If you're like most people, you probably start your day with a hot cup of coffee; Some might wonder how to brew coffee, but if you're really lucky, your coffee will be brewed just the way you like it!
Now, what if we told you there are many ways to brew coffee, and each one produces a slightly different flavor? Would you be interested in learning more?
If so, then read on! This blog will teach you how to brew coffee using various methods, including a coffee maker, french press, Chemex, and making cold brew. Whether you're an experienced barista or a complete novice, there's something for everyone here.
Let's start spilling the beans and learn some coffee-ssentials to home brewing.
What Is The Ratio Of Ground Coffee To Water?
According to the National Coffee Association, there is a spectacular thing called the Golden Ratio, which implies the best ratio (roughly 1:17 or 1:18) of ground coffee to water. For every 6 ounces of water, one should use a tablespoon to two of ground coffee (1 gram of coffee to just about 18 grams of water).
This can vary on personal preference. If you would rather have a more robust cup of joe, you would use more coffee per ounce of water.
Does the ratio of ground coffee to water apply to all types of brewing?
For the most part, yes. The only brewing methods that do not use this rule of thumb are cold brew and espresso, where different rules apply.
Cold brew coffee-to-water ratio can range depending on the strength of the coffee you enjoy. Nevertheless, when brewing your coffee with a cold brew method, you'll find a 1:8 coffee-to-water ratio is commonly used. (Example: 1 oz of coffee (around four tablespoons) to 8 oz of water.) Consider, too, that cold brew coffee makes a concentrate that would be diluted with more water before consumption.
Espresso coffee ratio: For espresso, the rule of thumb is to use a 1:2 coffee-to-water ratio (1 gram of coffee to 2 grams of water).
How Do You Properly Brew Coffee?
Properly brewing coffee involves a few things:
- Finding the right grind size
- Using fresh coffee beans
- Measuring the correct amount of coffee grounds
- Timing your brew correctly
Grind Size:
Coffee grind sizes can be classified into three main sizes: coarse, medium, and fine. The grind size you'll need depends on your brewing method. For example, brewing with the French press and cold brew coffee requires a coarse grind, while an espresso machine uses a fine grind. Drip coffee will need a medium grind.
Coffee Beans:
When it comes to coffee beans, always use fresh beans that have been roasted within the past few weeks. Old beans will produce a weak, watery cup of coffee. Get Roasted coffee beans are always freshly roasted to order, giving you the freshest beans for the most delicious cups of coffee.
Measuring Coffee Grounds:
If you're really looking to get a perfect ratio of coffee, use a kitchen scale to measure the correct amount of coffee grounds and water. Otherwise, you can still use tablespoons and cup measurements if you don't have a scale. No matter what, though, avoid "eyeing" your coffee. This will leave too much room for error and results in a less-than-mediocre cup of coffee.
Timing Your Brew:
Depending on your preferred brewing method, the amount of time it takes to brew your coffee will vary, and following these times are essential to get the most flavor into your cup.
Here's a general guideline for brew times:
- Drip coffee takes around 4-5 minutes to brew.
- French press coffee is ideally brewed on the 4-minute mark, and using a timer is recommended to be exact.
- Espresso is brewed almost instantaneously with only 20-30 seconds of brew time.
- Brewing coffee with a Chemex takes about 4 minutes to brew.
- Cold Brew coffee has a wide range of brew times and varies based on different factors. If you're brewing at room temperature, 12-16 hours is an adequate amount of time. If you're brewing in the fridge, you'd want to brew for longer, from 16-20 hours. AVOID brewing for longer than 24 hours!
How To Brew Coffee In Coffee Maker
There are heaps of ways to brew coffee, but one of the most popular is using a coffee maker. Brewing with a coffee maker is easy, convenient, and produces a great cup of coffee.
Here's how to do it:
1) Start by adding cold, filtered water to the coffee maker. Using tap water with even the slightest taste of chlorine can significantly affect the taste of your coffee. The amount of water you'll need will depend on how many cups of coffee you want to make.
2) Next, freshly grind whole beans and add the appropriate amount of coffee grounds to the filter. For drip coffee, use a medium grind and follow the 1:17/1:18 ratio of coffee grounds to water. For every 1 gram of coffee, you'll add 17 or 18 grams of water.
3) Once the coffee grounds are in the filter, place it in the coffee maker and make sure the carafe is in place.
4) Hit the brew button and wait patiently as your coffee comes out piping hot and fresh!
5) Once your coffee is brewed, turn off the warmer. The longer your coffee sits heating, the acids in the coffee continue to change, influencing the taste and causing coffee to become more bitter.
How To Brew Coffee Without A Coffee Maker
There are many ways to brew coffee without a coffee maker, including cold brew methods, using the french press and Chemex, and they all involve different steps in brewing.
How To Brew Coffee In A French Press
Follow these steps to brew coffee in a french press:
1) Start by boiling water and let it sit for 30 seconds-1 minute to cool slightly. You don't want to use water that's too hot because it will scald the coffee and make it taste bitter.
2) Next, freshly grind your beans on a coarse setting. (If you prefer having us grind your beans, select "coarse grind" before you add to the cart.) Grinding your beans too fine will make it difficult to press the grinds down with the plunger, and you'll end up with a muddy cup of coffee.
3) Add the appropriate amount of coffee grounds to the french press. For a standard-size french press, use two tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of water.
4) Once the coffee grounds are in, slowly pour in the water, making sure to wet all of the grounds.
5) Set a timer for 4 minutes and let the coffee steep before pressing down on the plunger, then pour and enjoy!
French press coffee is an immersion type of brewing, so don’t rush the steeping process. If you’ve ever tried to drink a cup of tea after only allowing it to steep for 30 seconds to a minute, you know how it tastes- like water!
Your french press coffee will taste the same if you don’t use enough coffee grinds and let it steep for an adequate amount of time. So, start that 4 minute timer, and don’t hurry it.
When you first pour your water, you can initially add a small amount of water, about double the amount of coffee grinds, for around 30 seconds and let your coffee bloom, releasing carbon dioxide and increasing coffee extraction. This step isn’t necessary per se, but you can try it and find out if your palate picks up a better flavor with this step or not.
Pressing the plunger down slowly is key here too. This allows it to catch the grinds at full capacity so none end up in your cup.
If you follow our guide on french press coffee- how to make it, you won’t go wrong!
What Is the Ratio For French Press?
The ratio for French press is generally around 18-20 grams of coffee beans to every 250 ml of water. You can make adjustments to this ratio depending on your preference, but this is a good starting point.
The French Press brew method can use the 1:17 “Golden Ratio” rule and be delicious. This ratio is the most accurate when measuring your ground coffee on a scale in grams. However, for an avid coffee drinker, some can find this 1:17 ratio to be a bit weaker than preferred, so heading towards the 1:15, 1:16 range is a good bet.
As mentioned above, about 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 oz of water will give you a very flavorful cup.
Note that when measuring through tablespoons, you have more wiggle room because 2 tablespoons per 6oz of water falls into the same category of the 1:15-1:18 ratio range.
Staying within this ratio will give you a delicious cup, but the ranges also give you some room to experiment with a little more or less coffee grinds to find what suits your palate best.
How To Brew Coffee In A Chemex
To brew coffee in a Chemex, follow these steps:
1) Start by boiling water and let it sit for a minute to cool slightly. The ideal water temperature is between 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Place a coffee filter on top of the Chemex and wet it with some of your hot water. Wetting the filter will help remove any paper taste from the filter and ensure it sticks to the sides of the Chemex. You can then pour out that water, so the bottom of your Chemex is empty.
3) Next, freshly grind your beans on a medium setting and add coffee grounds to the filter. Using one tablespoon of coffee for every 5 ounces of water is recommended for a Chemex.
4) You'll want to start a timer now. Once the coffee grounds are in the filter, slowly pour hot water (about double the amount of coffee grinds) over them in a circular motion. Be careful not to pour too quickly, or you'll risk overflowing the Chemex. You'll see the coffee start to look like it is "blooming." Let that bloom for 30-45 seconds.
5) Continue to slowly pour the water in a spiral motion from the inside to the outside, then back to the inside roughly until the 2-minute mark when all the water has been poured over the coffee.
6) Let the coffee continue to brew until your timer hits 4 minutes, once you have the total volume of brewed coffee at the bottom. You can then dispose of the grinds and filter, pour and enjoy!
How To Make Cold Brew Coffee
There is a specific process for cold brewing coffee that is different than other methods. It involves a longer steeping time to extract the flavor from the beans without using hot water.
1) Add Get Roasted coarsely ground coffee grounds to your container or French press.
2) Pour in cold water (remember to use a 1:8 ratio, A.K.A. 4 tablespoons of coarsely ground coffee to 8 ounces of water) and stir gently to make sure all the grounds are saturated.
3) Cover the container or French press and let it sit on your counter at room temperature for 12-16 hours. The longer it sets, the more concentrated the coffee will become.
4) After 12-16 hours, slowly depress the plunger on your French press (if using), or you can strain the coffee through a cheesecloth or coffee filter to remove the grinds.
5) Since this creates a concentrate, pour the coffee and dilute the same amount with cold water or hot water, depending on whether you'd like your coffee hot or cold, and add your favorite sugars/creamers to taste. Enjoy!
In Summary
You can brew coffee in many different ways, and each method will result in a unique cup of coffee. Depending on your individual taste, you may prefer one method, amount of coffee, or brew time over another.
However, it's important to experiment with different brewing methods to find the perfect cup of coffee for you! Our inclusive guide on how to brew coffee is a standard way of getting a delicious cup each time, but don't be afraid to alter the variants to your taste!
No matter how you brew, be sure to have only the BEST freshly roasted coffee for each and every brew.
