Coffee Brewing Guide

General Tips

There many ways to make coffee and all of them involve using hot water to extract the natural essential oils (caffeol) from ground coffee beans in order to create a coffee infusion with an amazing flavour and aroma.

Use fresh coffee

The most important factor in how good your drink of coffee is how fresh the ground coffee. If at all possible you should buy whole beans and invest in a small grinder so that you can grind the coffee as you need it. The flavour of coffee can start to fade from only two weeks after roasting.

At Beans ‘n’ Leaves we only use high quality coffee beans that are freshly roasted in order to help you make the perfect coffee. You can have an all singing all dancing coffee machine but if the coffee isn’t fresh then your drink wont meet your expectations.

Coffee should be stored in an airtight container. Coffee will keep better if kept refrigerated but a drawback is that condensation can form inside the tin and dampen the coffee. Whole beans can be stored for up to three months in the freezer.

Use clean equipment

Clean your coffee making equipment well before using it. Coffee oils and grounds can soon turn rancid if not rinsed thoroughly after use and can impart an unpleasant taste on your coffee drink.

Use fresh, off-the-boil water

Water should be freshly run and the softer the water the better. Some coffee making machines have water reserves from which to make coffee but it is better to fill with fresh water if possible. Water for coffee should not be boiling. The optimum temperature is about 88ºC. Most coffee machines heat the water to the correct temperature before making the coffee but with manual methods like the cafeteire, it is better to wait for a minute or two after the water had boiled before adding to the coffee.

Use the right grind

Using the right grind depending on your chosen method of coffee will have an impact on the final flavour of the coffee. At Beans ‘n’ Leaves we either grind to order immediately before dispatching or sell you the whole beans so that you can grind them yourself. The main grinds are:

Coarse – Cafeteires/French Press
Medium – Mesh Filter and ok for all methods
Fine – Paper cone filter
Very fine - Espresso

Main methods of making coffee

Cafetiere

Firstly, make sure you use fresh Beans ‘n’ Leaves coffee with a cafeteire grind. A good tip is to pre heat the cafetiere with hot water before making the coffee as this will help maintain the temperature of the coffee while it is brewing. Add coffee to your taste (we recommend 1 rounded tbsp per mug). Add off the boil water, stir and leave for up to 5 minutes with the plunger lid on. Then push the plunger down and use as soon as possible.

Filter

Firstly, make sure you use fresh Beans ‘n’ Leaves coffee with a filter grind. If you are using a filter machine then the machine will heat drip the water onto your coffee for you. Most filtered coffees will have a heated area underneath the coffee jug to keep the coffee warm. However, coffee kept warm in this way can start to stew and become harsh and bitter after 20 minutes. An alterative is to use a machine with an insulated coffee jug which will keep the coffee hot for up to an hour.

Espresso

Firstly, whether using a stove top method or an espresso machine, make sure you use fresh Beans ‘n’ Leaves coffee with an Espresso grind. Espresso works by using high pressure with very little hot water to extract strong coffee. A good espresso will have a light foamy layer on top called the crema. If choosing an espresso machine, it is important that you choose one with a pressure rating of at least 12 bar.

Percolator

Firstly, make sure you use fresh Beans ‘n’ Leaves coffee with a filter grind . The percolator used to be one of the most popular ways of making coffee. Percolators work forcing water up a tube and into a filter that contains ground coffee. If you are going to use a percolator, choose one that doesn’t boil the water and in so doing so, spoil the coffee’s flavour.