The Quality of a cup of coffee is ultimately determined by how it is stored and brewed at its final destination.
There are a couple of simple steps we recommend to ensure you’re drinking the best, most delicious coffee possible:
Storage
Coffee typically tastes best within two to three weeks of its roast date. To preserve the freshness of beans for as long as possible, it’s best to store them in an airtight container at room temperature. We like to use mason jars. Keep beans in a convenient and cool location with no direct sunlight. Contrary to popular belief, storing beans in a freezer is not the best practice. The oxygen and moisture in a freezer breaks down the flavorful oils of the beans and directly impacts the taste of the coffee. To avoid your coffee beans going stale, you should buy smaller amounts of coffee more often.
Grind
Nothing beats freshly ground coffee as the moment you grind it, your coffee begins to oxidize and the aging process accelerates. For best results, grind your coffee within 15 minutes of brewing.
Water
For the best results, use clean water filtered for taste and hardness and heat it to between 200F and 210F to brew your coffee.
Brew
We believe there are few things quite as rewarding as preparing and enjoying a cup of coffee.
To help you on your quest for the perfect cup, we recommend that you check out our brew guides for tips and more information about the following brewing methods:
1. Standard Coffee Maker
A Coffee Maker with a copper heating element is ideal but not required. These specific elements allow the water to reach and hold proper temperature throughout the duration of the brew resulting in much better flavors.
2. Coffee Filter
3. Fresh, OH! Coffee
Whole or Ground Beans
4. Grinder (If you are using whole beans)
We recommend a burr grinder instead of a blade grinder. A burr grinder provides a much more consistent grind resulting in a more even extraction and a better brew.
5. Scale / Volumn Measurement Device
6. Water
7. Mug
Standard Coffee Maker
Drip brewing can produce excellent coffee that results in a robust, timely and enjoyable cup. It is also one of the most hands-off brewing methods allowing you to take your morning as you like – slow, multitask, or even set yourself up for your morning brew the night before.
With a few simple pointers, you’ll be able to craft a delicious cup of coffee at home on your Standard Coffee Maker!
STEP ONE: MEASURE COFFEE
Measure out your whole bean coffee. We recommend a 1:16 ratio of coffee to water. For example, when brewing with an 8-cup automatic brewer, we use 80 grams of coffee with 1280 grams of water.
STEP TWO: GRIND COFFEE
Grind coffee on an auto-drip or medium grind. Grind only as much as you need per use so that coffee is not allowed to stale in between brews. When you make pots in the future, adjust the amount of coffee you use to your own, personal taste.
STEP THREE: PLACE FILTER
Place filter in brewing basket.
STEP FOUR: RINSE FILTER
Rinse the filter with hot water.
STEP FIVE: ADD WATER
Add water to brewer.
STEP SIX: ADD COFFEE
Pour ground coffee into the filter and level the grounds bed.
STEP SEVEN: START BREWER
Start the brewer, wait and then cheers to delicious coffee!
1. French Press
A Coffee Maker with a copper heating element is ideal but not required. These specific elements allow the water to reach and hold proper temperature throughout the duration of the brew resulting in much better flavors.
2. Fresh, OH! Coffee
Whole or Ground Beans
3. Grinder (If you are using whole beans)
We recommend a burr grinder instead of a blade grinder. A burr grinder provides a much more consistent grind resulting in a more even extraction and a better brew.
4. Timer
5. Scale / Volumn Measurement Device
6. Spoon
7. Water Kettle
We recommend a gooseneck kettle, which allows for more control over your pour.
8. Water
9. Mug
French Press
The French Press is one of our favorite brew methods, particularly on a chilly morning while wearing your slippers and making breakfast. We prefer a slightly finer grind and a faster brew, resulting in a robust and timely cup with exquisite complexity
With a few simple pointers, you’ll be able to craft a delicious cup of coffee at home, at the office, or anywhere when you have your French Press with you.
STEP ONE: HEAT WATER
Heat the water to just below a boil. We recommend a temperature of 205-210 F
STEP TWO: WARM and RINSE
Pour some hot water into the French Press and your mug to rinse your brewing equipment and warm both vessels.
STEP THREE: MEASURE COFFEE
Measure out whole bean coffee. We recommend a 1:16 ratio of coffee to water. For example, when you are using a 36 oz. French Press, we would use 48 grams of coffee and 768 grams of water. If this ratio is too weak or too strong, feel free to add more or less coffee according to your preferences.
STEP FOUR: GRIND COFFEE
Medium to medium-coarse grind
STEP FIVE: THROW AWAY RINSE WATER
Empty rinse the water from your French Press (and your mug too).
STEP SIX: ADD COFFEE
Add your coffee to the French Press and level the grinds.
STEP SEVEN: ADD WATER
Start your timer and add water.
STEP EIGHT: STIR
Use a spoon to stir and saturate all the grounds.
STEP NINE: COVER
Place the top of your French Press on top without pressing down on the plunger.
STEP TEN: STEEP
Allow your coffee to steep for 4 minutes.
STEP ELEVEN: PLUNGE
Press down slowly and evenly on the plunger.
STEP TWELVE: ENJOY
Pour a cup and cheers to your delicious coffee!
1. Kalita Wave 185 Stainless Dripper
2. Kalita Wave 185 Filters
3. Fresh, OH! Coffee
Whole or Ground Beans
3. Grinder (If you are using whole beans)
We recommend a burr grinder instead of a blade grinder. A burr grinder provides a much more consistent grind resulting in a more even extraction and a better brew.
4. Timer
5. Scale / Volumn Measurement Device
7. Water Kettle
We recommend a gooseneck kettle, which allows for more control over your pour.
8. Decanter
9. Mug
Pour Over
Although there are several ways to make a pour over, we’ve chosen to use the Kalita Wave 185 Stainless Dripper for personal cups and to highight in this how-to guide. Our Roaster – (Kickapoo Coffee Roasters) also use this dripper for thier roastery and in thier cafes. The Wave behaves differently when brewing and produces coffee that tastes different than other brewers. Unlike the true cone-shaped drippers, which require manual agitation (stirring) to promote a uniform extraction of the coffee bed, the kalita’s truncated cone design will evenly extract easily.
STEP ONE: HEAT WATER
Heat the water to just below a boil. We recommend a temperature of 205-210 F
STEP TWO: WARM and RINSE
Place your filter into the Kalita and pour in some water to warm the vessel and rinse the filter.
STEP THREE: MEASURE COFFEE
Measure out whole bean coffee. We recommend a 1:16 ratio of coffee to water. For example, Kickapoo uses 22 grams of coffee and 350 grams of water in their cafes. If this ratio is too weak or too strong, feel free to add more or less coffee according to your preferences.
STEP FOUR: GRIND COFFEE
Medium grind
STEP FIVE: PLACE ON SCALE
Empty decanter of rinse water and place it on the scale.
STEP SIX: ADD COFFEE
Add your coffee and level the grinds.
STEP SEVEN: ZERO THE SCALE
STEP EIGHT: ADD WATER FOR BLOOM
Start timer, add 45 grams of water and make sure that the grounds are saturated.
STEP NINE: LET BLOOM
Allow to “bloom” for 45 seconds.
STEP TEN: WATER PULSES
Begin adding water in gentle, controlled approximately 100 gram pulses that start at the center of the coffee and spiral their way outward without disturbing the wall of the filter.
STEP ELEVEN: ADD REMAINING WATER
Try to have added all 350 grams of water by 2:00.
STEP TWELVE: ALLOW TO DRAWDOWN
Drawdown should be complete by 2:30 to 2:45.
STEP THIRTEEN: ENJOY
Pour into your favorite mug and cheers to delicious coffee!