~A pinch of salt = great tasting coffee~

[~Rocco~]

My uncle was a bartender for a number of years and he taught me a very nice little trick that helps to slightly improve the taste in my daily cup of coffee. Each morning I place a pinch of salt (kosher cooking salt or sea salt works best) into the coffee filter with the coffee grounds prior to brewing. Then brew as normal, pour and prepare to your liking then sit back and enjoy.

 

[Cobre]

Very interesting tip...

Thanks for sharing, will be trying it tomorrow morning

 

[RABIDMONKEY]

I will also vouch that this works

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Wow...and all those years the Mrs. and I knew how to brew a great cup of coffee...thanx for the tip...we'll try it tommorrow.

"I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon". President Ronald Reagan

 

[mayhem]

Yep - works great. As Rocco said, use larger crystal salt - sea salt or Kosher for best results. For some reason it seems to mellow the coffee out for me, making it less bitter.

 

[Zap85]

Salt does help release the flavors and aromas in food. It certainly works with chocolate. I've never tried it in coffee...but it make sense that it would do the same.

 

[~Rocco~]

Wow...and all those years the Mrs. and I knew how to brew a great cup of coffee...thanx for the tip...we'll try it tommorrow.

"I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon". President Ronald Reagan

You are welcome! =-)

 

[~Rocco~]

Yep - works great. As Rocco said, use larger crystal salt - sea salt or Kosher for best results. For some reason it seems to mellow the coffee out for me, making it less bitter.

Exactly right on Sir!

 

[blary54]

I do this too...but next time I will try Kosher salt. Ive always just used regular table salt.

Seems like it cuts down the bitterness.

 

[the_edski]

I remember I read in a Tom Clancy novel that this was an US Navy thing to brew it strong and add a pinch of salt. Is that true or just something Clancy made up?

 

[Toothpick]

My GrandMother has made her coffee like this for years and uses table salt. She also says it cuts down the bitterness. I'm not over there on a regular basis early enough to make her a pot but, I have a time or two. I always make sure to add some because she could tell the difference when I didn't.

indeed it does. at least if your coffee is bitter to begin with. but putting salt directly in your coffee mug will not.

 

[gearchow]

I've done this with bad coffee, I think it worked. But if your using properly, freshly roasted coffee with proper brewing, I don't think you need to add any sodium to your coffee. But a cup of crappy coffee? Do what you can. I wonder if it also works for coffee that sits forever on those "warming" plates,slowly turning into a facsimile of crud oil.

I bet there is some science behind it.

-jim

 

[RedsFan75]

I remember I read in a Tom Clancy novel that this was an US Navy thing to brew it strong and add a pinch of salt. Is that true or just something Clancy made up?

They certainly did it in the Army, and the 2 Naval vessels I was on did it as well... another thing the Army Mess Sergeants would do is throw an egg shell into the pot, but they were field boiling a big can of pre-ground into a tub of water at the time and it needed any help it could get. Not sure what the egg shell was supposed to do, but this he did that every time we were in the field and he made coffee that way.

 

[Deltaboy]

I always used it when making boiled coffee at Deer camp. It keeps it from be bitter.

 

[Suntzu]

I remember I read in a Tom Clancy novel that this was an US Navy thing to brew it strong and add a pinch of salt. Is that true or just something Clancy made up?

I had an opportunity many years ago when I was in the Army to escort Tom Clancy for a week to participate in Army armored warfare training. He was keen on picking up on details that emerged later in his writings. I would guess that the Navy gave similiar access when he wrote about them, hence the exposure to the details of everyday life.

 

[the_edski]

Very interesting, never heard the egg shell thing before.

They certainly did it in the Army, and the 2 Naval vessels I was on did it as well... another thing the Army Mess Sergeants would do is throw an egg shell into the pot, but they were field boiling a big can of pre-ground into a tub of water at the time and it needed any help it could get. Not sure what the egg shell was supposed to do, but this he did that every time we were in the field and he made coffee that way.

Cool story, thanks for sharing, Len!

I had an opportunity many years ago when I was in the Army to escort Tom Clancy for a week to participate in Army armored warfare training. He was keen on picking up on details that emerged later in his writings. I would guess that the Navy gave similiar access when he wrote about them, hence the exposure to the details of everyday life.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

... another thing the Army Mess Sergeants would do is throw an egg shell into the pot.

Harold:
When I was in the Army (79-03...food service [92G], & infrantry [11B]), and 'in the field' brewing 'cowboy coffee' in 5 or 10gl pots, after we took the pot off the heat to steep a few minutes, we poured in a little cold water over the top, stir it up, cover with the lid and let the pot of coffee further steep.

After about 5 minutes, the grounds would have floated to the bottom (don't laugh...I swear it's true...just ask any active and/or retired 92G's), and then you can begin to pan it up into beverage containers (or even better into 5 or 10gl steel bullets).

"Cowboy coffee...the Army's Lifer Juice". CBJ

 

[StillShaving]

There were similar comments made before, where some people liked their salt and others didn't.

Found a couple of interesting web articles, where the 1st one talks about putting salted meat into coffee among other things. And the 2nd was a follow-up taste test.
1. A pinch of salt for your coffee, Sir?
2. Testing salt in coffee with Tim Wendelboe

 

[Mirrorsaw]

Gona try it tomorrow. (also going to make it a bit stronger then I normally do, just to see.)

 

[Searlands]

An interesting tip indeed ... Will give it a try tonight when I make a brew.