4 Ways to Naturally Flavor Coffee Before Brewing

How Can You Add Flavor to Your Coffee Before Brewing? 

When it comes to flavored coffee, you’re either sitting back making excuses for how the added flavors are just a way of covering up the natural flavors of coffee, or you’re indulging in that blueberry iced coffee in the dead of winter. Although we often drink it black, there’s something about the aroma, taste and warmth that flavored coffee brings. 

Most traditionally flavored coffee beans are a result of flavoring oils that are spritzed and mixed with the beans after the roasting process. These aren’t just any oils, though. At times, certain flavors require nearly 100 different compounds to achieve the desired taste. Typically, coffee flavoring oils are made up of both natural and synthetic flavor chemicals. Death Wish flavored coffees are always all-natural, organic and Fair Trade Certified.

If you’re the type of person who’s on the hunt for a healthier, natural alternative to get the flavor and ingredients you crave, along with the cognitive energy benefits of caffeine, we’ve got you covered. Let’s let the dirty little secrets pour out. 

Here Are 4 Ways You Can Add Flavor to Your Coffee: 

1. Add spices directly to your coffee grounds.

Not a morning person? Not a problem. Adding spices to your coffee grounds is easy, simple and nearly calorie-free! Spices such as cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg can be sprinkled directly over the fresh grounds in your brewer. As hot water is filtered through the grounds, the flavor of the spices will be extracted into your cup. 

The best perk about adding spices to your cup of coffee is the additional antioxidants from the spices. While coffee is already chock full of antioxidants, you’ll be getting even more immunity-boosting benefits depending on the spices you use.    

Grim Reaper Pro Tip: A little spice can go a long way! Use 1/2 teaspoon ground spice per six cups of coffee.  

2. Add whole spices to your whole bean coffee.

If you’re a whole bean coffee drinker, you can store your coffee beans with whole spices like whole nutmeg, cloves or cinnamon sticks. By doing this, the spices will gradually infuse directly into the beans. The longer you keep them mixed together, the more pronounced the flavor will be. For a more fragrant, aromatic brew, you can grind the whole beans with the spices in your coffee grinder. This option is great if you’re in a pinch, but be warned, your bean grinder will likely hold on to those flavor notes for your next batch.  

3. Add coffee oils to your coffee beans.

While we all love the variety and complexity that different coffee beans possess, from fruity flavors to nutty notes and hints of cherry, sometimes our taste buds have a mind of their own and crave a flavor that’s missing from the coffee. 

As stated above, most flavor chemists mix up coffee oils. Just the same, with any flavoring oil you may have, give your beans a light shower and let them soak before grinding them. Coffee flavoring oils like mint, mocha and vanilla work great. Just remember, the longer the oils sit, the stronger the flavor will be. 

4. Add alcohol to your coffee beans.

Feelin’ a little frisky? Add a little whiskey. Pour your favorite alcohol into a jar with your coffee beans, such as whiskey, bourbon and even tequila. If you’re a wino, red wines pair quite well with coffee. Shake well, place in a cool, dark place for about 24 hours and brew that sh*t up.  

Adding a little spice to your life doesn’t mean you have to pump 500 calories of synthetic syrup into your perfectly brewed cup of coffee. Show some love to your neglected spices and embrace your inner barista. After all, infusing and flavoring coffee beans doesn’t have to be a highly technical process. Plus, you’ll reap the benefits of knowing exactly what is going into your body. 

[Featured Image Credit: Pratiksha Mohanty via Unsplash] 

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