If you work in a corporate setting, you are most likely in an office space in Cebu that either has no free coffee or just makes do with a stash of 3-in-1 coffee mixes in the pantry. If you are lucky to have free brewed Joe, it falls somewhere between “drinkable” and “very bad.”
Usually, office coffee is not that good. Truth be told, buying a quality coffee machine and excellent coffee is not a priority on the budget list of most companies. To save you from the worst coffee breaks, follow the tips below:
Keep the Coffeemaker Spic-and-Span
This should be a rule imposed in any office space in the Philippines. Hey, have you seen anyone among your colleagues who take the initiative to clean the coffeemaker? Always make the assumption that the coffee machine has not been cleaned, especially if you’re picking up a borderline rank taste in your brew.
So, how do you keep the coffee machine clean? Vinegar is your best friend. The acidity of vinegar is ideal in flushing out the gunk in your office coffeemaker without leaving a soapy aftertaste.
Brew the Right Way
If you really want to enjoy delicious coffee, then you should buy quality beans. Talk your office mates into chipping in or allocate a budget for good coffee. In buying quality coffee, you avoid the experience of having to down the sugary and overloaded chemical sweetness of the usual 3-in-1.
The right way of brewing a delectable batch is by not using too much coffee. A brimming basket of coffee does not make bad coffee magically taste better. Truth is, it will make cheap coffee taste worse. Cheap coffee may have a higher content of caffeine, but the taste is not that good. Filling the coffeemaker to the rim just means that you will be getting more bad tasting caffeine loaded stuff. Stick with this formula – use a tablespoon for each cup of coffee you’ll be brewing. But don’t be a cheapskate and use too little coffee or you’ll end up with a watery cup of ‘eew.’
Assign Someone to do the Brewing
Most of the people in the office are terrible when it comes to making coffee in spite of how easy the process is. If you’re really adamant in getting a steaming cup of black heaven at work, you might have to volunteer and be the one to brew rather than suffering another day of bad coffee in the office. Hope your boss buys a quality coffeemaker and stash because even you can’t make bad coffee any better.
Bring Your Own Coffee
Now when worse comes to worst, and you have to face the reality that not every office offers free coffee, you’re better off looking after your caffeine-oriented brain cells. In this situation, your best bet will be to brew your coffee at home and bring your Joe in a top-of-the-line thermos. If you have access to hot water, you can also take a French press with you to the office.
