From the Roastery
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Holiday Coffee Collection
Brewing Coffee
Just like in our coffee grinding blog, there are some basics we have to go over first. So, before we get into how to brew your own “just cup”, let’s go over those basics. I’d also like to thank the many Thanksgiving employees who contributed info from past articles so that we could have this educational piece on brewing delicious coffee: Jacob Long, Marchelo Bresciani and Paul Katzeff.
1. Coffee to Water Ratio
“What? I’ve just been pouring copious amounts of grounds into a filter and adding a few cups of water.” I’d like to think we’ve all been there. At least I have, before I started working at Thanksgiving Coffee Company. But hopefully we caught you early enough to steer you in the right direction. 😉
Using the correct amount of coffee will ensure that your coffee is brewed to strength, without over-extracting or under-extracting the coffee to compensate for an inappropriate dose. While we do recommend weighing 2 grams of coffee for every fluid ounce of water, we understand that not everyone has a scale at home. And if you don’t, just estimate about 2 heaping tablespoons of ground coffee for every 5 ounces of water used to brew.
2. Grind Size (yes, this again)
s one of the most important steps in coffee brewing. In general, a finer grind will produce a more intense brew and a coarser grind will produce a less intense brew. At the same time, a grind that is too fine will produce an over-extracted, astringent brew, and a grind that is too coarse will produce a weak, under-extracted brew lacking flavor. In pour-over methods, grind size also affects the rate of extraction, as water will pass more slowly through a finer grind, and more quickly through a coarser grind. We strongly recommend burr grinders over blade grinders. For more information on this, see our last blog “How to Grind Coffee“.
3. Water Temperature + Quality
This one is a little bit more straight-forward. Water temperature dramatically affects the extraction of coffee’s flavor during brewing. We recommend brewing with water at 200° Fahrenheit for best results. Using fresh, clean, chlorine-free water is essential.
4. Coffee Freshness and Storage
Coffee is very sensitive to heat, moisture, and oxygen. It should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. For best results, grind coffee fresh, just before brewing.
Staling is caused, in order of most harmful to least harmful
- Exposure to air (Oxidization)
- Exposure to heat
- Exposure to moisture
- Exposure to light
…and, if you address the problems of Air, Heat, and Moisture correctly, then Light will have little effect on your coffee. Read more about storing your coffee here.
5. Cleaning
This is the last one – of the basics – and it’s pretty easy. Because coffee contains numerous oils that build up over time, we recommend thoroughly cleaning your brewing and grinding equipment after each use. This guarantees the best, freshest cup of coffee every time.
So… we covered all the basics. I know it’s a lot, but we still have all of the brewing methods to cover from stovetop espresso to cold brewing. Stay tuned for part two, and we’ll help you discover which method is best for you and why.
Coffee Tips : How to Brew Coffee - Part I
Part I: First, we're going back to the basics. Learn some of the crucial preparation steps before you choose which brewing method is best for you.
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![July Roastmaster's Select Club: Papua New Guinea]()
Roastmaster's Select Club: Papua New Guinea
Each month, our Roastmaster, Jacob Long, hand-picks fresh and unique micro lot coffees that we deliver straight to your doorstep. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.
Jacob’s selection this month is a special coffee grown in Papua New Guinea
Join the Roastmaster’s Select Club to begin your coffee journey around the world.
Coffee from Papua New Guinea
From Royal Coffee: "This coffee is sourced from family owned farms located in the Nebilyer Valley within Tambul-Nebilyer District, Papua New Guinea. Each producer cultivates coffee on 1 to 2 hectares of land. The coffee is fully washed and sun dried at the Kuta mill, which has been in operation for over 40 years. The Kuta mill operates between the Ulga and Kolga tribes and has become a place of common ground for producers who have traditionally been in conflict because of tribal differences. The mill owner, Brian Leahy, makes a bonus payment after the harvest to farmers who consistently deliver quality cherries."
We're proud to share this exceptional coffee with you. Sign up for our Roastmaster's Select Club and receive it this month in your shipment!
Altitude: 1,350 meters
Processing: Fully washed and dried in the sun
Region: Tambul-Nebilyer District
Varietal: Bourbon, Typica
July Roastmaster's Select Club: Papua New Guinea
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![Roastmaster's Quarterly Coffee: Timor-Leste]()
Our Quarterly Coffee Feature
from Southeast AsiaTimor-Leste from Southeast Asia
Our Quarterly Roastmaster's Select coffee is wet-hulled, and we've talked about this a few times but just in case, here's what that means:
"Wet hulling’s popularity can be attributed to producers’ need for prompt payments. It was also adopted specifically by many producers who lacked the drying infrastructure that was needed to shelter drying parchment from the high humidity and inconsistent rainfall typical in Sumatra. At higher elevations with constant humidity and unpredictable rainfall, drying can prove to be slow, risky and difficult." -Sucafina
‘Wet Hulling’ or ‘giling basah’ in Indonesian is not to be confused with wet processing. Wet hulling is similar to wet processing initially – with the first steps of picking and pulping the coffee beans, then fermenting in order to break down the fruity layer of the coffee cherry called the mucilage, which is washed off the next day. The difference is, the drying process is much shorter in wet-hulling and it’s only dried until 50% of the moisture remains, resulting in lower acidity levels and more flavor and aroma.
Altitude: 1,000 to 1,900 meters
Processing: Wet Hulled "giling basah"
Farmer: A variety of small farms in Timor Leste
Varietal: Catimor, Timor, Typica
Roastmaster's Quarterly Coffee: Timor-Leste
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