/off switch, Wal-Mart has a 12 cup maker for only $7. It's worked perfectly for me for almost 3 years now. (:

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Posts: 341
1/2/10 3:55 P

I found the National Coffee Association's recommendations for brewing coffee. (Who knew there was an association for coffee??) They list a recommended brewing temperature. If the water temperature was too low it would taste bitter and too high would scorch the grounds.

http://www.ncausa.org/i4a/pages/index.cf
m?pageid=71

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Posts: 451
11/18/09 11:24 A

We keep our coffee in the fridge. It keeps it fresh longer.

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Posts: 164
11/17/09 7:11 P

Sometimes a little gasket in the maker will begin to deteriorate, causing the flavor to go from off to offal. When this happens, all you can do is get a new pot. Also, we have remained loyal to a certain brand of cofee for years, then will find a new brand to be loyal to for the next few years. Don't know if manufacturer changes or if it's our tastebuds doing the changing. 8-)

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Posts: 123
11/16/09 3:10 P

Definitely clean your coffee pot, and then write down exactly what you use for grounds and water (amounts). That way, you can keep track of what you like more (as in more or less cofee).

If you do think of getting a new coffee pot, you might consider an insulated carafe, as my coffee stays warm all day, without a heating element as a fire risk (or nasty burn-the-coffee risk).

current weight: 154.7

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SparkPoints: (12,069)
Fitness Minutes: (10,824)
Posts: 420
11/1/09 10:50 P

vinger is a good idea

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Posts: 659
10/31/09 3:09 P

I think you've gotten plenty of good ideas here. There primary thing is to make sure the coffeemaker is clean, especially where the coffee comes out. I have used a damp paper towel with success.

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Posts: 873
10/29/09 2:17 P

Vinegar and a toothbrush will go a long way towards fixing the problem. And if you use it regularly, a monthly flush would be good.

A trick for cleaning the glass pot which I learned when waitressing long ago is to put ice, salt and lemon in the pot and spin it until the ice starts to melt and the salt disolves. The lemon breaks down the deposits and the salt scours it gently. We'd do that every night at close and they seemed to stay pretty clean.

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Posts: 24
10/29/09 12:15 P

Haha! I am tempted to buy a new one but can't justify it :)

Posts: 137
10/28/09 9:46 P

Or you could just buy a new one.

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Posts: 137
10/28/09 9:38 P

Yeah, you should clean it maybe once a month. I take the coffee pot and fill it with straight white vinegar, but I think some people dilute it 50/50 with water. Run it through, dump it out, then run a few pots of plain water through the machine. Take a damp paper towel and clean where the water comes out into the basket too! It gets dirty in there after every brew so you should wipe that as often as you can.

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Posts: 873
10/28/09 9:36 P

If it's really old and you've never cleaned it, you might want to scrub the various pieces with vinegar using an old tooth brush, then run it with vinegar and water as you would coffee, without the filter of course. I'd guess use half water, half vinegar and make the smallest pot your make can take. You'll then need to run plain water in it to clean out the vinegar.

current weight: 263.5

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Posts: 24
10/28/09 9:16 P

I use Caribou coffee.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never cleaned my coffee maker before! Just run water and vinegar through the part that I put the water in? Or do you take it apart?

Thanks for all the tips! Coffee is a great low cal drink. Plus it gives your metabolism a boost and helps memory (supposedly).

Posts: 137
10/28/09 3:01 P

I agree. You should clean it. What kind of coffee do you have?

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Posts: 873
10/27/09 3:03 P

When is the last time you cleaned your coffee maker? If it's been a while, try running it with vinegar and water. That should get rid of some of the old coffee deposits. I find I get a better brew after a good cleaning.

current weight: 263.5

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Posts: 1,739
10/27/09 12:55 P

Oh man...one of my favorite drinks...water is number one, then java. (Beer excluded from the poll)

I have had many different machines and tried many different coffees and am now running a cheap machine with good coffee and it works like a charm!

Posts: 24
10/27/09 11:59 A

Wow! You know a lot about brewing coffee!

Posts: 1,739
10/27/09 7:45 A

Where do you store your ground coffee? It shouldn't be in the freezer as that can destroy the natural oils in coffee. Ground coffee should be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for optimum freshness. Now as for the machine...how many cups will it brew and how many are you making? I have a 10 cup machine which is in reality a 4-5 mug capacity. Now most machines require 1 'scoop' of coffee per '2 cups'. So I use 5 scoops. I measured my scoop once and it is 1.5 tbsp. Most directions say to use 1 tbsp per 2 cups but I ALWAYS use 1 scoop for 2 cups and must say it has been many years since I brewed a bad pot of coffee. Also the longer the pot is on a heating element the 'worse' coffee will taste. If you have a machine with a heating element turn it off after brewing and heat the coffee individually after that. If you have a thermal container this works well. Some people add a sprinkle of salt to the coffee grounds before brewing and says it takes away the acidity but I have never noticed a difference either way. Good luck and I hope this helps.

Posts: 24
10/27/09 7:33 A

Lately the coffee I've been making at home has been awful. I don't know if it's because I grind it at the store well before I drink it (2 weeks) so it loses its freshness or if it's because my coffee pot needs some adjustments.

Anyone know how to brew a better batch? The water is fine so I know it's not that.