• Use fresh ground coffee.
• Purchase only as much coffee as you will use in a one- to two-week period.
• A cup of coffee is 98.7 percent water, so water you use to brew coffee should taste clean, fresh and be free from impurities.
• Water should be heated to just below a boil (195 to 205 degrees) for extracting the coffee’s full range of flavors. Most home coffee makers should achieve these brewing temperatures during brewing.
• Using the correct proportion of coffee to water is the most important step and will have the greatest effect on the taste of your coffee. To get the most flavorful cup of coffee, we recommend two tablespoons of ground coffee for each six fluid ounces of water.
• Clean brewing equipment will yield a better cup of coffee. Oils that contaminate your equipment can cause your coffee to taste rancid.
• Once your coffee is brewed, you should keep it hot in a thermal container. Remove it from any direct heat source (warming plate), as this may cause the coffee to taste bitter within about 30 minutes. A thermal container will keep it flavorful for as long as an hour or two.
• One way to extend the heat retention of your thermal container is to “prime” the container and your coffee cup with hot water for a few seconds prior to use; pour that out and then pour in your freshly brewed coffee and put the lid on tight.

— Source: www.itsagrind.com.