Brewing Information

For all of us at Nick of Time, Coffee is an everyday ritual. Without coffee our day would pretty much end even before it would begin.

Naturally, then there is nothing more satisfying than that perfect cup of coffee, one that is brewed perfectly. Coffee is personal and the right way to brew it is how you (personally) like it best.

That being said, mastering a few fundamentals will help you perfect your technique. From here, we encourage you to experiment with different roasts, origins, or preparation methods.

Here is a complete guide to brewing a classic cup of coffee.

The Beans

The quality and flavor of your coffee is not only determined by the brewing process you adopt but also by the type of coffee you select.

Some of the flavor factors include:

• The country and region of origin
• The variety of bean – Arabica, Robusta – or a blend
• The roast type
• The texture of your grind

The Grind

If you buy whole bean coffee, always grind your beans as close to the brew time as possible for maximum freshness. A burr or mill grinder is best because the coffee is ground to a consistent size.

A blade grinder is less preferable because some coffee will be ground more finely than the rest.

The size of the grind is hugely important to the taste of your coffee. If your coffee tastes bitter, it may be over-extracted, or ground too fine. On the other hand, if your coffee tastes flat, it may be under-extracted, meaning your grind is too coarse.

Coffee-to-Water Ratio

A general guideline is called the “Golden Ratio” – one to two tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water. This can be adjusted to suit individual taste preferences.

Check the cup lines or indicators on your specific brewer to see how they actually measure. And remember that some water is lost to evaporation in certain brewing methods.

Water Temperature

Your brewer should maintain a water temperature between 90 to 96 degrees Celsius for optimal extraction. Colder water will result in flat, under-extracted coffee, while water that is too hot will also cause a loss of quality in the taste of the coffee. (However, cold brew does not need any heat.)

If you are brewing the coffee manually, let the water come to a full boil, but do not over boil. Turn off the heat source and allow the water to rest a minute before pouring it over the grounds.

Always allow your coffee – or any hot beverage – to reach a comfortable temperature before enjoying (specifically below 60 degrees Celsius).

Enjoy your coffee!

Prepared coffee begins to lose its optimal taste moments after brewing, so only make as much coffee as you’ll drink.