There are many factors that contribute to a great cup of coffee
1. Storage
Coffee beans age from the moment they are roasted. They reach a peak after 3-4 days, then decline. They are stale after 15 days – and most store bought coffees are 5-6 months old!
You should store your coffee beans in the freezer, in a zip-lock bag. This will keep them tasting fresh-roasted.
2. Grinding
You should grind coffee beans right before you use them. This is one of Babbie’s rules of fifteens.
3. Water temperature
If you have fresh beans, you need to have water at the right temperature, which is 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Most automatic coffee makers do NOT come close (usually about 180 degrees).
The BEST possible result is to use a one-cup coffee device. For this purpose, I use a Hario coffee dripper. To heat the water, I bought an electric water kettle which has pre-set temperatures, including 150 degrees for tea and 200 degrees for coffee.