1. Use Fresh Coffee
Use it fresh; within a few weeks of roasting. We guarantee to ship you the coffee right after roasting! Keep it in an airtight container. Buy as much coffee as you want, but we suggest only opening a week's supply at a time. Whole beans stay fresher than ground coffee. Ideally, grind your own beans just prior to brewing. You will appreciate the difference freshness makes!
2. Use the Correct Brewing Method
The best way to brew great coffee is either with a French Press or a drip method; electric or static. We advise against percolator 'brewing' of coffee as it tends to over extract unpleasant oils from the grinds into the brew, but it also boils off the aroma into the kitchen with none left for the cup. In challenging environments such as on a sailboat or camping, boil water, then use an unbreakable French Press, giving you the best coffee (a beautiful stainless steel French Press is available through Chef's Coffee Company).
3. Use the Correct Grind for your Brewing Method
Finer is not always better! The degree of fineness depends upon the brewing cycle of your coffeemaker. The goal is to extract the perfect amount of oils from the coffee grinds. Too coarse and the oils are under extracted, producing a thin tasteless brew. Too fine and oils are over extracted, producing a bitter cup. We suggest starting finer than you normally would have used in the past for drip brewing and coarser for a French Press. (We normally use a setting not quite as fine as for espresso for use in our drip brewers.) Too fine a grind for your brewer could result in water overflow.
4. Use Cold Fresh Water
Brewed coffee is over 98% water. If the water is undrinkable plain, do not use it to brew your coffee! Filtered or bottled waters are good alternatives to "defective" tap water. Consistency in the water is key to consistency in the final brewed coffee. The better the water, the better the coffee!!
5. Use Enough Coffee
Use two level tablespoons or one level approved coffee measure (29.6 cc’s) for every six fluid ounces (177 cc’s) of water. This yields 45 cups per pound of coffee. Measure! If you find this brew too strong do not use less coffee. Dilute the finished brew with hot water (not from the tap). Do not put more water through the grinds; you will brew thinner, more bitter coffee this way. Also, make at least half the capacity of your coffee maker.
6. Keep Your Coffee Maker Clean
Old coffee oils are difficult to remove and can impart a stale flavor to the fresh brew. This is the same reason our roaster is cleaned regularly. Clean all non-electrics by soaking in warm water and baking soda (never use soap). Wipe and rinse thoroughly. Clean electric coffee makers regularly and according to manufacturers' instructions. This will keep the heating element clean so it can properly heat the water to brew the coffee. If the water is not hot enough to brew (195° - 205°F), the results are undrinkable coffee.
7. Brew at Correct Temperature - 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit
If you are boiling your own water, bring it just to a boil and let it stand a minute prior to brewing. If you are using an electric drip coffeemaker, look for one with at least 1200 watts that can heat the water to the correct temperature to brew coffee properly - about six minutes for a ten cup pot. Never boil coffee!
8. Serve at Once
Coffee deteriorates rapidly on a warming plate. It is best stored in a thermal carafe that has been preheated with hot water. Make it fresh. Do not reheat coffee; the additional heat will destroy the delicate flavors and aromatics of our unique and complex coffees. Save left over coffee in a jar in the refrigerator for iced coffee! Also, never pour coffee before the brewing cycle is complete-you will get one very strong cup and ruin the rest of the pot.
Use it fresh; within a few weeks of roasting. We guarantee to ship you the coffee right after roasting! Keep it in an airtight container. Buy as much coffee as you want, but we suggest only opening a week's supply at a time. Whole beans stay fresher than ground coffee. Ideally, grind your own beans just prior to brewing. You will appreciate the difference freshness makes!
2. Use the Correct Brewing Method
The best way to brew great coffee is either with a French Press or a drip method; electric or static. We advise against percolator 'brewing' of coffee as it tends to over extract unpleasant oils from the grinds into the brew, but it also boils off the aroma into the kitchen with none left for the cup. In challenging environments such as on a sailboat or camping, boil water, then use an unbreakable French Press, giving you the best coffee (a beautiful stainless steel French Press is available through Chef's Coffee Company).
3. Use the Correct Grind for your Brewing Method
Finer is not always better! The degree of fineness depends upon the brewing cycle of your coffeemaker. The goal is to extract the perfect amount of oils from the coffee grinds. Too coarse and the oils are under extracted, producing a thin tasteless brew. Too fine and oils are over extracted, producing a bitter cup. We suggest starting finer than you normally would have used in the past for drip brewing and coarser for a French Press. (We normally use a setting not quite as fine as for espresso for use in our drip brewers.) Too fine a grind for your brewer could result in water overflow.
4. Use Cold Fresh Water
Brewed coffee is over 98% water. If the water is undrinkable plain, do not use it to brew your coffee! Filtered or bottled waters are good alternatives to "defective" tap water. Consistency in the water is key to consistency in the final brewed coffee. The better the water, the better the coffee!!
5. Use Enough Coffee
Use two level tablespoons or one level approved coffee measure (29.6 cc’s) for every six fluid ounces (177 cc’s) of water. This yields 45 cups per pound of coffee. Measure! If you find this brew too strong do not use less coffee. Dilute the finished brew with hot water (not from the tap). Do not put more water through the grinds; you will brew thinner, more bitter coffee this way. Also, make at least half the capacity of your coffee maker.
6. Keep Your Coffee Maker Clean
Old coffee oils are difficult to remove and can impart a stale flavor to the fresh brew. This is the same reason our roaster is cleaned regularly. Clean all non-electrics by soaking in warm water and baking soda (never use soap). Wipe and rinse thoroughly. Clean electric coffee makers regularly and according to manufacturers' instructions. This will keep the heating element clean so it can properly heat the water to brew the coffee. If the water is not hot enough to brew (195° - 205°F), the results are undrinkable coffee.
7. Brew at Correct Temperature - 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit
If you are boiling your own water, bring it just to a boil and let it stand a minute prior to brewing. If you are using an electric drip coffeemaker, look for one with at least 1200 watts that can heat the water to the correct temperature to brew coffee properly - about six minutes for a ten cup pot. Never boil coffee!
8. Serve at Once
Coffee deteriorates rapidly on a warming plate. It is best stored in a thermal carafe that has been preheated with hot water. Make it fresh. Do not reheat coffee; the additional heat will destroy the delicate flavors and aromatics of our unique and complex coffees. Save left over coffee in a jar in the refrigerator for iced coffee! Also, never pour coffee before the brewing cycle is complete-you will get one very strong cup and ruin the rest of the pot.
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