Central and South American coffees are the ones that most Americans are familiar with. Most are light to medium bodied and have fruity and nutty characteristics.

African coffees are much earthier and robust. The flavor characteristics can be almost like red wine in their complexity and body.

Indonesian coffees are typically more sharp. The beans are typically very flavorful and complex.

Of course these are rash generalizations! It’s like saying that all Mexican food is spicy when you know for a fact that’s not the case.

Coffees from different areas of the same country can have very different flavor portraits. An Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and an Ethiopian Sidamo, although grown in the same part of the world, are two very different coffees. But this at least gives you an idea of where to start, if you don’t like rich, full bodied coffee, avoid African coffees as your first choice and try something from Central or South America instead.

My advice is to try coffees from as many different origins as possible until you find the ones you like. As with all things flavorful, only you know what’s right for you.

But maybe you like it that strong, so go ahead.

My mother used 2 tablespoons of coffee to make a pot, it came out like weak tea, but that’s the way she liked it, so that’s what she did.

At work I measure my coffee by weight, I’ve found that 2.25 ounces of coffee makes a pretty good 12-cup pot. At home I have a burr grinder on a timer, it took about a week to dial it in, but it now consistently makes a really good brew.

My point is that only you will know how much coffee to use in your particular coffee maker, experiment until you find what works for your palette and then stick with it.

That being said, always start with fresh, cold water (filtered it possible), grind your beans right before you brew and drink it when it’s fresh.

I liken coffee to steaks: if you want a juicy steak, you don’t order it well done. It’s the same with coffee, French Roast is the “well done” of the coffee world, most of the “juiciness” has been roasted out of the bean, the caffeine level is lower (surprise!), and there are fewer of the flavors that you’ll find in a lighter roasted bean. Some people want the dark flavor of a French Roast, and that’s just fine and dandy. Personally, I’m not a fan.

If you notice the extreme difference in the volume of the two 14 oz. bags shown above, you should come to the conclusion that relying on the old “scoop” method of brewing will not give you the same amount of coffee from each bag. This idea holds true throughout the coffee world: different beans have different densities, some, like Tanzanian Peaberry, are less dense, others, like Costa Rican, are more so — even if they’re roasted to exactly the same color.

Your best bet is to weigh your coffee before brewing. This will take a bit of experimentation on your part in order to find the weight that brews a cup that you enjoy. Once you find it, lock it in and use it for all the coffees you may try. A common kitchen scale will do the job nicely. Give it a try, and you’ll get a more consistent cup.

You should store your coffee in a light-proof, airtight container in a cool, dark place like a kitchen cabinet.

There are two schools of thought regarding keeping your coffee in the freezer. One says that coffee contains volatile oils that will evaporate in dry air, and there is no drier air in your house than in your freezer, and that will affect the coffee’s taste. School One says that you shouldn’t put excess coffee in your freezer. The science is kind of simple if you think about it: any moisture in your coffee (and admittedly it’s not much) will be evaporate in the dry freezer air. When you expose those dry beans to moisture again by taking them out of the freezer, they will immediately absorb any moisture they can from the surrounding air. Put them back in the freezer and all that new moisture evaporates. Every time you take frozen beans out of the freezer, they will absorb more moisture. Rinse and repeat… almost literally.

The other school of thought says, what the hell? You’re no connoisseur and it’s better than having the coffee go stale. However, your time is limited and eventually you will notice a difference in the coffee’s taste.

Under no circumstances should you EVER store your coffee in the refrigerator! Your fridge is full of moist, smelly air that will permeate your coffee beans and make them taste bad, bad, bad!

Always buy whole bean coffee, never buy ground! Whole bean coffee, if stored properly, will retain it’s freshness for around a month, ground coffee starts to go stale in a matter of hours.

You shouldn’t pre-grind your coffee, not if you want to retain freshness. Air is coffee’s enemy (there, I’ve said it twice!) and when you grind it you are exposing much more of the bean’s surface area to it.

For the best coffee, grind right before you brew.

Blade grinders are everywhere and can be found for as little as $10-12 at your local supermarket, and believe me, if you’re paying more than that you’re paying way too much. They are suitable and recommended for spices, but aren’t the best thing for coffee.

They don’t grind the beans, they chop them up — and there’s a big difference. The rapidly rotating blade hacks the beans apart bit by bit with a very uneven final grind. If you use an auto-drip brewer you may notice larger pieces of beans on the top of the grounds when you go to throw the filter away (or when you compost it if you’re being earth-friendly).

You’re not getting the full potential out of your beans using a blade grinder. The solution is simple.

A burr grinder is the way to go. They are more expensive than blade grinders (as with many things you can spend as much or as little as you want on one), but the coffee you get from one is worth spending whatever you think you can afford.

A burr grinder pushes the beans between two surfaces, one stationary and one rotating, a set distance apart. The result is a very consistent grind that makes the best cup of coffee. The distance between the two surfaces can be widened and narrowed depending on the brewing method to be used and individual taste.

Do some research, find one in your price range and buy it.

In the words of the immortal Stan Lee, “‘Nuff said.”

By the way, I wouldn’t suggest using a mortar and pestle to grind your coffee. I tried it once and it sucked!

The first drip brewer was developed by the Bunn Corporation back in 1963. In 1972, when baseball great Joe DiMaggio became their pitchman, the Mr. Coffee was introduced to the American public and the drip brewer supplanted the percolator in a majority of homes.

To brew coffee using an automatic drip brewer:

1. Place a coffee filter of appropriate size and shape into the brew basket.
2. Freshly grind your coffee beans on a medium setting and place the grounds in the basket. *
3. Fill the coffee maker’s reservoir with fresh, cold water (filtered if possible).
4. Turn the machine on.
5. Sit back and wait, or go take a shower or something. I’m sure the dog probably needs to be let out, the cat needs to be fed or the kids need to rousted out of bed.
6. If the brewer has an electric plate, remove the coffee from it as soon as it is done brewing and pour it into a thermal carafe or Thermos®. †
7. Enjoy.

* Grinding should be done using a burr grinder if possible.
† We want to do this for two reasons: 1. The continued heating of the brewed coffee will cause it to become burned and not very tasty, and B. the heat plate draws a tremendous amount of energy — between 600 and 1200 watts!!

The auto-drip isn’t without it’s faults, however. As mentioned, they draw a huge amount of power and they typically don’t brew the coffee at the optimum temperature or for the correct amount of time. Too bad. We have busy lives and we don’t want to have to babysit our coffee making device when there’s important television to be watched, the Internet goes unsurfed (thanks for visiting the site! Really!) or the dogs, cats and kids won’t leave us alone for just five minutes!

Seriously, though, the auto-drip brewer is a part of American life and culture and it takes special effort to bring coffee to its full potential … but the rewards are worth the effort.

A French press is also the least expensive coffee brewer available, costing as little as $10-12 brand new. The Bodum company has some of the best presses on the market if you’re looking for one — and you should be if you don’t already own one, but be sure to shop around.

The brewing methods that most people are familiar with, auto-drips and percolators, run water through the grounds and trap most or all of the grounds in a paper filter. The water spends only a moment running through the grounds and is drawn away by gravity. A French press, on the other hand, is much more like steeping tea. The grounds are immersed in the water and the full flavor and essence of the bean is drawn into the water. The grounds are then pressed to the bottom of the brewing vessel using a filtered plunger. The resulting cup is much more “silty” than most people are accustomed to, but the flavor is incomparable.

To brew coffee using a French press:

1. Boil the correct amount of water.
2. Freshly grind the coffee beans using a coarse setting.*
3. Remove the plunger
4. Place the coffee grounds at the bottom of the glass
5. Add the hot water
6. Stir by shaking
7. Replace the plunger and push it down until the grounds are just submerged under the surface of the water.
8. After 4-5 minutes press the plunger down the rest of the way to separate the grounds from the extracted coffee.

Note: You do not want to pour boiling water directly onto the coffee. The goal is to brew coffee at a temperature between 195-205°F (90-96°C, my metric brethren).

* Grinding should be done using a burr grinder if possible.

Unfortunately, press pots are not quite as convenient as auto-drip coffee makers due to preparation and cleaning time. They also lose heat faster than some other methods.

But, c’mon, they’re just plain fun! It’s like playing “mad scientist:” you can vary the kind of coffee, the coarseness of the grind and the amount and temperature of the water and each variation will bring out different characteristics in the beans.

Just get one.

In Italian “espresso” means “expressed,” as in “to press or squeeze out: to express the juice of grapes,” or in this case, to express the heart of the coffee bean into a small cup. The word “expresso” is an American bastardization of the word which implies speed, but which has no meaning in Italian.

This article is reproduced, mostly in tact, from one of my favorite coffee information sources, Coffee Research.org.

–Muggsy

A double espresso is a 47-62.5 mL (1.5-2 ounce) extract that is prepared from 14-17 grams of coffee through which purified water of 88-95°C has been forced at 9-10 atmospheres of pressure for a brew time of 22-28 seconds. The espresso should drip out of the porta-filter like warm honey, have a deep reddish-brown color, and a crema that makes up 10-30% of the beverage.

The best espresso should be extraordinarily sweet, have a potent aroma, and flavor similar to freshly ground coffee. The crema should be dark reddish-brown and smooth, yet thick. A perfect espresso should be enjoyable straight with no additives, yet bold enough to not disappear in milk. A pleasant and aromatic aftertaste should linger on the palate for several minutes after consumption.

The following steps describe in detail how to make espresso. You will also learn about the various factors and problems with espresso that limit its perfection. If any of these factors are off, you will not achieve a high quality espresso.

Making Perfect Espresso

Without a good espresso coffee blend you cannot have a good espresso. The best espresso coffee beans are blended to achieve the sweetness, aromatics, and smoothness desired in espresso. The espresso blend must also be fresh. We recommend using espresso within four days of roasting.

You can find great espresso at our online store! -ed.

Grinding Espresso

The grind must be continuously monitored throughout the day to achieve an extraction time of 25-30 seconds. Do not change the pressure you tamp with to compensate for a grind that has become too large or small. For more information, read the section about espresso grinding.

Espresso Grinder

A high quality burr grinder is essential for espresso. A conical burr grinder is preferred to flat burrs since the particle size is more even, they last longer, and the coffee is not heated during the grinding process. If the burrs become hot the coffee aroma will be diminished. A conical/parallel hybrid blade is considered the best design by many coffee professionals.

Dosing Espresso

Coffee must be freshly ground to achieve peak flavors. Grind and dose on demand. When someone orders an espresso grind only what is necessary for one shot, dose properly, tamp, and brew. Discard any espresso grounds that are not used within 30 seconds.

Distribution in Portafilter

Distribute the coffee evenly after dosing in the porta-filter before tamping.

Tamping Espresso

Tamp the coffee once very evenly with 5 lbs of pressure, then once with 30 lbs of pressure, and polish 720° with 20 lbs of pressure.

Water mineral content

The water used for espresso must be filtered. Some cities must even compensate for the mineral content of their water. Over time oxygen will be forced out of the water in the espresso machine leading to off tasting water. Try filling a small glass with water, letting it cool, and tasting it for off flavors. If the water tastes strange you may want to dump the tanks daily and begin with fresh water.

Water temperature

The water temperature should be stable and somewhere between 92-96°C. Choosing the best espresso machine is very important to both water temperature and temperature stability.

Temperature stabilizing

A stable temperature helps ensure that you prepare excellent espresso. For more information about stabilizing the temperature of your espresso machine, read about espresso temperature stabilizing.

Water pressure

The pressure of the water forced through the espresso should be between 9 and 10 atm. This pressure is responsible for the development of the crema.

Boiler pressure

The boiler pressure determines the amount of water to be incorporated in the steam. If your milk is not foaming correctly as described in the section on latte art, you may want to experiment with different boiler pressures. Boiler pressure, however, should only be altered by professionals. You can check your boiler pressure by looking at the boiler pressure gauge on the front of most espresso machines.

Extraction time

Extraction time to fill two 1-oz cups should be between 25-30 seconds. Despite the time the pump should be turned off if the espresso becomes slightly lighter in color. The goal is to have a dark red espresso take approximately 25-30 seconds to brew with no change in color. Fore more information, read the section on extracting espresso.

Timeliness

Act quickly, but carefully. You should spend no longer than 30 seconds for the time it takes to dose, distribute, tamp, pre-heat, and brew the espresso.

Espresso machine cleanliness

Coffee machine cleaning is probably the biggest problem with espresso today. If the machine, basket, and porta-filter are not cleaned regularly, the espresso will always taste rancid.

Espresso grinder maintenance

Everyday the burr blades should be swept clean. Between shots you may want to brush out the excess espresso that gets stuck between the burrs and the dosing chamber. The burrs must be replaced at least yearly so that they continue to produce coffee granules with a maximal surface area.

Espresso cup

The espresso cup should be pre-heated from a source other than the espresso machine. Filling a cup with water from the espresso machine prior to brewing the espresso will lower the temperature of the water in the boiler and the espresso extraction will be uneven. The espresso cup should have thick walls and a narrow mouth to retain heat and aroma, respectively.

Porta-filter and basket

The porta-filter should always remain the same temperature as the water used to brew the espresso. Therefore it should always remain in the group head. The basket should hold 16-18 grams of coffee and must be straight walled. Curvatures in the basket will lead to uneven extraction.

Environmental Factors

The humidity and temperature will change throughout the day. Since coffee is hydroscopic (absorbs moisture), the grind size must be changed throughout the day to achieve a brew time of 25-30 seconds. The temperature will not affect the espresso like the humidity, but it is important to avoid exposing the coffee to any high temperatures until brewing.

Practice makes perfect

If you want to learn to make espresso, it is essential to practice and experiment. The key to making espresso is to realize that it always has further potential. By changing any one of these factors you can improve or diminish its potential. Espresso preparation is an art that demands the precision and dedication of science. I have never achieved, nor have ever seen anyone make a perfect espresso. A perfect espresso is more of a concept than an actuality. The beauty is that espresso is volatile and difficult. If it were easy, we would develop a machine that knows how to make a perfect espresso every time. There are so many factors involved in espresso preparation that only a human mind and a passionate heart can begin to understand and control its complexity.

Reprinted from CoffeeResearch.org.

Oh, it’s a complex and involved way of making coffee and it’s certainly not for everyday, but it has a lot of “wow” factor that can be trotted out and shared a parties and gatherings.

To brew coffee in a vacuum pot:

1. Add the proper amount of filtered water to the bottom bulb
2. Attach the filter to the upper bulb and fit the upper glass bulb tightly over the bottom glass bulb.
3. Place the vacuum coffee pot on the stove, making sure that the bottom bulb is completely dry on the outside.
4. Use a medium grind and add the grounds when the water begins to fill the upper chamber.
5. Leave the pot on the stove for 3.5 minutes and then place on a hot pad.
6. This is the cool part! Within 30 seconds the lower pot will cool enough to form a vacuum to pull the brewing coffee into the lower chamber, thereby separating it from the grounds.

Experiment with the heating and cooling cycles until the total extraction time is between 4-5 minutes. A great and somewhat inexpensive vacuum coffee pot available is the Bodum Pebo.

The upside is a cup of coffee with exceptional aroma. It’s also a great alternative for those who don’t like the taste of coffee brewed through paper or the “silty” nature of press pot coffee.

The downside? I think I mentioned that it’s complex and involved. It’s difficult to clean, has many small parts that can get easily misplaced, is extremely fragile and takes up a lot of space and storage.

How to percolate coffee:

1. Just don’t.

Seriously, it’s about the worst thing you can do to coffee. You’re running the same boiling water through the grounds over and over and over until you’re left with something that resembles coffee the way a strip mall resembles the Taj Mahal.

The only thing the percolator has going for it is its convenience — it’s almost easier than auto-drip. Only its cleanup is more involved, and I suppose it’s better than having no coffee at all. But only just.

The percolator’s detriments are too many to list, but they include horribly high temperatures, terrifying brewing time, hideous extraction rates and utter damnation of flavor.

If you want to send your beans to Hell, put them in a percolator.