1.  Buy the right bean. Avoid prepackaged coffee and the grocery aisles when buying coffee. Buy from us here online to assure the freshest beans possible.

  2.  Use a burr coffee grinder. Retire the blade grinder to your spice cabinet. Grind right before brewing.

  3.  Store your coffee in a tightly sealed bag or container. Never store your coffee in the fridge or freezer. Coffee absorbs moisture and smells. You don't want your coffee beans picking up that mystery meat odor from your freezer do you?

  4.  Buy coffee in small quantities. Once the bean is roasted, the clock ticks on freshness.

  5.  Buy a quality home brewer. The one you got for free with that magazine subscription probably won't brew at a high enough temperature.

  6.  Periodically clean your brewer with one of the many fine products meant for this purpose or use one of Heloise's famous vinegar concoctions. A dirty machine will produce a disgusting cup of coffee -- guaranteed

  7.  Use the proper amount of coffee. Most people use too little coffee required for the amount of water they use.

  8.  Use the right grind. Generally, the smaller the holes in the filter, the finer the grind.

  9.  Use good, cold filtered water.

  10.  Don't let the coffee sit on a burner. If possible, brew into a thermos type of container.