Coffee

How to Take Your Coffee Drink to the Next Level

12/08/2020

Everybody around the world loves coffee, but we all love it in different ways. The combinations are endless, the secret is to experiment with different flavours and blends. Try adding any of these 9 ingredients to take your coffee drink to the next level.

Flat white and espresso at Seniman Coffee in Ubud, Bali

When it comes to coffee, no two people are alike. With so many different coffee varieties, roasts, blends, ingredients and personal tastes in the world, it’s easy to see why there are so many opinions on what makes a good cup of coffee.

So, first of all, you must search for the right coffee for you and your own personal taste, whether it’s a blend of different beans or a specialty grade single origin from a particular coffee farm. You don’t need to worry about how anyone else likes their coffee.

From rare beans and speciality coffee varieties to iced drinks and flavoured cappuccinos, there are a myriad of ways to tantalize your taste buds.

Kiss The Hippo speciality coffee

Up Your Coffee Game By Adding These Ingredients

Once you have discovered the perfect blend for you, you can experiment with different ingredients to take your coffee drink to the next level. There are many ingredients that can give you that refreshing taste every morning. Of course, it’s only wise to start with the popular ones that have already been tried and tested by other people who also love coffee drinks. For that reason, we’ve compiled a list of nine innovative additions to your cup.

Cardamom

If you want to add a little spice to your caffeine fix, cardamom is the way to go. Used frequently in Indian and Indonesian cooking, the spice is becoming popular amongst avid coffee drinkers. Apart from its spicy taste, cardamom has some sweet undertones which will allow you to discard your usual teaspoon of sugar. 

As you probably know, excessive consumption of dietary sugar can lead to weight gain, which is quite unhealthy. Therefore, cardamom is the perfect alternative if you’re trying to shed a few pounds. You’ll also have an opportunity to reduce your monthly budget by scraping off sugar. So, this ingredient comes with many benefits for you as a consumer.

Cardamom spice pods

Image by scym

Butter

What comes to mind when you come across butter? It’s an infamous ingredient in baking and may also be used to spread on your bread. There are definitely a lot of cooking processes where butter come in handy, but have you ever thought of adding it to your coffee? Sounds insane, right?

It might not seem like an obvious choice when it comes to enhancing your coffee, but you’d be surprised at how many people add it to their hot drinks. Fans of the paleo diet, in particular, add butter to their coffee to increase their metabolism. While it isn’t the healthiest choice, butter coffee or bulletproof coffee does have a silky quality that’s hard to deny.

Almond Milk

If you love coffee but you can only drink it in the mornings, why not treat yourself to a milky, decaf version in the evenings? Turning a short, black coffee into a long drink can help you to drift off at night, rather than keeping you awake until the small hours. Alternatively, buy CBD oil to add to your drink if you want to decrease your stress levels. If almond milk isn’t your thing, soy, oat or rice milk are other non-dairy alternatives that work just as well.

Flat white at Ministerstwo Kawy in Warsaw

Cinnamon

So, you love coffee with spices, but aren’t thrilled by the taste of cardamom? Why not try cinnamon? If you regularly purchase coffee from hipster baristas at trendy coffee shops, chances are you’ve already tried this sweet treat. Cinnamon is amongst the most popular additions to coffee because it offers a little spice while enhancing the sweetness of your drink. A great alternative to sugar, cinnamon has fewer calories and even contains immune-boosting properties. A small sprinkling can have a big impact, so start off with a tiny amount and add more to avoid over-flavouring your coffee.

Ice Cream

Who said coffee should always be hot? If you’re wondering what beverage to take on that hot afternoon, then a combination of coffee and ice cream will do just perfectly.  Italians call it affogato, Germans call it eiskaffee, what both have in common is that they love adding a scoop of ice cream to coffee. This coffee drink couldn’t be easier to prepare: the ideal midweek treat on a hot summer day or a simple way to impress dinner party guests with a delicious dessert. Vanilla ice cream works best, but there are no limits when it comes to customising your affogato or eiskaffee. Be as bold as you like when it comes to flavours: salted caramel, coconut, banana, chocolate, peppermint ice cream all work really well. Personally, I love adding a spoonful of Amaretto liqueur and crushed amaretti biscuits to take my affogato to the next level!

Affogato: clotted cream ice cream with espresso, Amaretto di Saronno liqueur and crushed amaretti biscuits

Salt

Sure, salt doesn’t sound like a natural flavour enhancer when it comes to coffee, but you’d be surprised at the effect it has. Known to reduce the bitterness of a brew, a dash of salt can salvage an undrinkable cup of coffee. If you’ve ever been stuck with a poor quality coffee, keep salt on hand to save the day.

Coconut Milk

Another alternative to dairy, coconut milk is a popular ingredient in flat whites, cappuccinos and lattes. However, you don’t have to stop there. Some coffee drinkers add coconut oil to their mug in order to thicken the drink and make it more filling. If you’re trying to lose weight, mixing a little coconut oil into your coffee should help you to feel full for longer.

Iced Latte and Cold Brew Tonic at Mowish Mash coffee shop in Poznan, Poland

Citrus

Like salt, a little peel from a lemon or lime decreases the bitterness of coffee and may make it more palatable. In addition, it will give your drink a sweet, citrusy kick. This works best with black coffee, so do beware if you prefer your coffee with milk and sugar. While some people enjoy the combination of flavours, you’ll definitely want to taste it without milk first to decide whether it’s right for you.

Fresh lime

Image by congerdesign

Spirits and liqueurs

Adding the right amount of coffee and balancing the right flavours can really turn your cocktail into something delicious. Mixing coffee with spirits such as bourbon, whiskey, and rum or cream liqueurs such as Baileys you can make drinks. A few ideas of cocktails you can create using filter coffee or espresso are: Iced Irish Coffee, Old Fashioned, Espresso Martini and Cold Brew Gin & Tonic.

Cold Brew Gin & Tonic

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a coffee purist drinking only single origin coffees or a fan of syrups and sugar in your morning cup of joe. There’s always something new to try when it comes to coffee.

Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.

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