Most coffee "addicts" are in search of the perfect cup of coffee. Stores are scoured for the many variety of beans to experiment with, different techniques of roasting are used as well as an assortment of brewing methods, all with a view to brew the perfect cup of coffee. At last you have found exactly what you were looking for.

To begin with, wash out all your coffee making equipment thoroughly. This includes the grinder and the coffee maker, from top to bottom. Residue from previous cups of coffee can turn stale and subtly change the flavor of your next brew. If you clean the equipment after every use, you will avoid this problem and will have made the first step towards brewing your perfect cup of coffee.

Next, you will need the freshest coffee beans possible, from a top quality supplier. That does NOT include your supermarket! There are many coffee suppliers that can be recommended who have the freshest, high quality beans available. It is also important that you don't buy too many beans at a time. Buy small quantities of beans - enough to use up in a month or less - otherwise the beans will be too old by the time you get to use them.

Another very important factor in how your coffee tastes is the water used. Tap water will pass on any taste that it has to your beverage. To get the best results, use distilled water. This will also prevent the buildup of minerals in your coffee maker. If you do choose to use tap water, let it run for a few minutes to clear out any impurities that might be stored in the pipes. If at all possible, start with the coldest water available.

If you want that perfect cup then grinding your own beans is really the only way to go. The oils that are released when a coffee bean is ground are very volatile and tend to dissipate very quickly. For this reason, it's best to grind the beans right before they are used. There are plenty of small, inexpensive grinders that can be used to make your daily cup of coffee ' or you can purchase a combination coffee grinder/maker where the beans are ground "in situ" and deposited directly into the container underneath, and then the coffee-maker takes over.

Stirring the pot of coffee before serving is also a must, to evenly spread the minute particles of coffee throughout the entire brew, providing the perfect cup with each pour. Many people will tell you that the majority of coffee lovers are actually drinking watered down coffee, as well. The correct ratio of coffee to water is 2 tablespoons of beans per cup of water.

By following the above steps, you will have accomplished the "piece de resistance" of the coffee world -- a cup of coffee that is just right, perfect in flavor, in texture and in color.