At Paradeco, we have taken a deep dive into the current scientific research on brewing coffee-it’s more complex than you would think! But there is still no golden ratio of coffee to water since each brewing method is different. We will continue to monitor research entities to make sure we stay up to date with newly released science.
THE ESSENTIALS OF GREAT COFFEE
Things you need to brew great freshly roasted whole bean coffee at home or your place of paradise.
Great coffee can’t be made without a scale that tells you how many grams of coffee you’re using. The tablespoon measuring method is not uniform across the world. We use an Acaia Pearl Model S Scale, but a cheaper option would be a Hario Scale.
Make sure you store your coffee correctly-out of the light and away from moisture is the best way to go. Fellowproducts.com has a great device for storage called the Atmos Vacuum Canister. We have a great product on our shelves for this called the Atmos Vacuum Cansister custom branded by our design team.
Water makes up about 95%-98.5% of the liquid in your coffee cup. We installed a reverse osmosis water system in our shop because the water in Florida (and many rural areas) is very hard so please whatever you do, don’t brew with tap water if you live in these areas! If you do not have any bottled water at home, a Brita will suffice until you get to a store on your next bike ride or beach run. To keep the seas safe go with biodegradable boxed water if you can! A newer home product is a pitcher via Peak-Water.com that produces great water for brewing. Thirdwavewater.com sells mineral packets to produce great water too.
Remember that 1ml of water weighs about 1g.
An average cup of coffee is 250ml/250g or about 8oz.
You will also need an electric kettle to warm your water accurately (as a reference, water boils at 212°F at sea level). If you do not have a temperature-controlled kettle, wait until the water boils, remove the kettle from heat and wait another 15 seconds. Waiting 15 seconds will decrease the water temperature enough so you do not burn the coffee. Double check your water temp with a regular kitchen thermometer. The darker the roast the lower temperature needed during the brewing process. Try to keep the kettle on the electric heating source or on the electric kettle stand during the blooming phase to keep the temperature constant. Fellowproducts.com also has a great and aesthetically pleasing kettle. Chemexcoffeemaker.com just released the Chettle kettle system. New products are released by a bunch of different companies monthly!
The closer your water temperature is to 205°F–207°F the better since there is heat loss over time after pouring the water out of the kettle. This higher brew temp of 205°F–207°F is a new development and a controversial one. We will keep following the experts advice on this.
The key to great tasting coffee is not only sourcing coffee from amazing farms, going through rigorous QC standards and roasting beans ourselves, but also making sure we are grinding the freshest whole beans. After a whole bean coffee is ground it only stays fresh for about 14 days. Please ignore those dates on the packages in the grocery store that say coffee can last for a year in a bag – it only says that because the nitrogen pumped into the bag that will *allegedly* keep it fresh. Also, if the bag does not have a roast date on it, don’t waste your money on it! We will roast the coffee and put your name on the bag upon request. Since we roast our beans in our shop, you can witness the whole process for yourselves. Always grind fresh just before brewing but if you don’t have a grinder, we will grind it for you! Then you don’t have to worry about the grind size calculations. Kruve.com has good charts for grind size if needed at home.
The best home hand grinder is via Comandantegrinder.com. We sell this in our shop!! This is the most expensive option, but it will last for years to come. Also, when you’re traveling the globe fueled by our daily dose of paradise, Comandante offers a nice travel bag, we’ve traveled the world with it! The Hario slim or Skerton+ Ceramic Coffee Mill is the cheaper version of a hand grinder.
For electric grinders, The Niche Zero would be the best for espresso and pour over coffee. The Wilfa Uniform is great for Pour over and cold brew. You will lose about 1-2 grams in the grinding process depending on your grinder so you could add 1-2 more grams of whole coffee beans into the grind.
There are various types and sizes of brewing equipment. The most common are Chemex, Hario V60, and a Kalita wave. Hario V60 and Kalita Waves are smaller devices for 1-2 cups. A Chemex can suit a family well. When purchasing a French press, we recommend going with a Bodum device since they hold up well over time. See our shelves in store for the lastest brewing pieces. If you have a very large budget for an Espresso machine for home use, we would go with a La Marzocco. We can talk further about an espresso guide, just call us.
Coffee is an art, but it is also a science. Take your time. You will learn from every cup.
