Freshness Guide

We at KAFFEE 42™ prefer whole bean coffee because whole beans retain freshness longer than ground coffee. Beans should be stored in a cool dark place and in an airtight container to minimize exposure to air and moisture. Many will say not to freeze whole beans, this is because freezing results in condensation of water in the beans. If you can find a way to freeze your beans without the concerns of condensation, then it may prolong freshness if done carefully. Once ground, coffee should be consumed within a week but for best flavor, ground coffee should be brewed within 15 to 30 minutes after grinding.

The Water - The heart of good coffee

Before you begin brewing your coffee, you will need a grinder and either a scale or measuring spoons. For the best coffee, a good quality clean and filtered water. While coffee is brewed to taste, a general guideline is 1-2 tablespoons of coffee to 6 ounces of water. That's 10 - 12 grams of dark roast or 12 - 14 grams of light roast for every 180 ml of water.

The Grind

AeroPress: Fine to medium grind (Fine is the size of powdered sugar, medium is the size of sand)

Cold Brew: Extra coarse grind (the size of cracked pepper corns)

Drip: Medium grind

French Press and Perculator: Coarse grind (the size of sea salt)

Pour Over: Medium-fine to medium grind (medium fine is the size of table salt)

While blade grinders are convenient, they really don't give you the most consistent grind. To get a consistent grind, use a stainless steel burr grinder. You can get these as electric units or as hand grinders. This kind of grinder uses two plates to crush beans and gives a much more uniform grind.

The Brew

AeroPress:
For this method, brew a little extra water. Place the paper filter in the cap and rinse it with the extra hot water. This should eliminate any taste from the paper filter. Assemble the AeroPress and place it over a mug or carafe. Add about a little more than 2 tablespoons of coffee to the chamber (adjust based on personal preference). Slowly pour about 6 ounces of hot water. Stir for 10 seconds to evenly distribute the coffee grounds. Insert the plunger and press down slowly and steadily for 20–30 seconds, stop at the hissing sound. Remove and clean the brewer and enjoy.

French Press:
For this method, brew about 4 tablespoons of extra water. Preheat your French press with hot water, then discard the rinse water. This helps maintain brewing temperature. Add 1 gram of coffee per 15 grams of water. For a 12 oz (340 ml) brew, use about 22–23 grams of coffee. Pour in about half your water, covering the freshly ground beans evenly. Let it bloom for 30–45 seconds to release trapped gas and enhance flavor. Add the remaining water and stir gently to make sure all grounds are saturated. Cover with the lid (plunger pulled up) and let it steep for 4 minutes. Slowly and evenly press down the plunger. Don’t rush this step or you'll stir up fine particles. Serve immediately. For best results, pour the full batch into a separate carafe to stop extraction.

Pour Over:
Measure 25 grams of freshly roasted coffee beans. This is about 5 tablespoons or 2.5 standard coffee scoops. Fold down the seam of the paper filter and place it into the pour over cone. Make sure it lies flat. Rinse the filter with hot water. Discard the hot water and add ground coffee. Pour just enough water (twice the weight of the coffee grounds) in a spiral motion to saturate the grounds, then wait 30 seconds. At the 30 second mark, resume pouring water over the grounds. This should take your total time to about 2 minutes. Pour first in a spiral pattern, and then straight down, keeping coffee grounds fully saturated from start to finish. Give the coffee a final swirl. Enjoy!

Drip:
For this method, brew about 4 tablespoons of extra water. Make sure that the basket where the filter rests in clean. Oil and residue from previous brews can give your coffee undesirable flavor. Put the paper filter into the basket and wet it with about 4 tablespoons of hot water. Add your coffee onto the wet coffee filter and return the basket, with filter and coffee, to the brewing machine. Add your pre-measured water to the water tank. Hit BREW and wait. When the machine is done, remove the used grounds and filter and wash the basket. Enjoy your coffee.

Cold Brew:
This provides an unusually smooth coffee and is great for iced coffee. Using a filtered water, add 1 part ground coffee to 4 parts water to the glass container of your choice, Mason jars work great. Make about 1/2 cup more than you plan to drink. Allow the mixture to steep for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Filter- We prefer top use a paper filter from a drip coffee maker to line a wire strainer. Mix to taste and serve. Use the remaining 1/2 cup to make some coffee ice cubes to get a great iced coffee that isn't diluted with water, for next time.

Percolator:
The less you percolate, the milder the coffee. Let it run a while for a bold taste that can even turn slightly bitter, if you're into that kind of thing. Fill the reservoir with cold water. Some percolators may use a paper disc filter and the old fashioned ones will use just a metal basket. If you have to use a paper filter, insert it and rinse it with hot water. Add coarsely ground coffee ans return the basket to the coffee peculator. Cover and turn on heat. Monitor the brewing process to make sure that the bubbles are happening at short intervals. If there aren't enough bubbles, turn up the heat. If the bubbles are almost constant, reduce it. Time it according to your taste, consider 4 minutes a minimum, anything less is for tea drinkers. Don't go beyond 10 minutes unless you like a bit of a bitter cup. Turn off the heat and remove the basket with the grounds in it. CAUTION: HOT Re-cover the percolator and let the coffee sit for 2 - 3 minutes to give any grounds a chance to settle. Pour, add cream and sugar etc. to taste and serve.

NEVER:

• Brew in plastic, it releases microplastics into your coffee.

• Use artificial creamers if you can help it. Heavy cream has been the standard for a long time, for a good reason.

• Use artificial sweeteners. Instead, use honey, natural (unprocessed) sugar, stevia or monk fruit.