Use 2 tablespoons (10g) per 6oz cup. Scale up for a full pot.
Fill the reservoir with cold, filtered water. Skip distilled; minerals help extraction.
If your machine has a pre-infusion or bloom setting, turn it on. It makes a difference.
Brew and serve immediately. Do not let coffee sit on a hot plate. Pour into a thermal carafe instead.
Espresso · Fine Ground
Espresso
Concentrated, intense, unforgiving. Fine grind and pressure extraction pull out everything the roast has to offer. Dark Bloom and Still Bloom were roasted with this method in mind.
Fill the bottom chamber with pre-heated water up to the safety valve. This reduces bitter, burnt flavors.
Fill the filter basket with fine-ground coffee, level but not tamped. Drop it into the chamber.
Screw the top on tightly (use a towel; the base is hot). Place on low to medium heat.
When you hear a hissing, gurgling sound, remove from heat immediately. Pour and enjoy.
French Press · Coarse Ground
French Press
Full immersion brewing. No filter to absorb oils, so you get the heaviest body and richest mouthfeel. Coarse grind prevents over-extraction and sludge.
Pour 450g of water (200°F) all at once. Place the lid on, plunger up, to retain heat.
At 4:00, press the plunger down slowly and steadily. Do not force it.
Pour immediately into cups. Coffee left in the press keeps extracting and turns bitter.
Cold Brew · Coarse Ground
Cold Brew
Smooth, mellow, naturally sweet. Time replaces heat. The long steep extracts flavor without bitterness. Make a batch and keep it in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Combine 100g of coarse-ground coffee with 800g of cold, filtered water in a jar or pitcher.
Stir gently to make sure all grounds are saturated. Cover and refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. For extra clarity, strain a second time through a paper filter.
This is concentrate. Dilute 1:1 with water or milk over ice. Keeps in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Grind reference
Grinding right before you brew is the single biggest upgrade you can make. Ground coffee loses aromatics within minutes. Whole bean locks them in until you are ready.
Method
Texture
Baratza
Timemore
Espresso
Powdered sugar
5 – 8
10 – 14
Moka Pot
Fine sand
8 – 12
14 – 18
Pour-Over
Table salt
15 – 20
20 – 24
Drip
Coarse sand
20 – 25
22 – 26
Chemex
Kosher salt
21 – 26
24 – 28
French Press
Sea salt
28 – 32
28 – 32
Cold Brew
Peppercorn
32 – 36
32 – 36
The other ingredient
Water chemistry
Your cup is 98 percent water. If the water tastes off, the coffee will too.
Filtered, not distilled
A basic carbon filter removes chlorine and sediment, the two things most likely to ruin a cup. That alone gets you 90 percent of the way there. Skip distilled and reverse osmosis. Coffee needs dissolved minerals to extract properly.
Aim for 100 to 150 ppm
The Specialty Coffee Association recommends 100 to 150 ppm of total dissolved solids. Most filtered tap water in the US falls in this range. If your water tastes good on its own, it will probably make good coffee.
Off the boil
Target is 195 to 205°F for every method except cold brew. Boiling water scorches the grounds. If you don't have a temperature-controlled kettle, bring water to a boil and wait 30 to 45 seconds.
Three quick wins
Replace your carbon filter every two months. Taste your water at room temperature. Descale your kettle and machines monthly if your water is hard. Citric acid works faster than vinegar.
Fix your cup
Coffee taste
"My coffee tastes flat and lifeless."
Grind finer. Finer particles give the water more surface area.
Check water temperature. Below 195°F under-extracts.
Check your water. Distilled or very soft water can't extract flavor.
"My coffee tastes bitter or ashy."
Grind coarser. Less surface area means slower extraction.
Shorten brew time. Pour faster or press earlier.
Lower your water temperature. Let it cool 45 seconds after boiling.
"My coffee tastes sour or sharp."
Grind finer. Number one fix for sour coffee.
Increase brew time. Pour more slowly or steep longer.
Use hotter water. Aim for 200 to 205°F.
Espresso dialing
Shot runs too fast (under 20 seconds).
Grind finer. Half a click at a time.
Increase your dose. Try 19g instead of 18g.
Check your tamp. Uneven tamping creates channels.
Shot drips out too slowly (over 35 seconds).
Grind coarser. Half a click at a time.
Reduce your dose. Try 17g. Less coffee, less resistance.
Bloom and freshness
"I don't see any bloom when I pour."
Check your storage. Airtight container, away from light and heat.
Coffee at Peak Bloom is within roughly 2 to 4 weeks of roasting. After that, CO₂ has mostly escaped.
Do not refrigerate. Do not freeze unless vacuum-sealed for long storage.
Method specifics
"My French press is full of sludge."
Grind much coarser. You want coarse sea salt, not sand.
Press slowly and evenly. Forcing it pushes fines through the mesh.
"My cold brew tastes weak."
Steep longer. 20 to 24 hours for a richer concentrate.
Increase ratio. Try 1:7 coffee to water.
Remember it is concentrate. Try 2:1 concentrate to water.
