Our Beans
When it comes to choosing coffees to roast and offer our customers, our mantra is the best taste always wins. We always taste potential offerings “blind,” meaning we don’t know the farm or the price before we taste them. This removes any preconceptions we may have about the coffees. And what determines “the best taste?” Perhaps the greatest factor is what we like to call “origin character” or “varietal distinction”. The best coffees are exquisitely expressive of their region of origin.
Seasonality is key in maximizing and preserving origin character. We are careful to buy “new crop” coffees from the most recent harvest. Old crop coffees acquire flavour taints over time and grow “tired,” meaning their character becomes greatly diminished. Because we buy coffees of such high quality, they often fetch prices well above Fair Trade minimums. We have committed to never pay below the Fair Trade minimum price, whether our coffees are certified Fair Trade or not. In this way we allow quality to be the only criterion for our purchases. The best taste always wins.
The way you handle and prepare your coffee can make a huge difference in the cup. Use these simple guidelines to make the perfect cup of coffee.
1
Coffee Storage
Coffee is like really good bread: no matter how you store it, it never tastes as good as it does when it’s fresh. Whole bean coffee tastes best within the first week after it’s roasted. If it’s ground, coffee goes stale even faster. We recommend you use ground coffee within a few days, at most.
If for some reason (e.g., apocalypse, ice age, giant bees) you must store your coffee, keep it in an air-tight container, in a cupboard or pantry, away from heat, moisture or direct sunlight.
2Measuring it out
Use two level tablespoons of coffee for every 6oz of water. For 1 litre of coffee, this means you need eleven tablespoons. If this is more than you normally use, try it out. You’ll notice a big difference
3Doing the grind
Always grind the coffee right before you brew it, and make sure to grind only enough for the coffee you’re making. This makes a huge difference in the coffee’s flavour, as all the subtle aromatics of the coffee are still present. The best investment you can make to improve your coffee is a good grinder - even more important than fancy brewing equipment.
The coarseness of your grind depends on how you’re brewing the coffee. The general rule is, the faster the brewing method, the finer the grind. Fast brewing methods like espresso require a very fine grind, while slower methods like French press or percolator require a very coarse grind. Drip coffee requires a medium grind.
4Make it hot
Coffee brews best with very hot water. Water just off the boil will work best (just after the boiling sound subsides). Automatic drip machines usually don’t get the water hot enough, so the coffee’s flavour isn’t properly extracted. Your best bet is to use a French press or a pour-over cone filter, which allow more control over the water’s temperature.
It’s also a good idea to pre-heat your cups before you serve the coffee. Just pour a bit of hot water in them, then pour it out. No one wants their coffee to get cold too quickly!
French Press
The concept of French press brewing is simple: ground coffee is immersed in near-boiling water for 3 or 4 minutes, and then the grounds are pushed to the bottom of the chamber, leaving only the brewed coffee at the top. Coffee geeks around the world love it because it's inexpensive, it's pretty, and it tastes as good as methods that cost hundreds more.
Want to make the perfect French press coffee? Here is a step-by-step guide.
1Boil the Water
Boil enough water to pre-heat the pot and cups, and to brew the coffee. Once the water is boiled, pour some into the press to pre-heat it. Do the same with the cup(s) you'll be using to serve the coffee.
Tip: Pre-heating the press may seem like an unnecessary step, but it serves a very important purpose. One of the secrets to great coffee is having water hot enough to extract flavour from the grounds. If you brew coffee in a cold press, a lot of the water's initial heat will be lost, which noticeably affects the extraction process.
Bring the water to a boil again.
2Grind the Coffee
After you've dried out your pre-heated press, put the ground coffee in. Be sure to use the right amount: two level tablespoons per 6oz of water. In a 1L press, that means eleven tablespoons.
Tip: Always grind the coffee right before you brew it, and make sure to grind only enough for the coffee you're making. For the French press, coffee should be ground quite coarse.
3Pour in the Water
Once your water has come to a boil, remove from heat and wait until the boiling sound subsides, then pour the water over the ground coffee. Hot water is crucial but boiling water can damage the coffee so a few seconds of waiting can make a big difference.
4Set the Timer
Some people prefer three minutes, some people prefer four. This is where your own taste comes in. However, don't go less than three or more than four minutes.
5Let it Brew
As the coffee forms a crust at the top of the pot, you may notice that it bubbles up. This is a sign that the coffee is fresh. No bubbles means stale coffee. It's a good idea to give the coffee a stir to settle the bubbles (also known as the "bloom"). Once the bloom is settled, if the coffee level has gone down, you can add more water to bring it up. Be sure to do this in the first 30 seconds of brewing. After that, leave the coffee alone till it's done.
6Plunge
When time is up, begin to press down the plunger. It is normal to feel some resistance, but be careful not to press too hard; some glass presses can break under pressure.
Tip: Be sure to push the plunger down as straight as possible so that no grounds get past the mesh screen. It may help to press with one hand, and guide the plunger with the other hand.
7Enjoy
Pour Over
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to make really good coffee, the cone filter delivers some serious bang for your buck!
Manual cone-filter brewing has some advantages over the common automatic drip coffee machine. Most automatic machines don't get the water hot enough to brew really good coffee. With the pour-over method, you decide when the water is hot enough. It is also easier to clean than a machine and it has no hot plate; it can't burn your coffee!
Here is a step-by-step guide to making perfect cone filter coffee at home.
1Boil the Water
Boil enough water to pre-heat the carafe or cup, and to brew the coffee. Once the water is boiled, pour some into the carafe or cup to pre-heat it. Make sure you dump this out before you brew the coffee!
Bring the water to a boil again. While the water is boiling, place the filter cone over the carafe or cup.
Tip: If you are using a paper filter, it helps to pre-rinse it with warm tap water. This helps reduce the paper flavour in your coffee.
2Grind the Coffee
Grind your coffee and scoop it into the filter. Be sure to use the right amount: two level tablespoons per 6oz of water. For one litre of coffee, that means eleven tablespoons.
Tip: Always grind the coffee right before you brew it, and make sure to grind only enough for the coffee you're making. For a paper cone filter, use a medium grind (number 5). If you use a permanent metal filter, it should be slightly coarser (number 8).
3Pour Over the Water
Once your water has come to a boil, wait till the boiling sound subsides (count to ten). Pour a small amount of the water over the entire surface of the grounds, just to moisten them. Wait a few seconds while the wet grounds settle. Using a circular motion, continue to slowly pour the rest of the water over the grounds.
Tip: If you notice clumps of dry coffee grounds, or if the coffee stops dripping into the carafe, stir the mixture up inside the cone. Chopsticks work wonders!
4Watch and Wait
Once the coffee stops dripping, or you've brewed the desired amount, remove the filter. Your coffee is ready.
5Enjoy
Vacuum Pot
Arguably the most elegant method of brewing, the vacuum pot (or "vac pot") dates all the way back to before the 1840s. True coffee geeks love it for its classic appeal, and the rest of us love it because it's just so cool-looking. Plus it makes a great cup of coffee.
Vacuum pots brew coffee using total immersion, just like French presses. However, instead of pushing the grounds away, as one does with a French press, vac pots create a vacuum effect that sucks the coffee away from the grounds.
A vacuum pot consists of three essential parts:
- A carafe in which the water boils and the brewed coffee is finally stored.
- A bowl which sits on top of the carafe. The bowl features a built-in funnel that descends into the carafe.
- A plug that sits over the funnel which acts as a filter.
Vacuum pots can be tricky to use. If your vac pot comes with instructions, be sure to read them first. This step-by-step guide will help you make perfect vac pot coffee.
1Boil the Water
Using a kettle, boil enough water for your vacuum pot. Many vacuum pots come with a spirit lamp or an electric coil to heat the water. However, since these take a long time to bring cold water to a boil, it's best to boil the water in a kettle, then pour the boiling water into the carafe. Also, don't forget to pre-heat your coffee cups!
Tip: Vacuum pots work best at their full capacity. If you know the capacity of your vac pot, this will help you figure out how much water to use.
2Begin Heating the Carafe
Tip: Since many vac pots come with spirit lamps or electric coils, you can wow your guests by brewing the coffee right at the dinner table. However, this can be slow. If you want to save some time, use a diffuser to heat the carafe on your stove top. This may also wow your guests, if they're wowed by that sort of thing.
3Place the Plug Over the Bowl's Funnel
4Grind and Scoop
Grind the coffee and scoop it into the bowl. Be sure to use the right amount: two level tablespoons per 6oz of water. For a 1L vac pot, that means eleven tablespoons.
Tip: Always grind the coffee right before you brew it, and make sure to grind only enough for the coffee you're making. For a vacuum pot, grind the coffee on the coarser side of medium (number 8), as you would for a permanent cone filter.
Secure the bowl on top of the carafe. Make sure the seal between the funnel and the carafe is tight.
5Brew the Coffee
As the water boils, it will ascend into the bowl on top of the carafe. When most of the water has gone up, turn off the heat.
Tip: For a while after you turn off the heat, water will continue to rise. The longer you wait before you turn off the heat, the longer the coffee will brew. Find a time that works for you, but beware of over-extraction - this will make your coffee taste bitter.
Once a substantial amount of water has risen, stir the mixture. Make sure to get all the dry grounds mixed in. As all of the water rises, a small amount will remain in the carafe below; this is completely normal.
6Watch the Vacuum
When the carafe cools down, the fun part begins. A vacuum effect will begin to suck the coffee back down into the carafe, leaving the grounds in the bowl above.
Carefully remove the upper bowl from the carafe. Vacuum pots often come with stands in which you can put your used upper bowl. This is an invaluable accessory. Your vac pot coffee is ready!
7Enjoy!
Stove-Top Espresso
The stove-top espresso pot is one of the world's most widely used brewing methods. Technically, what it makes is not proper espresso since the stove-top espresso pot (also known as the moka pot) does not produce the extreme pressure needed to brew espresso. However, the moka pot does make a pleasant, strong brew. For true espresso, come visit one of our stores!
There are a couple of considerations when buying a stove-top espresso pot. First, since espresso pots work best at their full capacity, choose a size that will brew the right amount for you. Secondly, try to avoid espresso pots made of aluminum. Acids in the coffee will react to the aluminum, tainting the coffee's flavour. Also, aluminum pots can burn the coffee, since they conduct heat more easily.
The best moka pots to buy are the stainless steel ones. These will brew really nice coffee, and if you clean them regularly they'll last for a long time.
Here's a step-by-step guide to making stove-top espresso coffee.
1Add the Water and Grind the Coffee
Fill the lower chamber with water, up to the bottom of the pressure-release valve.
Grind your coffee.
Tip: Always grind the coffee right before you brew it, and make sure to grind only enough for the coffee you're making. For a moka pot, grind the coffee quite fine (number 4), but not so fine that the water can't go through it.
2Assemble the Pot
Put the coffee in the filter basket, filling it up to the rim. Even out the coffee in the basket. Make sure it is all evenly distributed within the basket, with no pockets of space.
Tip: It might help to use the underside of a spoon or your finger. The coffee should be gently packed into the basket, but make sure it's loose enough that water can get through. Wipe the rim of the basket to get the loose grounds off.
Place your prepared coffee basket into the top of the lower chamber. Screw the top half of the pot onto the bottom. Make sure to keep the pot upright - you want to keep the precious coffee dry before it brews!
Place the pot on the stove, at a medium heat setting.
3Brew the Coffee
When the water begins pushing up the funnel, reduce the heat. Water will continue to rise. When you hear the gurgling sound, remove the pot from the heat.
Once your moka pot has settled, the coffee is ready to serve.
4Enjoy!
!Warning
Be sure to remove the pot from the heat before the bottom goes dry! Never put a dry espresso pot on a heated stove. Do not leave your stove-top espresso pot to brew unattended!
Also, the surface of stove-top espresso pots can become very hot; particularly with the stainless steel models. Do not touch the metal while, or immediately after it brews. It may help to use a tea towel when holding the handle.
