Grinding & Brewing

Learning how to brew properly can immeasurably improve your coffee’s quality.

Good extraction and freshly roasted beans are the source of all that is delicious in a cup of coffee. In under extraction the coffee is typically sour, thin, weak and flat. In over extraction the coffee becomes bitter ashy and astringent.

Grinding

The finer the grind, the brewing time is decreased. Same as, the coarser the grind, the brewing time increases.

Pre ground coffee will become stale in a matter of hours but whole beans will stay fresh for several weeks, if properly sealed. Buy only what you will need for a week or two of drinking. Invest in a burr grinder and only grind what you need for each brew.

Fine Espresso – very fine grind

Espresso – ideal for espresso machine, fine grind with some clumping

Fine Filter – for pour over, between filter grind and espresso

Medium Filter – for stove top pot and electric filter brew. Grounds have a fine, sugar like texture

Course – for immersion brewing with no filtration system such as French Press, as course as sea salt flakes.

Very Course – used for long immersion brews, similar to the size of rock salt

Brewing Ratio

The best temperature for brewing coffee is between 90-95 C/195-205 F.

*Different coffee roasts and different coffee origins may affect strength and flavour.

Espresso Machine

Fine Grind

14-22g (.5-.75oz) in clean basket

Pour Over

Fine Filter Grind

32g (1oz): pour 50g (50ml/1.75 fl oz) of water over grounds, wait 30 seconds, then pour 430g (430ml/16 fl oz) over

Electric Filter Brew

Medium to Fine Filter

60g (4 Tbsp/2oz) grounds: 1000ml (4 cups/32fl oz) water

‘Pot of Coffee’ (12-8 oz cups) - 180g (12 Tbsp/6oz): 96fl oz water

French Press

Medium to Course Grind

30g (2 Tbsp/1oz) coffee: 500ml (2 cups/16fl oz) water

Ensure the grounds are in the emulsion for at least 4-5 minutes.