General Preparation Tips

Freshness Matters

Everything matters with coffee, just like it does with potatoe chips or red wine (would you leave either of those opened for days and then consume them?). Some things matter more than others of course, but freshness is, next to the quality of the beans, the most important factor in our opinion. Coffees that are imported and months old simply become stale and loose much of their flavor. 

Use coffee that is fresh roasted, no older than two months. Ideally the coffee should not be completely fresh but several days old because it takes several days for the coffee to fully develop its flavor after roasting.

Keep your coffee well sealed in an airtight container. Do not keep it in the fridge or the freezer (the condensation resulting from this will negatively impact the coffee flavor).

Grind On Demand

Grinding coffee just before brewing plays a very important role. This ensures that the coffee flavor does not dissipate before it is brewed. Even a basic grinder is better than purchasing pre-ground coffees. But make sure to use the correct grind. For help on choosing your grind please refer to the Grinding section.

Keep It Cool

Try not to use boiling water but water just below boiling. About 90 degrees Celcius is the optimal temperature. After boiling, just let it sit for a couple of minutes and then use it

Don't Over-Extract

If you like strong coffee do not overextract your coffee (let it steep / brew longer than the recommended time period). It is always better to use more coffee. The reason is that when a coffee is over-extracted the wrong kinds of solubles come out (i.e. the wrong kind of taste appears). If you use more coffee you get a stronger brew while maintaining the "correct" taste.