Conventional Brewing Methods

        Have you ever noticed that a ten cup coffee maker only fills about four mugsof coffee? This is because most home coffee makers have 'cup' markings based on the 5-6 ounce industry measurement. The mug you'll use to drink the coffee is more like twelve ounces. Confused? It happens to the best of us. We want our customers to make great coffee at home and make it with ease so we have come up with some basic steps for making coffee in a French Press or Automatic Drip coffee maker.

Brewing Tips

Make sure your grind corresponds to your machine. There are different grinds for a flat bottomfilter or a cone shaped filter.

Measure out 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for each cup of water you are adding to your machine (remember a "cup" is actually only ~6 oz of water)

Brew the coffee according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Place empty french press on a dry, flat, non-slip surface. Hold handle firmly, then pull the plunger unit straight up and out of the glass.

For every 6 ounces of water, put 2 level tablespoons (or 1 scoop) of coarse ground coffee into the pot. Use only coarse ground coffee. Fine grind will clog the filter and create a huge mess!

Pour hot (nearly boiling) water into the pot, leaving about an inch of space at the top.

Place the plunger unit on top of the pot but do not press down. Let the coffee brew for 3 minutes.

Hold the pot handle firmly with the spout turned away from you and lower the plunger straight down into the pot.

Pour yourself a cup of great coffee.

The Melitta cone is one of the simplest and most reliable ways to brew a clean, balanced cup.

Grind: Medium (similar to granulated sugar)

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:16 (about 2 tbsp per 6 oz water)

Water temp: 195–205°F

How to Brew:

  1. Place the filter in the cone and rinse with hot water (discard rinse water).
  2. Add ground coffee and gently shake to level the bed.
  3. Pour just enough hot water to saturate the grounds. Let bloom for 30–45 seconds.
  4. Continue pouring slowly in small circles, keeping the water level steady.
  5. Total brew time should be 3–4 minutes.


Grind Tip:
If it drains too quickly, grind finer. If it stalls or tastes bitter, grind slightly coarser.

The Chemex produces an exceptionally clean and smooth cup thanks to its thick paper filter.

Grind: Medium-coarse (slightly coarser than standard drip)

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Water temp: 195–205°F

How to Brew:

  1. Fold the filter so the three-layer side faces the spout.
  2. Rinse thoroughly with hot water; discard rinse water.
  3. Add coffee and gently level the grounds.
  4. Bloom with a small pour for 30–45 seconds.
  5. Continue pouring in slow, controlled circles until desired volume is reached.
  6. Total brew time should land between 4–5 minutes.

Grind Tip:
Because the filter is thick, a slightly coarser grind prevents over-extraction. If the cup tastes thin, try grinding a touch finer.

The AeroPress is versatile, forgiving, and ideal for a rich, full-bodied cup with low acidity.

Grind: Medium-fine (between drip and espresso)

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:14

Water temp: 175–200°F

Standard Method:

  1. Insert filter and rinse.
  2. Add coffee to the chamber.
  3. Pour water, stir gently for 10 seconds.
  4. Attach cap and press slowly after 1–2 minutes.
  5. Total brew time: about 2–3 minutes.

Coffee Myths

"Coffee is best stored in the refrigerator or freezer"

No Way! Coffee should never be stored anywhere damp or too cold. Coffee beans are very porous and will absorb flavors from the air, so if stored in your refrigerator your coffee could taste like last night's chicken surprise. An air-tight container in a cool, dry cupboard is the best way to store your coffee

"Espresso beans are a completely different bean than those used in my favorite blend"

This is absolutely a myth. 'Espresso' refers to the brewing method. Espresso does not dictate the type of bean, blend of beans or quality of bean. Espresso is brewed in high heat and most importantly under pressure. Most espresso's are brewed under 9 bars of pressure, which translates to roughly 131 pounds per square inch! And is brewed around 197° degrees. This is typically a coffee that a master roaster will spend the most time perfecting.

"Darker roasts are stronger"

In fact lighter roasts are 'stronger' because they have more caffeine. Lighter roasted coffee are inside of the roaster for less time, which means not as much caffeine gets extracted out of the bean. While darker roasts will have a much stronger flavor, due to the taste of the roast coming through, if you want more of that coffee buzz you want to drink a lighter roast.

"All coffee is created equal"

We could talk on this topic until we turn blue in the face, because of course not all coffee is created equal. The largest and most well known defining mark of good coffee is when a coffee is 100% Arabica. But in all honesty there are some very, very bad Arabica beans out there. The next most important defining mark is "Water Quenching" vs "Dry Roasting". To explain it simply, when you roast 100 pounds of coffee, will will end up will 70 pounds when it is done roasting. Because you lose 30% in weight, what a lot of companies will do is spray a mist onto the beans to "cool the beans", but what they are really doing is adding that 30% in water weight back into the bean as to not lose any money. Dry roasting is the only way to roast high quality gourmet coffee.