Brew With Consistency

No matter how well we roast our beans, they won't end in a brilliant cup of coffee if the wrong brew methods are employed. Brewing correctly means that you have to manipulate the variables until you find the profile you're looking for. Once you have that, you will need to remain consistent in your approach so that every cup tastes as exquisite as it can. Here are some tips for consistently brewing great coffee.

Burr Grinders and Grind Size

Each brew method requires a specific grind size. We make suggestions about grind size in our brew guides, but you will need to experiment with your equipment until you find the size that works for your preferred brew method. This is where a burr grinder comes in handy. They are capable of allowing grinds to pass through when they have reached the desired size. Blade grinders will continue to chop beans and leave you with inconsistent grind sizes.

Water Temperature

The optimal brewing temperature for coffee ranges from 200F-205F. Many automatic brewers do not have the ability to keep the temperature consistently in this range. There are some that have the Specialty Coffee Association of America certification, and are capable of keeping the water consistently in appropriate brew range.

If you are a purist (like us) then you'll likely opt for a manual brew technique. In which case you'll want to have a kettle that gives you better control over the pour. We use a gooseneck kettle and would recommend one to any coffee nerd. Stove top kettles are very affordable and will be within the correct temperature range when they are about 30 seconds off the boil. There are also goosneck electric kettles that have digital temperature displays that work quite nicely as well.

Scales

Each of us is looking for something different in a cup of coffee. Some people want the coffee to be bold (strong), while others may want the flavors to be a bit more subdued. Either way, once you find what you like, you'll want to have your coffee that way every time you take a sip. That means using consistent coffee to water ratios. Doing this without a scale is incredibly difficult. We recommend that you invest in a $15 kitchen scale capable of weigh amounts in grams (up to 2KG).

Timer

When using a pass-through brew method (e.g. pour over or Chemex), keeping track of your extraction time will give you a good idea of whether your grind size is appropriate. If the water passes through too quickly then your grind size is too course. If the water passes through too slowly then the grind is too fine. Both will yield an unpleasant cup of coffee.


We don't recommend that you use any additional equipment other than your smart phone for this one. If you feel compelled though, there are many small and inexpensive timers available.

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