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?
🧊 Cold Brew
Ratio 1:8Extra coarse (breadcrumbs)⏱ 12–18 h🌡 🧊 Cold
- Add 1 cup of coarse grounds to a large jar
- Pour in 4 cups of cold water; stir gently
- Cover and rest in the fridge 12–18 hours
- Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth
- 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
- Brew any hot method at DOUBLE strength (half the water)
- Fill a glass to the top with ice
- Pour the hot coffee directly over the ice
- The melt brings it to perfect strength
- 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
- Rinse the paper filter; add 17 g (2½ scoops) of coffee
- Pour water to the top number; stir 3 times
- Steep 60–90 seconds
- Press slowly for ~30 seconds until it hisses
- 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
- Rinse the filter with hot water; discard the rinse
- Add 25 g coffee for a 400 g (12 oz) cup
- Pour 50 g water; wait 30 seconds (the bloom)
- Pour the rest in slow circles over 2–3 minutes
- 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 1:16Medium⏱ push the button🌡 auto
- Use 1 level tablespoon (~5–6 g) per "cup" mark for regular strength
- For a full 12-cup pot: about 12–14 tablespoons (3.5–4 oz)
- Fresh cold water in the tank; flat bed of grounds in the basket
- Brew; drink within 30 minutes or thermos it
- 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
- Add 30 g (4 tbsp) coarse coffee for a 450 g press
- Pour all the water; start a 4-minute timer
- At 4:00, stir the crust and skim the foam
- Press slowly — stop just above the grounds
- 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
- Dose 18 g into the basket; level and tamp firm
- Aim for 36 g of espresso out in 25–30 seconds
- Pouring too fast? Grind finer. Choking? Grind coarser
- Drink within a minute, or build a latte on it
- 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
- Fill the bottom with hot water to the valve
- Fill the basket with coffee — level, never tamped
- Assemble (use a towel — it’s hot) and set on low-medium heat
- When it gurgles and the stream turns pale, pull it off
- 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
- Choose the SMALLEST cup size your machine offers
- A K-Cup holds a fixed dose — less water, more flavor
- Descale the machine monthly (white vinegar works)
- Our K-Cups carry the same roasts as our bags
- Strong setting? That’s the one ours was made for
💡 Small-cup setting is the single biggest K-Cup upgrade there is.