Coffee Brew Guide & More
Brewing Basics
Keep coffee as fresh as possible, it’s best to use whole beans and grind them before use.
BEFORE WE START, DO YOU REQUIRE A TOP UP OF BEANS? Click Here
If you are using pre-ground coffee, store in an airtight container or in a cool dry place. When ordering be sure to select the correct grind for your brewing method.
As different grinds, such as for filter coffee are coarser or finer for espresso and will change the resulting taste.
Aim to use a water temperature of 91-94 degrees centigrade, this prevents the coffee from being over (too hot) or under extracted (too cold). Just leave the kettle to cool for a minute before pouring.
If you can, filter your water before use, this can make it sweeter. But also makes your equipment last longer and not scale.
The methods we will cover are:
Cafetiere/French Press
V60 Dripper
Aeropress
Stove/Moka Pot
Espresso
Cafetiere
Cafetiere’s come in a number of shapes, colours and sizes but are all essentially a pot/carafe with a plunger attached to the top and a mesh filter that keeps back the grounds.
1. Weigh & Grind
Use a medium to coarse grind, roughly 20g per cup.
2. Grounds & Water
Pop the coffee grinds in the cafetiere, slowly add the boiling water ensuring the grinds are completely covered.
3. Brew & Pour
Leave the coffee for around 3-5 minutes, longer if you like it stronger. Place the plunger onto the pot and slowly press down. If there is a lot of resistance, there may be too much coffee or it’s too finely ground. When fully pressed, pour into your favourite mug.
Your lovely coffee is done. Enjoy!
V60 Dripper
One of the easiest methods for brewing coffee.
1. Weigh & Grind
Weigh out around 18 grams of medium coffee grounds per cup.
2. Place Filter
Place filter into the dripper and rinse with boiled water – helps improve the flavour. When this is done, add the coffee grounds and pour in 70ml – 100ml of the boiled water, in a circular motion (called blooming), ensuring all coffee is saturated.
3. Brew & Enjoy
Allow the water to pass through the filter for around 30 seconds. After this add your water in 100ml doses with a 10 second gap between doses. Takes a little time but produces great coffee!
Aeropress
1. Boil & Prepare
Boil the kettle, and leave it to rest for a minute. Insert the plunger (the inner chamber of your Aeropress) into the outer tube, so the black seal is in line with the number 4. Stand it on end, so the 4 is closest to the table.
2. Add Coffee & Water
Add around 16 grams of medium to finely ground coffee and then pour your water up to the 1 mark.
3. Stir & Prepare Filter
Stir your coffee and set a timer for 1 minute, prepare your filter paper, by putting it in the filter holder and pouring hot water through to rinse it. Then screw onto the Aeropress.
4. Brew & Pour
Once the minute has passed, place your mug upside down on top and carefully flip the whole stack.
Carefully push the inner chamber down to brew your coffee. Enjoy!
Oh did we mention the makers of Frisbee invented the Aeropress?
Moka pot
1. Fill & Add Grinds
Begin by filling the chamber with cold water (up to the valve or filling point), pop the filter in, then add the ground coffee, around 20-24g
2. Screw & Tamp
Keeping the bottom chamber level, screw the top chamber onto the bottom one.
3. Add Heat & Enjoy
Add heat to the base of the Moka Pot, soon as it starts to bubble and hiss it should be ready. Give it a quick stir and pour into your favourite mug.
Espresso
Use the following recipe for cafe quality coffee at home.
1. Fill your portafilter basket to the top with espresso ground Signature Gold Coffee - this will be around 18-20g, depending on your machine, but weigh this to double check!
2. Using a tamper, apply even pressure to the coffee grounds - don’t push too hard, just ensure it’s level.
3. Place your portafilter into the espresso machine’s group head.
4. Start the water flowing by pushing the button, or switching on your espresso machine.
5. The water should pour like runny honey from a spoon, turning from dark brown to a pale blonde colour and thinning while it does so - that’s when you should stop the water. Aim for 28 - 30 seconds, making 36-38ml of espresso.
TOP TIP: Is the coffee flowing slowly, or not at all? Either use a little less coffee, (if using pre-ground coffee), or use a coarser grind if you’re doing it yourself.
Flowing too fast? Change to a finer grind setting to reduce flow and increase extraction.
SAGE MACHINE BREW RECIPES
Many of our customers brew on Sage coffee machines!
Sage Espresso recipes from our customers:
17 - 18g of ground coffee brewed for 38g espresso. Over 28 seconds. Dial 7 on the Sage Barista Express - Thank you Marcus!
20 - 22g of ground coffee brewed for 40g espresso - Thank you Jimmy!
RATIOS FOR YOUR METHOD OF BREWING:
French Press/Cafetiere
1) Add 2 heaped table spoons (20g) of ground coffee to a French Press/Cafetiere
2) Add 170ml (60z) of just off boiling water.
3) Leave to brew for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4) Slowly press the plunger and serve in your favourite mug.
Pour Over/V60
1) Add 2 heaped table spoons (20g) of ground coffee to a Pour Over/V60.
2) Pour over enough water to cover the grounds (around 50ml of 170ml total) and leave for around 20 seconds.
3) Slowly pour the rest of the hot water in a circular motion to cover all the grounds.
4) After 4 minutes, it should be fully drained and ready to serve.
Espresso Machine
1) Start with 18g of espresso ground coffee in your portafilter
2) Brew for roughly 28-30 seconds
3) Target end weight of espresso should be around 36-38grams.
As with everything in coffee always experiment as taste and equipment can vary widely.
Happy Brewing.
