Brew Guides
Use these guides to make sure you’re brewing right. You’ll be rewarded with perfect brews every time.
The French Press
The French press is a classic and great for serving a few people at once.
Ratio: 35g coffee to 500ml water
Method:
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Pre-heat the carafe by rinsing with hot water. Meanwhile bring water to a boil and let it sit until it cools to 96°C (approx. 1 minute).
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Add 35g ground coffee to the carafe with the grind the size of coarse rock salt.
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Pour 500ml of water over the coffee and start a 4-minute timer.
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At the 1-minute mark, give the mixture a good stir and attach the plunger lid but don’t push down yet.
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When your timer beeps, slowly push the plunger down.
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Enjoy your coffee black or white.
The Stovetop Coffee Maker
Most homes will find this buried somewhere. The stovetop coffee maker is another classic brew method that's perfect with any espresso roast. Simply fill up the coffee basket with ground coffee and fill the bottom chamber with water. The challenge? You’ll see there is little room for precision.Ratio: 100g coffee to 500ml water
Method:
- Disassemble the stovetop coffee maker and boil a kettle of water. Fill the bottom chamber of the pot with the hot water to just below the small safety valve. Do not go beyond.
- Put the coffee basket in place and fill it with ground coffee so it is even and level. Use a grind fine as salt, but slightly coarser than espresso.
- Gently pack the coffee, but do not compress it. Assemble the top chamber and ensure it is sealed well.
- Put the pot on a low to medium heat, leaving the lid up. You are aiming to slowly increase the pressure now that we have poured hot water into the bottom chamber.
- Coffee should slowly start to appear in the top chamber. When you hear a loud gurgling sound, it is time to turn off the heat.
- After turning off the heat stop the coffee from brewing further by holding the base of the pot under cold running water.
- The stovetop method yields a very strong espresso-like coffee, so enjoy with milk.
The Aeropress
An easy, fuss-free way of brewing consistently great coffee. It brings out a good balance of body & flavour clarity. Above all it’s a great travel mate.
Ratio: 20g Coffee to 200ml of Water
Method:
- Begin by inverting the Aeropress unside down & position the marker at 4.
- Bring water to a boil and let it sit until it cools to 96° (approx. 1 min)
- Rinse the filter to wash out any paper taste. Place it into the round lid & set aside, while also preheating the aeropress by rinsing with hot water.
- Add freshly ground coffee of 20g into the aeropress chamber. The grind should should be finer than a plunger setting but coarser than for a stovetop.
- Place this on scales & tare, ready to start your brew. Start your timer, add 200ml of water & gently stir. Attach the lid & let it brew for a further 2:30 mins.
- Place your cup or jug upside down over the top of the aeropress and carefully flip over so that the cup is on the bottom & aeropress is sitting on top.
- Slowly push down and into your cup or jug.
- Enjoy your coffee black.
- For a stronger brew, grind a bit finer. Alternatively brew a little longer before adding more coffee.
- If you prefer a cup with lesser acidity try an espresso roast coffee.
The Pour Over
Another easy & gentle brew method producing a lovely & clean cup. One of our favourites here at Beancraft because it is perhaps one of the most straightforward brew method with a great result.
Ratio: 15g Coffee to 200ml of Water
Method:
- Begin by iplacing the paper filter into the cone & rinsing it with hot water to wash out an paper taste.
- Bring water to a boil and let it sit until it cools to 96° (approx. 1 min). Also place the V60 & cup on your scales.
- Add fresh ground coffee to the cone & settle it for an even bed. The grind should be slightly coarser than sand, just a little more than what you would for a plunger.
- Tare your scale, start the timer & pour about 30g of water, allowing it bloom & cover all the grounds.
- Wait 30 seconds & add a futher 100g of water, followed by the remaining 70g once the water has drained through.
- Decant & enjoy your coffee black.
The Syphon/Vacuum Pot
A somewhat complex but definitely entertaining way to brew your coffee through emersion. The whole process takes you back to your chemistry class days at school. It is a difficult one to get right.
Ratio: 40g Coffee to 500ml of Water
Method:
- Bring water to a boil and let it sit until it cools to 96° (approx. 1 min) & fit the filter into the upper chamber, ensuring it is completely flush.
- Place the bottom chamber on your scale & pour in the desired amount of water.
- Transfer the lower chamber to its heat source & place the upper chamber on top, but do not seal it yet. Once the water starts to boil seal the top chamber & lower the heat source, if controllable. The boiling water should start to push up into the top chamber, while ensuring your filter is in place with your paddle or spoon.
- Initially the bubbling in the top chamber will be aggressive, with large bubbles, but once it becomes smaller add your fresh ground coffee (based in ratio) & give it a stir until all grounds are wet. The grind should be medium, like caster sugar.
- Start your timer upon adding the coffee. A crust will form on top; give it a gentle stir after 30 seconds.
- After a further 30 seconds turn off the heat source. Once the coffee begins to be drawn down, stir gently once clockwise & anti clockwise to prevent coffee grounds from sticking to the wall, but not too much as this will result in a large dome of coffee at the end of the brew, suggesting an uneven extraction.
- Allow the coffee be drawn down completely. It should result in a slightly domed bed of coffee grounds left in the top chamber. Transfer the coffee into a pot and allow it to cool.
- Serve & enjoy your coffee black.
- Very important to keep the cloth filter clean. After every use, clean it thoroughly under hot water.
- If you find the draw down process towards the end to be stalling, your grind is too fine but a grind that is too coarse will mean a long brew time at high temperature, resulting it bitter cup.
- This brew method produces a very hot cup of coffee, so let it cool a little.
- Ensure your technique is right based on the above steps before adjusting coarseness or ratios.
The Espresso Machine
Leaving the hardest to last. Making great Espresso is one of the most difficult brew methods to perfect. You will need to put in time for learning & remain patient. You will also need great fresh coffee, a descent home coffee machine & grinder
Ratio: 20g Coffee yielding 45g of espresso
Method:
- To get the best results, ensure your group handle is clean, warm & dry.
- Purge the shower screen; ensuring the temperature is perfect & ready for the shot.
- Tare your group handle on a set of scales to ensure you are ready for the right dose.
- Now grind those beautiful beans into the centre of your group handle and weigh till you get your desired dose.
- Tap your handle to ensure an even distribution of coffee within the basket. Get your tamper & press down on the basket, ensuring it is flat & even with about 15 kg of downward pressure.
- Place your cup/s on the scales & tare them before placing the lot on the drip tray of the machine.
- Start your extraction & aim for the above yield of 45g as a rough guide ensuring it is extracted in approx 26 to 30 sec from start to finish.
- If serving white, froth your milk.
- Enjoy your coffee black or white. This should serve two.
- Practice your downward pressure, even with a bathroom scale.
- Always clean your machine & grinder regularly, follow those instructions. Unclean equipment can taint the espresso.
- Always grind on demand, fresh. When not in use keep your beans in a air tight, sealed coffee bag or container in a cool, dark place.
- If you are lucky, you have got it right the first time, if not, don’t fret. Check your dose in reference to the size of your basket in the group handle. If wet & mushy, you may have under dosed or if dry & hard, you may over dosed. Adjust & then move on to your grind coarseness, adjusting either finer or coarser, until you have reached the above yield ratio in the desired time. Adjusting your tamp pressure will also play a role in this.
- Practice, learn & practice more.
The Cold Brew Pot
To make up to 600ml of cold brew, simply follow these steps
Hario Cold Brew Instructions:
- Grind 40g of coffee at a coarse setting and place in the inner filter basket.
- Pour 500ml of cool water into the jug and top with the lid.
- Steep on the counter or in the fridge for 6-12 hours.
- When brewing is complete, take out the coffee-filled strainer.
- Combine cold brew with water and enjoy over ice - with milk or black. It's a great summertime cooler!
To view the grind chart larger, click here