Coffee Brewing Tips
For the best coffee, always buy freshly roasted beans. Grind them at home as you need them. Using freshly roasted beans, preparing a great cup of coffee is easy, if you follow the five basics:
- Freshness
- Grind
- Proportion
- Water
- Equipment
Preserving Freshness
After Roasting, Coffee loses it’s optimum flavor over time. Air, moisture, heat and light are the elements that most compromise the longevity of the delicate flavor of coffee. We recommend storing whole beans in an opaque airtight container. Coffee can also pick up odors, after opening. Keep the coffee in an airtight container in a cool cupboard or pantry away from sunlight. We do not recommend, storing your coffee in the refrigerator or freezer. Moisture may develop around the bean and may destroy the delicate oils, if not stored in an airtight container.
At Kiele O Kona we roast in small batches and seal the coffee in vacuum-sealed bags for freshness. We recommend consuming your Kiele O Kona 100% Kona Coffee within 3 months of purchase.
Once your coffee is brewed, keep it hot in a thermal container. Remove it from any direct heat source, as this may make it bitter in a short time. A thermal container will keep the coffee flavorful. “Prime” your thermal container and your coffee cup with boiling water for a few seconds, pour that out, and then pour in your freshly brewed coffee, and taste the difference.
Grinding
Selecting the correct grind of coffee for your machine is very important. Using a home grinder enhances the experience of a great cup of brew. A grind too fine will cause an over-extraction of the flavor and brew a bitter cup of coffee. A grind too coarse will brew a “watery” coffee with no body and very little flavor. Try experimenting with the grind to find the perfect brew with the maximum body and minimum bitterness. Ground coffee loses much of its flavor in just three days. At Kiele O Kona we recommend you grind only enough for each pot brewed.
Proportions for Great Brewing
At Kiele O Kona we recommend one coffee measure or two rounded tablespoons of freshly ground coffee for every one cup (6 ounces) of water. A “cup” by industry standards is 6 ounces but adjust the amount of your water to your taste. Regular-strength coffee: 1 coffee measure or two level tablespoons of coffee to 6 ounces water. Extra-strength coffee: 1 coffee measure or 2 tablespoons to 4 ounces of water. Double-strength coffee: 2 coffee measures or 4 tablespoons to 6 ounces of water.
Water
Quality bottled spring water or filtered cold tap water is recommended. Since coffee is 98% water, brew with water that tastes good! Water heated to just off a boil (195° to 205°F) is perfect for extracting the coffee’s full range of flavors. Never use hot water from the tap, since it can pick up impurities in the pipes. We do not recommend using water that has been sitting too long, more than 8 hours. The water will loses its oxygenation and will not produce a good cup of coffee.
Equipment
Clean brewing equipment will yield a better cup of coffee. Lime, mineral deposits or impurities in the water may build up in the pot and will change the taste of the coffee. Coffee oils that are not cleaned out with each use will contaminate your equipment and leave a rancid taste in the final product. Use a mild dish soap and water for daily cleaning and rinse your pot thoroughly to remove any soap residue. Remove deposits with a strong solution of vinegar and water, rinsing thoroughly.
Drip or Filtered Method
This is still the most popular brewing method although occasionally frowned upon by some aficionados. Either a paper or metal filter is placed in a cone-shaped holder with medium to fine coffee and hot water drips through. Most machines are automatic.
Filters from unbleached paper produce the best results, but remember that leaving the coffee on the warmer too long will result in a burnt taste. Fresh-brewed coffee always has the best taste. Remove the brew basket containing the grounds immediately and wash thoroughly after each use.
Plunger Coffee
This is still the most popular brewing method although occasionally frowned upon by some aficionados. Either a paper or metal filter is placed in a cone-shaped holder with medium to fine coffee and hot water drips through. Most machines are automatic.
Filters from unbleached paper produce the best results, but remember that leaving the coffee on the warmer too long will result in a burnt taste. Fresh-brewed coffee always has the best taste. Remove the brew basket containing the grounds immediately and wash thoroughly after each use.
Vacuum Pot Coffee
Using only glassware with no metal products in contact with the water or coffee, the vacuum method produces an excellent, un-tainted, sediment-free cup. Ground coffee is placed in an upper globe, and held by a filter. Cold water, poured into half of the lower globe leaves pressurized air in the other half. Heating the lower globe causes the air to expand forcing water up a glass tube into the upper globe. When the heat is removed, pressure drops and the infused coffee, filters into the lower globe for pouring. Invented 160 years ago, it takes a little time, but is fun to watch and the aroma and taste can be magic.
Percolator Coffee
Previously one of the most popular ways to brew coffee, although percolators break golden rules by boiling coffee and passing brewed coffee back over the grounds several times. Again it comes down to individual taste.
Espresso Machine
This method produces a dark strong, Italian-style brew, and means “made to order” on the spot. In an Espresso machine, hot water is forced through coffee at high pressure for maximum flavor. The coffee should dribble out slowly and a foamy golden brown cream is the sign of a good cup – especially if your sugar floats for a few seconds. Use 1 to 1-1/4 oz. of espresso and serve in a demitasse cup. Espresso coffee is also the basis for specialty drinks like Cappuccino.