Brewing Guide

Cognitive Coffee [Brewing]: A relatively simple science. Despite what some folks might lead you to believe, brewing a great cup of coffee is really a no-brainer. The key is simply to…

START FRESH

Buy only fresh-roasted, whole beans directly from a specialty coffee roaster, or from specialty stores purchasing direct from a roaster.

KEEP IT FRESH

Try to purchase only a week’s (well, maybe two) worth of beans at a time. Roasted coffee beans – if not stored properly – start to lose flavor within two weeks. Ground coffee begins to lose flavor in less than an hour, and brewed coffee and espresso begins to lose in a matter of a few minutes. Unopened coffees will stay fresh longer, but once opened, beans should be removed from bags and stored in at room temperature in an airtight container away from sunlight. Ground coffee can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the freezer for several weeks, but whole beans should never be refrigerated or frozen.

THE DAILY GRIND

For best results, coffee should be ground only as needed using a burr-type grinder. Unlike blade grinders, burr grinders allow the user to pre-select the proper grind for a particular brewing method. With blade grinders, timing is critical. Too fine a grind can cause bitterness, while too coarse of a grind can produce week, flavorless coffee.