Coffee 101

Rookie at Coffee (But You Love It!)

No gatekeeping here — every basic brew method, the simple way. Ratios, grinds, times, temps. Great coffee is a recipe, not a talent.

How much coffee do you actually need?

You need about: 2 lbs / monthHandy rule: one daily cup ≈ one pound a month.

🧊 Cold Brew

Ratio 1:8Extra coarse (breadcrumbs)12–18 h🌡 🧊 Cold
  1. Add 1 cup of coarse grounds to a large jar
  2. Pour in 4 cups of cold water; stir gently
  3. Cover and rest in the fridge 12–18 hours
  4. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth
  5. Serve over ice, cut 1:1 with water or milk

💡 It's a concentrate — don't drink it straight unless you mean it.

🥤 Iced Coffee

Ratio 1:8 over iceMedium~4 min🌡 200°F
  1. Brew any hot method at DOUBLE strength (half the water)
  2. Fill a glass to the top with ice
  3. Pour the hot coffee directly over the ice
  4. The melt brings it to perfect strength
  5. Sweeten while still warm if you like it sweet

💡 Flash-chilling keeps the aroma cold brew leaves behind.

🔄 AeroPress

Ratio 1:15Medium-fine (table salt)1:30–2 min🌡 185–200°F
  1. Rinse the paper filter; add 17 g (2½ scoops) of coffee
  2. Pour water to the top number; stir 3 times
  3. Steep 60–90 seconds
  4. Press slowly for ~30 seconds until it hisses
  5. Top up with hot water to taste (or don’t)

💡 Cooler water (185°F) = sweeter cup. Great for travel.

Pour Over / Drip Cone

Ratio 1:16Medium (sea salt)3–4 min🌡 195–205°F
  1. Rinse the filter with hot water; discard the rinse
  2. Add 25 g coffee for a 400 g (12 oz) cup
  3. Pour 50 g water; wait 30 seconds (the bloom)
  4. Pour the rest in slow circles over 2–3 minutes
  5. Done when the bed looks flat — enjoy black first

💡 The 30-second bloom releases CO₂ so water can actually extract.

🫖 12-Cup Machine (Cuisinart & friends)

Ratio 1:16Mediumpush the button🌡 auto
  1. Use 1 level tablespoon (~5–6 g) per "cup" mark for regular strength
  2. For a full 12-cup pot: about 12–14 tablespoons (3.5–4 oz)
  3. Fresh cold water in the tank; flat bed of grounds in the basket
  4. Brew; drink within 30 minutes or thermos it
  5. Wash the basket and pot daily — old oils turn bitter

💡 The hot plate cooks your coffee. A thermos is a $15 upgrade to every pot.

🗜️ French Press

Ratio 1:15Coarse (kosher salt)4 min🌡 200°F
  1. Add 30 g (4 tbsp) coarse coffee for a 450 g press
  2. Pour all the water; start a 4-minute timer
  3. At 4:00, stir the crust and skim the foam
  4. Press slowly — stop just above the grounds
  5. Pour it ALL out immediately (it keeps brewing in the pot)

💡 Grit in the cup means the grind is too fine, not that the press is bad.

Espresso (machine)

Ratio 1:2Fine (powdered sugar)25–30 s🌡 ~200°F
  1. Dose 18 g into the basket; level and tamp firm
  2. Aim for 36 g of espresso out in 25–30 seconds
  3. Pouring too fast? Grind finer. Choking? Grind coarser
  4. Drink within a minute, or build a latte on it
  5. Our Espresso Forte was roasted for exactly this

💡 Change ONE thing at a time when dialing in — grind first, always.

🏕️ Moka Pot

Ratio fill the basketFine-medium~5 min🌡 stovetop low-med
  1. Fill the bottom with hot water to the valve
  2. Fill the basket with coffee — level, never tamped
  3. Assemble (use a towel — it’s hot) and set on low-medium heat
  4. When it gurgles and the stream turns pale, pull it off
  5. Run the base under cold water to stop the brew

💡 Starting with hot water keeps the grounds from cooking on the way up.

👑 K-Cup / Single Serve

Ratio pre-dosedDone for you~1 min🌡 auto
  1. Choose the SMALLEST cup size your machine offers
  2. A K-Cup holds a fixed dose — less water, more flavor
  3. Descale the machine monthly (white vinegar works)
  4. Our K-Cups carry the same roasts as our bags
  5. Strong setting? That’s the one ours was made for

💡 Small-cup setting is the single biggest K-Cup upgrade there is.

Every recipe works better with beans roasted this week.