Brewing Instructions Basics
Coffee Grinding
Quality coffee has so much potential to offer amazing flavor with the right brewing methods. However, brewing instructions begin with the right grind. If you purchase our ground Tarrazu coffee, know that its are already ground to a medium to fine coarseness which is best suited for drip coffee makers but will also be fine a french press or similar device with a shorter steep. If you purchase whole beans, consider the following guidelines:
1. Use a burr mill if possible to get an even, true grind that exposes all of the goodness in the bean with the most surface area. Mills at grocery stores are generally burr mills, but ask. Modern electric mills with rotating blades really do more slicing and cutting than grinding, so they don’t achieve the desired, consistent granularity and you won’t get as much of the flavor out of the coffee. Automated, electric burr mills for the home are a recent innovation whose investment is more than paid for by each day of superior brewing that you enjoy.
2. Set the coarseness of your grind to fit the desired intensity of flavor as well as the brewing equipment you have in mind. Conventional wisdom calls for coarse grinds for percolation or french presses, and fine grinds for espresso machines, with drip machines somewhere in between. While its true that fine grinds are necessary in espresso machines to withstand the pressure of the water, in other devices consider varying coarseness to enhance flavor. Finer grinds will produce more of all of the flavors of the coffee, good and bad, including any pleasant notes as well as acidity. For that reason, you may find it worthwhile using finer grinds than usual for high quality beans like those from the Tarrazu region in Costa Rica where we source our raw green beans.
Measurements
For the purpose of measuring water, one coffee “cup” does not mean an English / Imperial cup, which is 8 oz or 226 g of water. Coffee “cups” are traditionally measured as 6 oz or 170 g of water!
Pure Water
Whenever possible, use spring water or filtered tap water. Avoid distilled or mineral waters. This makes a marked difference in the flavor of your coffee since dissolved compounds in water can interact with coffee during brewing, altering the flavor, as well interfere with proper absorption of flavor.
Brewing Instructions by Process / Equipment
Option 1: Filter Cones
Authentic Tarrazu coffee can be enjoyed the most with a ceramic, glass or plastic cone that can accommodate a paper filter and generate a single serving of coffee. This method is truly professional and provides the best brew. Here are our recommended brewing instructions for pour over using filter cones:
1. Use ground Cafe Jose coffee or grind your whole beans at medium to medium-coarse.
2. Prepare approximately 2 to 3 ounces (56 – 84 grams or 1 to 1.5 tablespoons) of coffee per 1 cup. As mentioned above, we use the traditional measurement of a “coffee cup” which is 6 oz or 170 g of water – slightly less than a traditional “cup” measured as 8 oz or 226 g. ; vary according to desired taste and strength.
3. Boil approximately 2 to 3 ounces (56 – 84 grams or 1 to 1.5 tablespoons) of coffee per 1 cup (6 oz / 170 g) of water; vary according to desired taste and strength. Let the water come off the boil and stand for a couple minutes. If you have a thermometer, measure and keep the water until it reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit (88 degrees Celsius).
4. Pour a little bit of the water – a couple tablespoons (40 grams) roughly into the press or the cone and watch it bloom
5. After 30 – 45 seconds, pour the rest of the water slowly allowing for it to mix evenly with the grinds
6. Wait for the coffee to drain thoroughly into the cup
7. Enjoy!
Option 2: French Press
The next best method of brewing coffee involves a French Press. Our recommended brewing instructions follow.
1. Use ground Cafe Jose coffee or grind your whole beans at medium coarse to coarse.
2. Prepare approximately 2 to 3 ounces (56 – 84 grams or 1 to 1.5 tablespoons) of coffee per 1 cup (6 oz / 170 g) of water; vary according to desired taste and strength.
3. Boil approximately 2 to 3 ounces (56 – 84 grams or 1 to 1.5 tablespoons) of coffee per 1 cup (6 oz / 170 g) of water; vary according to desired taste and strength. Let the water come off the boil and stand for a couple minutes. If you have a thermometer, measure and keep the water until it reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit (88 degrees Celsius).
4. While the water boils, rinse your French press with hot water; press the plunger up and down a few times, then pull it up, remove the lid and pour out the water.
5. Pour the ground coffee into the French press; shake it until the grounds are spread evenly along the bottom.
6. Pour about half of the hot water evenly over the grounds and wait about 30 seconds. You should see the coffee rise slightly was the water seeps into it (also known as the “bloom”). The timing of this step is essential to properly liberate all of the aromas and flavors in your coffee.
7. After about 30 seconds or when the bloom stops expanding, stir the coffee gently.
8. Pour the remaining water into the French press, pull the plunger up and close the lid. Allow the coffee to steep for up to an additional 3.25 to 3.5 minutes (4 minutes total from the initial pour).
9. After the 4 minutes has elapsed, slowly push the plunger all the way down to filter the coffee from the grounds. Serve the coffee immediately thereafter. Do not leave the coffee in the French press as it will become bitter.
Drip Coffee Machines
Drip coffee machine brewing instructions are relatively simple (the challenge is choosing the right machine to do all the work of a decent pour over correctly for you).
1. Use ground Cafe Jose coffee or grind your whole beans at medium to medium-fine.
2. Prepare approximately 2 to 3 ounces (56 – 84 grams) of coffee per 1 cup (6 oz / 170 g) of water; vary according to desired taste and strength.
3. Place the ground coffee into the filter.
4. Pour as much water as corresponds with the quantity of coffee you’ve placed in the filter e.g. 4 cups for 8 – 12 oz. of ground coffee.
5. If your drip coffee maker has any other settings, refer to your manual.
6. Wait for the coffee to fully brew and drain into the carafe (although tempting when in a hurry, a cup poured in the middle of the brew will be stronger and lack a balanced flavor).
Keurig and other Single Serve Machines
Although Cafe Jose does not currently sell its coffee in K-Cups or other single serve containers, you can enjoy our coffee in a Keurig machine! Both the original and V2 Keurig support refillable K-Cups. Using our pre-ground bagged coffee or grinding our whole beans yourself, you can enjoy fresh coffee in single serve portions and without the added expense or environmental impact of using disposable plastic K-cups.
Solofill K3 Refillable Gold-Plated Cup for Keurig
STK Carafes 2 Count Refillable Filters for Keurig 2.0
Perfect Pod™ K2V-Cup K-Cup® Adapter For Keurig® VUE®
Brewing instructions for reusable K-cups are straightforward – use a medium grind, do not overfill. If you have trouble with coffee preparation, it may be related to your machine and not how you prepare the coffee. Look to see if the tiny holes in the needle that normally punctures K-cup lids is clogged. Keurig provides a free tool to unclog them that is included with newer devices or which you can get by calling them.