1. Always use filtered water
Using filtered water ensures that chlorine and small particles are removed from your brew. These particles can cause unwanted build-up and can damage your coffee brewer.
2. Clean your coffee equipment
Cleaning your equipment is simple but can make drastic changes in the taste, quality, and consistency of your coffee. Just a weekly cleaning prevents bacteria from growing and minimizes calcium build up.
3. Weigh it out
Weighing your coffee as opposed to measuring by scoops can be valuable to brewing a consistently delicious cup of coffee. The volume of coffee that you scoop can change depending on the grind size of your coffee. By weighing out your coffee with a kitchen scale, you can get a precise measurement every time. Once you find the recipe you enjoy, this ensures that your precious coffee is not wasted by using more coffee than needed and the cup is consistently delicious.
(Hint: we recommend 1:16 coffee to water ratio. For every 1 ounce of coffee you weight out, use 16 fluid ounces of water)
4. Grind size is key
Grind size is one of the most crucial factors in making consistently flavorful coffee. You can find endless explorations on theories of grind size on the internet but to keep it short and sweet - I like to think of grind size on a spectrum of sand (being the finest) to gravel (being the coarsest). If you find your coffee tasting a tad light or weak, try a slightly finer grind next time. If the coffee tastes too strong or bitter, try a slightly larger grind size. Dialing in the right grind size along with the correct weight will have you instantly brewing better coffee.
5. Keep your coffee air tight
Just like moisture, oxygen is bad for coffee after it is roasted. When coffee is kept airtight it can have a shelf life of up to 3 months after being roasted. At Portrait Coffee, we find that the “sweet spot” for most coffee is around 7-10 days after the roast and after 30 days you’ll see diminishing returns of flavor and sweetness in your coffee.
[Check out our selection of coffees to try these tips out on.]