Conscious Coffees

Coffee Brewing Methods

Brew a Great Cup of Coffee at Home

Here's a round up of tips and tricks for brewing a great cup of coffee in your pajamas, at your campsite, or for the whole freaking family.
Conscious Coffees

Brewing Basics

Use Quality Water Use filtered tap or spring water. Too much chlorine or minerals will negatively affect your brew. Water should be (approximately 202F in Colorado). Your brewing device should always be clean of coffee grounds or oils.
Grind your beans Grind fresh whole beans just prior to brewing using a burr grinder. Burr grinders are more consistent and easier to use than a traditional blade grinder. Each brew method will require a different grind size so make sure you know which to use.
Use a digital scale Use a digital scale to weigh coffee beans prior to grinding. The general coffee to water ratio for brewing is one gram of coffee for every 16 or 17 grams of water. You’ll have to adjust the ratio or grind setting depending on your brew device and preferences.
Use Quality Water Use filtered tap or spring water. Too much chlorine or minerals will negatively affect your brew. Water should be (approximately 202F in Colorado). Your brewing device should always be clean of coffee grounds or oils.
Grind your beans Grind fresh whole beans just prior to brewing using a burr grinder. Burr grinders are more consistent and easier to use than a traditional blade grinder. Each brew method will require a different grind size so make sure you know which to use.
Use a digital scale Use a digital scale to weigh coffee beans prior to grinding. The general coffee to water ratio for brewing is one gram of coffee for every 16 or 17 grams of water. You’ll have to adjust the ratio or grind setting depending on your brew device and preferences.

tips for brewing methods

Grind Size: Slightly coarser than a pour over or slightly larger than table salt

Coffee to Water Ratio: 1:16 (if it’s too strong, try 1:17 ) 

Tips: 

  • Clean your brewer once a week.
  • Use the paper filter designed for your brewer
  • Check your water hardness, and descale regularly if you use hard water.

And be careful which brewer you buy! The Specialty Coffee Association has done some testing to determine which brewers are best, so head on over to their site to find a good one. We recommend checking out the Bonavita line of brewers!

Grind size: Fine setting or about table salt size or slightly smaller

Coffee to Water Ratio: 1:17 (if using a dark roast, try 1:16)

Tips: 

  • Pre-heat your brewing device and rinse the paper filter
  • Pre-wet/Bloom your coffee for about 30-45 seconds
  • Pour your water in the same pattern every time (Consistency> Fancy pattern)

Grind size: Coarse, usually the coarsest your grinder can go on home grinders

Coffee to Water Ratio: Concentrate 1:6, RTD: 1:15

Tips:

  • Stir when you add the water to the coffee grounds. Make sure it is all saturated
  • Use a paper filter for easy clean up and a clear cup of coffee
  • Brew for 18-24 hours, at room temperature. Refrigerate after brewing.

Grind size: Not quite as coarse as cold brew, coarse salt-sized

Coffee to Water Ratio:  1:15 

Tips: 

  • Pre-heat the brewer; temperature is key to a good french press brew
  • Add coffee and use a hard pour to mix the coffee to saturate the grounds evenly
  • Brew for 4-6 minutes before pressing, slow press to minimize agitation

Grind size: Very fine, will vary depending on how quickly the espresso brews

Coffee to Water Ratio: 1:2 or 1:3

Tips: 

  • Stick to the same dose based on your basket size. Start with 16-18 grams
  • Clean/backflush once a week
  • Invest in a quality grinder. Consistency is key