There is something comforting about a routine. (I’m that person who goes to the same restaurant and orders the same meal every single time.) It’s often difficult to break a habit and try something different. But sometimes you need a change to freshen up your daily grind.
In switching up my coffee routine, I’ve learned quite a bit about my favorite drink. I've been constantly trying new things and as much as my type A personality would fight against it, change is good. Here are a few easy ways I've found to switch my coffee routine:
- Brew your own iced coffee. There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a glass of fresh iced coffee. I recently brewed my first batch of cold brew using the Toddy Cold Brew Coffee Maker. I brewed Ethiopia Agaro Jima coffee for aproximately 14 hours and then kept the concentrate in the fridge mixing it with either water or coconut milk over ice.
- Remove the syrups, sugars, artificial sweeteners, and flavored coffee creamers. This was one of the best and easiest changes in my routine. Instead of adding cream and sugar, I included a touch of coconut milk to my cold brew. The coconut milk is naturally sweet and complemented the coffee well. Try a splash almond milk or even coconut water instead of syrups and artificial flavorings. Not only does this reduce sugar, but you will experience more flavors and notes of the coffee with this change-up.
- Invest in a good automatic burr grinder. One of the many benefits of an automatic burr grinder is the ability to grind the coffee into different sizes—fine to coarse grounds will allow for various brew methods. I have been able to brew turkish coffee (finely ground), pour-over (medium ground), and cold brew (coarsely ground) with the help of the burr grinder.
- Try a new single origin coffee or blend. The Resurrection blend is the blend to try right now. The coffee beans originate from Central and South America and is a medium to medium-full body coffee with a chocolate-toned finish. A coffee subscription is a great (and easy) way to try a new single origin coffee every month. My favorite coffee this past month was the Ethiopia coffee, you can order your own here!
- Learn how to speak coffee. Did you know macchiato derives its name from the Italian word for “marked?” A macchiato is an espresso drink marked by steamed milk. In understanding what the term macchiato means, I was able to learn more about the drink itself and how it is made. Learning terminology has helped me appreciate and understand brew methods. Two of my favorite books right now are Coffee Nerd by Ruth Brown and The Little Coffee Know-It-All by Shawn Steiman.