About Coffee - Processing

About Coffee - Brewing Guide

     We stand by our "Mountain Fresh" guarantee.   We package our coffee immediately after roasting in steel cans with one-way degassing valves.  We invite you to compare the difference to coffee packaged in bags.  Just pull back the easy peel lid on one of our cans, even weeks after being roasted and you will smell the benefits of packaging in cans.  
      Brewing an ideal cup is easy!  Follow our guidelines below.

Basic Brewing Practice

  • Adjust grind size for brewing method (we like to go as fine as possible--one of the secrets to a great cup is for the coffee grounds to allow the water to pass thru the grinds within about five minutes of the initial wetting)
  • Grind just before brewing if possible. The sooner the better, but we have been known to grind a week supply in advance so's not to wake up our kids with the noise of a grinder.  Those moments in the morning with our coffee, before children, are precious. 
  • Use about 2 tablespoons per 6oz of water
  • Use clean water that is just below boiling
  • That's it! 

Grinding Coffee

      Stored properly, coffee will keep its fresh flavor and aroma in the whole bean form for several weeks after it is roasted.  The size of the grind you should use depends on the method you are using to extract the cup of coffee. A rule of thumb is the courser the granules, the quicker the brewing; the finer the granules, the longer the brew time. 

Grind Tips for making drip coffee:

  • If your coffee tastes too sharp or bitter it is likely over-extracted. The remedy is to coarsen the grind and/or add more coffee grounds.
  • If your coffee tastes flat or weak it is likely under-extracted. The remedy is to use a finer grind. 
  • Whenever you make drip coffee in an automatic machine be sure the coffee grinds are getting saturated.  This is one of the most frequent failures of automatic machines besides brewing too quickly.

Water Quality and Temperature

     To make great coffee you need great water.  Any smell, flavor, or sediment present in water should be filtered out before brewing.  Coffee should never be brewed with boiling water as this will vaporize many of the coffee oils that contribute to a flavorful cup and also extract bitter-tasting naturally occurring chemical compounds. The ideal brewing temperature is between just below a boil depending on your altitude.  Here in Flagstaff, Arizona we live at 7,000 feet and water needs to be just below a boil to extract the flavor effectively.

Holding time for brewed coffee.

    We recommend brewing more often rather than letting coffee sit in a carafe on a warmer for hours.  Coffee is like bread; the fresher, the better.

Recommended Brewing Methods:

The Manual Pour Over using a paper cone shaped filter.

  • Pour a few ounces of sub-boiling water over the grinds and let it "bloom" for thirty seconds.
  • Slowly pour water in a spiral motion over the grinds.  Be sure to stir this slurry for a bit while it drains into the mug so you get a full extraction. (it should take close to 5 minutes to fill your mug)
  • Enjoy!

The Press Pot:

  • For a sixteen ounce glass press pot add six tablespoons of medium (no fines or powder) ground coffee into the bottom of the press pot.
  • Pour about four ounces of sub-boiling water on top of the grinds.  Stir a few times with a spoon and let it sit "blooming" for thirty seconds.
  • Fill the press pot the rest of the way up with your hot water and stir the slurry for 10 seconds with a spoon or something.
  • Place the top on the press pot and let sit for three to five minutes.
  • Remove the top and stir one last time before finally plunging the sediment slowly to the bottom
  • Pour into your mug and enjoy!
  • One last tip; The best grind for you is easily determined by whether you like your press pot brew with a lot of sediment.  Some sediment is always present in press pot brew compared to any method using a paper filter.  You can lessen the amount of sediment by using a coarser grind.

Home Espresso:

  • There are tricks on how to get a good shot of espresso in a machine at home.  We have played with several.  They each have their idiosyncratic tendencies and limitations...even $12,000 commercial espresso machines. That being said, here are some tips:  Try to get your  double shot completed between 25 and 35 seconds from the time you push the dosing button.  
  • The layer of crema atop the shot should be thick and creamy, the color of gold to reddish brown depending on the blend, and free of large whitish areas or bubbles.  The large bubbles or white extraction is a sign the shot was too long.  Use a coarser grind or tamp a bit lighter.  
  • A good mark for a double shot is 2-21/2 ounces.  More than that and too much water is being used in the extraction.  Not even good luck will help you.  A darker style roast will be more assertive and color can deepen.  
  • Freshness goes a long way in making espresso.   Smoother, sweeter, thicker creama, intense aroma, and a lingering finish.....oh yea.