Top 5 Brewing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Using Poor-Quality Beans: The coffee beans you use are the foundation of a great cup of coffee. Invest in high-quality beans to get the best flavour. Look for beans that are freshly roasted and have a roast date on the bag. If you’re grinding your own beans, make sure you’re using a burr grinder to get a consistent grind size.

2. Over or Under-Extracting: Over-extraction results in a bitter, unpleasant taste, while under-extracting leaves you with a weak and sour cup of coffee. Use a kitchen scale to measure your coffee beans and water to ensure the right ratio. Aim for a ratio of 1:16, one part coffee to 16 parts water. Brew time should be between 3-4 minutes for a pour over style coffee and between 5-6 minutes for a french press.

3. Incorrect Water Temperature: Water temperature is critical to achieving a great cup of coffee. The most common temperature range for brewing coffee is between 90-96°C. If the water is too hot, it can over-extract the coffee and make your brew soupy or harsh. If the water is too cold, it can under-extract and leave your coffee tea-like or flimsy.

4. Using the Wrong Grind Size: The grind size of your coffee beans is important because it determines how quickly the coffee will extract. A fine grind (like sand) is best for espresso, while a coarser grind (like granulated sugar) is better for filter coffee. Adjust your grinder to get the right grind size for your brewing method.

5. Not Cleaning Your Equipment: Coffee oils and residue can build up in your equipment, leading to off flavours and odours. For best results, clean your equipment after each use.

Navigating Coffee

One of the most fascinating aspects of coffee is the wealth of information you can gather from a single bag: its origin, roast type, and even the coffee species.

However, the one thing you can’t do is taste it.

This guide aims to provide you with the necessary tools to identify whether a coffee is right for you.

Let’s start by discussing the two main types of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. Arabica beans are generally of higher quality, with a more complex flavour profile. Robusta beans, on the other hand, have a stronger, more bitter taste. Most specialty coffees use Arabica beans.

The term “washed” refers to the method for processing the coffee fruit, which involves removing the outer layers before drying the beans. This process produces a clean, bright flavour similar to citrus fruit. “Natural” processing involves drying the beans with the fruit still intact, resulting in a fruity, more complex flavour with a heavier body. “Honey” processing is somewhere in between, with some of the fruit removed, but some left on during drying. This method produces a sweet, syrupy flavour with a medium body.

Roast level is another crucial factor in coffee flavour. Light roasts are generally more acidic and have a brighter, more floral flavour. Medium roasts have a more balanced acidity with a slightly sweeter caramel taste, while dark roasts are richer and have a heavier body with notes of dark chocolate and nuts.

Here are some examples of how these three elements might come together:

• A lightly roasted washed Ethiopian coffee may taste best when brewed as a pour-over. Presenting flavours of lime, vanilla and white tea.

• A dark roasted natural Sumatran coffee may taste best when brewed as an espresso, bringing out the full-bodied bakers chocolate and nut flavors.

• A medium roasted honey processed coffee from Costa Rica may taste best when brewed as an aeropress or french press, highlighting the sweetness and medium body of the coffee with subtle fruity notes.

Head to our coffee page and put your newfound knowledge to the test.