Brewing Coffee - Grind & Brew

Coffee grind
The rule is simple – the finer the grind, the more bold, bitter flavors extracted.

Each brewing type has an acceptable range of grinds. The most popular brewing method in North America, automatic drip style, needs a medium grind. The press style (French Press) needs coffee on the coarse side, as does a percolator. Espresso is the second most fine grind, with Greek/Turkish/Ethiopian style coffee using the most fine.

The grind is appropriate to the style. The longer the water is in contact with the coffee grounds, the stronger it will taste and the coarser the grind you will need. Each brewing style has a range of grinds that are acceptable and if you like it stronger, use a finer grind.

It is always best to grind your own whole bean coffee right before brewing. It is the biggest secret to ending up with great tasting coffee! There are two types of grinders, the less expensive is a blade grinder which beats your coffee into little pieces reather than grinding it. Blade grinders also may cook the coffee and produce and off taste. Burr grinders are the way to go! They have gear like burrs that the coffee is ground between and have settings for you to vary the grind. Every coffee lover should invest in a good burr grinder to get the most flavor and quality from your whole bean coffee.

Storing Your Coffee
You may want to rethink your coffee storage habits if you store it in the refrigerator or freezer.

Coffee will absorb the many aromatic substances in your refrigerator or freezer. Some are pleasant, but most are not—onions, left-over pizza, tuna or egg salad, yuck! Another reason not to store it there is that each time you remove your coffee from the freezer or refrigerator and expose it to the warmer air it will can cause moisture to form in what should be a dry, airtight environment for your coffee.

Coffee Brewing styles
Brewing style is another way to get stronger or milder coffee. Greek/Turkish coffee has a very strong, bold flavor and preparing it is low tech, using a device called an ibrik over a medium flame, heated twice but never boiled.

Espresso is another strong, bold method but requires a larger investment in

equipment. Espresso machines allow you to control the grind, temperature, pressure and the

amount of water. You can make the coffee as bold as you like it.

French Press is our personal favorite! Coarse ground coffee is placed into the press and covered with very hot water. After 4 or 5 minutes you puch the plunger down and the screen seperates the grounds from the perfectlt brewed cup of coffee.

Percolators were popular before drip coffee brewers but tend to get fine grounds (silk) into your coffee, take a long time and oftern produce a burnt taste. Grandma may insist on making her coffee this way but we do not!

Secrets to Great Coffee at Home

Most of us now use a drip coffee maker which makes the process easy and produces great coffee. It's not rocket-science, but there is a science to making a good cup of coffee. When using a drip brewing system here are some hints to help you get a great cup of coffee.

Use Fresh Water

We recommend using the freshest, coldest water available. Filtered or bottled water is best; distilled water is not recommended. Brewed coffee is 98% water. Some tap water sources can contain sulfur or metallic-tasting elements and bad tasting water=bad tasting coffee.

Measure

Many coffee manufacturers recommend a water-to-coffee ratio on their packaging. They have already done the research for the consumer based on the grind and roast, which takes some of the guess-work out of making a perfect cup of coffee.

Generally, the standard measurement for a single serving of coffee is one tablespoon coffee per six ounces of water. However, we realize each person has different tastes, so experiment and have fun with our coffee, how stong or weak you want to brew your coffee is entirely up to you!

We want you to enjoy the flavor of your coffee from the moment you first open it and breathe in the enticing aroma of fresh ground or whole-bean coffee so please store your coffee in an airtight container; in a cool, dark, place; not in the refrigerator or freezer. You will be glad you did!

Enjoy the Coffee!!