How to Brew Coffee at Home
Learning to brew your own coffee is one of life’s small pleasures. While nothing beats a delicious coffee made by a skilled professional, there’s something rewarding about brewing it yourself in your own kitchen. With a few simple tools, a little practice, and this guide, you’ll soon be doing just that.
View our brewing guides below:
Aeropress | Cafetiere | Chemex | Cowboy Coffee | Hario V60 | Kalita Wave | Moka Pot
What you need
You don’t need anything fancy to get started brewing your own coffee. At the very basic level, you just need some good quality coffee, a kettle, and the brewing device of your choice.
The most popular include the cafetiere or French press, pour-over brewers such as the Hario V60, Kalita Wave, or Chemex, and the AeroPress. Of course there are also automatic filter makers and pod machines, but we’re sticking to manual brewers this time. They all have their pros and cons depending on how you like your coffee, how much you want to make, and your budget.
While we’re always happy to grind coffee for our online customers, we recommend investing in a good quality grinder. As soon as coffee beans are ground they begin to lose aroma and flavour and will stale much faster; grinding just before brewing ensures that your coffee will taste as good as it possibly can. There are lots of options out there, depending on your budget and specific needs, but we always recommend going for one with ceramic burrs rather than metal, as they will result in a more consistent grind.
We also recommend a scale—waterproof or water resistant is a good idea, in case of spills—as it will allow you to accurately measure how much coffee and water you are using. A scale will also help with repeatability once you find the coffee recipe you like.
What is The Golden Ratio?
One main reason we recommend using a scale is to ensure you get your coffee-to-water ratio right. While you can use whichever approach you prefer, the vast majority of coffee professionals will recommend you measure your coffee and water. This will allow you to achieve optimal extraction and prevent your coffee from coming out sour or bitter.
A good rule of thumb when brewing coffee at home is to start with what’s known as the golden ratio. The coffee-to-water ratio that most recommend is 1:16, or one part of coffee to 16 parts of water by weight. If you have 20 grams of coffee, say, you would use 320 grams of water. (For espresso, the ratio is more like 1:2.)
Coffee Brewing Basics
While the golden ratio is a good place to start, it is merely a starting point. For example, you might like your coffee a bit stronger, in which case try using less water. It’s all about finding what works for your personal taste.
While the ratio is important, it’s not everything. Using the best coffee, properly rested but not stale, is critical. Brewing with fresh, clean water at the correct temperature is also very important. (If you’re lucky enough to live in Scotland, tap water is usually fine. For others, depending on your local water quality, you might need to filter it first.) The correct grind size for your particular brew method is also vital, as is the brewing technique and finally the time. As a general rule, lighter roasts need slightly hotter water and a slightly finer grind. Experiment to see what works best for you in terms of workflow and taste!
There are lots of variables that go into making a great cup of coffee, and while it might seem daunting at first, all it really takes is the right tools, great coffee, and a little practice. If you’re struggling, as with most experiments just change one variable at a time and see if it makes a difference. And of course we’re always on hand to answer any questions you might have.
