Coffee Brewing Basics
Coffee quality begins with the plant and is influenced by the way we ferment, dry, store, select and roast our coffee. Each step is critical and helps us develop new flavors. If you are new to the world of specialty coffee, welcome! You can think of our coffee like wine; very unique, and can taste drastically different. Just like roasting, brewing coffee is a craft. There are a few simple tricks in coffee brewing that can help you maximize the flavors at home.
MEASURE, MEASURE, MEASURE
Tip #1 : Ensure a proper ratio for your specific taste buds. We suggest you first use the 7 to 100 ratio. 7 grams of coffee for every 100 ml of hot water. Once you have tried out this ratio you can determine how to improve it. Was it too strong? try 6 grams of coffee for every 100 ml of water. Was it too weak? Try 8 grams per 100 ml.
YOUR TIME COUNTS
Tip #2 : Time how long it takes for your coffee to brew. If you are using a standard coffee maker measure the time it takes for all the water to filter through from the second it starts coming into contact with the coffee grounds. This is called extraction time. The longer the extraction time, the higher the chance you have of drawing out bitter tastes in coffee. But if you extract your coffee in too little time, you may just end up with brown water that doesn't taste like much. Typical extraction time for two large cups of coffee (about 400 ml of water) is around 3 to 4 minutes. The larger the batch the longer it will take to brew. We encourage you to make smaller batches more frequently, always serving freshly brewed coffee. It tends to provide better results but if you are tight on time and have many coffee drinkers to please, check out tip #3.
COARSE OF FINE? WHY GRIND SIZE MATTERS.
Tip #3 : The size of your grind can have a drastic effect on your coffee. This is also a tool used for specific tastes and needs. A really fine grind is typically used in espresso machines because they use highly pressured water within 30 seconds to provide your beverage. So if you are tight on time you can use a really fine grind to brew coffee faster. The finer the grind the easier it is to dissolve the organic material in coffee. However you can't use fine grinds on any kind of brewing method. Standard drip coffee makers that use paper filters will clog up with a super fine grind. Water wont be able to pass through the paper and you will end up with coffee all over your counter. But if your drip coffee maker uses a metallic filter, a really find grind will just go through. Use a coarser grind so that your filter can actually work. A coarser grind is also better for longer extraction times. If you have about a liter of coffee you need to make for all your guests or family members, this will probably brew in 7 to 9 minutes. A medium grind in this case will end up tasting more bitter than sweet.
In the end remember that all of this is a matter of preference. Experiment and find the right brewing method for you.
