Great coffee starts with great water. Use fresh, cold water. If your tap water doesn't taste good, don't use it. Use bottled or spring or filtered water (not distilled water).

Just as important as the water is the coffee. It has to be fresh and it has to be stored properly. Grind only what you need for the coffee you are about to make. Make sure that the coffee pot, filter holder or whatever it is you are using to brew your coffee is clean and rinsed well.

How much coffee is a matter of taste. Start with 2 level tablespoons for each eight ounces of water and go from there. (If you really like strong coffee, start with 2½ tablespoons). If you really don't want to mess with measuring, you may want to try what we do. We simply fill the Braun Grinder to the top of the metal basin and the ground coffee that results is perfect for a 10 "cup" drip maker.

After brewing, always remove the grounds immediately to keep the next pot from tasting bitter. Serve the coffee as soon as it brews. If you plan on having more later, pour the coffee into a vacuum bottle to keep the fresh taste. Coffee that sits on a warmer will soon become stale and bitter.