Brewing guide

How to get the best out of every bag.

Specialty coffee rewards a little attention to the brew. The same beans, brewed badly, can taste like ordinary coffee. The same beans, brewed well, can be transcendent. Below are the fundamentals, then method-by-method guidance.

The four things that matter most

1. Freshness

Coffee is at its peak from roughly 5 to 21 days after roasting. Store beans in an airtight container, away from light and heat. Don't refrigerate. Don't grind until you're ready to brew.

2. Grind size

Match the grind to the method. Too fine and you over-extract (bitter, harsh). Too coarse and you under-extract (sour, weak). The grind chart in each method below gets you in the neighborhood.

3. Water

Coffee is 98% water. If your tap water tastes bad, your coffee will too. Filtered or bottled spring water is ideal. Aim for 195–205°F (90–96°C) — just off the boil.

4. Ratio

The standard is 1:16 to 1:18 by weight — one gram of coffee for every 16 to 18 grams of water. A kitchen scale changes everything. If you only buy one piece of brewing equipment, make it a scale.

By method

Pour-over (V60, Chemex, Kalita Wave)

Grind: Medium-fine, like table salt
Ratio: 1:16 (e.g., 22g coffee to 350g water for two cups)
Time: 3:00–4:00 total

  1. Rinse the filter with hot water (preheats the brewer and removes paper taste). Discard.
  2. Add ground coffee, level the bed.
  3. Bloom: pour about 2x the coffee weight in water (44g for a 22g brew). Wait 30–45 seconds.
  4. Pour the rest in slow, steady spirals from center out. Keep the water level even.
  5. Brew should finish around 3:30. Adjust grind if it's faster (coarser) or slower (finer).

Best for: Light and medium-light roasts. Bright, complex coffees like our Wild Shore Ethiopia or Sunlit Current Kenya.

French press

Grind: Coarse, like sea salt or breadcrumbs
Ratio: 1:15 (e.g., 30g coffee to 450g water)
Time: 4 minutes steep

  1. Preheat the press with hot water, then discard.
  2. Add coarsely ground coffee, then pour all the water in at once.
  3. Wait 4 minutes. Stir the crust on top to break it up, then skim any foam.
  4. Press the plunger down slowly — about 15 seconds. Pour immediately so the coffee doesn't keep extracting.

Best for: Medium and dark roasts. Full-bodied coffees like our Deep Drift Sumatra or Golden Depth Honduras.

Espresso

Grind: Fine, like powdered sugar
Ratio: 1:2 (e.g., 18g coffee in, 36g espresso out)
Time: 25–30 seconds shot

Espresso is its own discipline and machines vary widely. The fundamentals: dose by weight, distribute the grounds evenly, tamp level with firm pressure, pull and weigh the shot. If it runs too fast (under 20 seconds), grind finer. Too slow (over 35 seconds), grind coarser.

Best for: Medium-dark and dark roasts. Samba Tide Brazil is a classic espresso base.

Aeropress

Grind: Medium-fine, like table salt
Ratio: 1:14 (e.g., 17g coffee to 240g water) for a strong cup; 1:16 for a milder one
Time: ~2:00 total

  1. Set up inverted (plunger in, chamber up). Add coffee.
  2. Pour water to fill the chamber. Stir gently 5 times.
  3. Steep 90 seconds. Attach the cap with rinsed filter.
  4. Flip onto your mug. Press gently for 30 seconds.

Best for: Travel, single cups, experimentation. Forgiving across most roast levels.

Drip (auto brewer)

Grind: Medium, like coarse sand
Ratio: 1:17
Notes: A good drip machine (SCA-certified models) handles the timing for you. Use filtered water, pre-ground only if you must, and clean the machine regularly — old residue ruins fresh coffee.

Cold brew

Grind: Very coarse
Ratio: 1:8 for concentrate (cut with water/milk to taste), or 1:15 for ready-to-drink
Time: 12–24 hours at room temperature, or 24–36 in the fridge

  1. Combine coarse grounds and cold water in a large jar.
  2. Steep, then strain through a fine mesh, then again through a paper filter for clarity.
  3. Keeps in the fridge about 2 weeks.

Best for: Hot weather. Medium and dark roasts work best — nutty, chocolatey, low-acid origins shine.

Storage

  • Airtight, opaque container at room temperature. Light, heat, air, and moisture are the enemies of fresh coffee.
  • Don't refrigerate or freeze for daily use. Both introduce moisture. (You can freeze unopened bags long-term if you must, but break the seal only once thawed.)
  • Use within 4 weeks of roasting for peak flavor. After that, the coffee is still drinkable, just less interesting.

If something tastes off

Too bitter? Over-extracted. Try a coarser grind, shorter time, or cooler water.

Too sour or weak? Under-extracted. Try a finer grind, longer time, or hotter water.

Tastes flat or stale? The coffee is past its prime, or the beans were ground too far in advance. Grind right before brewing.

Tastes good but you want more from it? Try a different method. The same beans can show entirely different sides through pour-over vs. French press vs. espresso.

Questions? Get in touch — we're coffee nerds and happy to help.

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