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Brewing Guide


A cup of freshly brewed coffee using a Chemex brewer.Preparing and enjoying a great cup of coffee is one of life's simplest, most transporting pleasures, and few things as simple as brewing coffee provide such rich rewards. Preparing coffee is actually a lot like cooking with fresh produce; start with the best, freshest ingredients, take care to do it well, and you will produce something astonishingly delicious.

Brewing Basics

  • Use freshly roasted and just-ground coffee.
  • Brew with water heated to between 195 and 205F. A safe bet is using water just off the boil.
  • Use one ounce of freshly ground coffee per 16 fluid ounces of water, which equals about 30 grams of coffee per 16 fluid ounces of water. Adjust to taste.
  • Store whole-bean coffee in an airtight container and keep it out of direct sunlight and away from heat, cold, and moisture. Avoid storing your beans in the fridge or freezer, as these places can facilitate odor contamination and damaging condensation.

Brewing Methods

French Press Pot
Manual Pour Over Drip
Pourover Brewer Basics video
Chemex
"Japanese" Iced Coffee
Iced Cascara

Five Steps to Greener Brewing

1. Go Organic.
Choosing organic can reduce coffee’s carbon footprint by one-third.

2. Use a Mug.
Paper cup = paper taste, and 58 BILLION paper cups hit landfills annually.

3. Measure.
Heating excess water can double a cup’s carbon footprint.

4. Handcraft Every Cup
.
Hand brewing via French press or drip cone improves taste and efficiency.

5. Waste (Not)
.
Compost – don’t trash – grounds and filters.



WHAT'S NEW

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Follow us on Twitter (@counter_culture) for 140 characters of coffee information.
 
The Independent Weekly (NC) looks at fair trade and Direct Trade in coffee.
 
Spruce Street Espresso was included among the top spots for coffee in the 2011 KRUPS National Cup O' Joe Awards.
 
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The Philadelphia Inquirer's Craig LaBan surveys the Philly coffee scene one cup at a time, including Ultimo Coffee, Spruce Street Espresso, Lovers & Madmen Coffee Lounge, and Town Hall Coffee Co., among others.
 
Check out our TNT Latte Art Throwdown page for a schedule of upcoming coffee events!
 
 
Lynne Rossetto Kasper interviewed Michaele Weissman, author of "God in a Cup," on The Splendid Table.
 
 
Meet our retail partners Sorella (New York) in our COFFEE PEOPLE section.
 
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Meet Jeff McArthur from the roasting department in our Coffee People section.
 
Meet Amalia Aguilar in our Production Department in our COFFEE PEOPLE section!
 
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Meet Tommy Gallagher, Technical Services
 
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