Great Coffee does not stop when
it is delivered to you. The brewing process is the last and most
important stage in enjoying great coffee. Therefore, we highly
recommend that you read this entire section to maximize your Cactus
Creek Gourmet Coffee drinking experience. The recipe for brewing a
great cup of coffee relies on four fundamentals:
Proportion,
Grind,
Water, and
Freshness.
We recommend using two
tablespoons for every six ounces of water to extract the full flavor
of your freshly roasted coffee. If your brewed coffee tastes too
strong, add small amounts of hot water to taste. Using too little
water can result in bitterness.
Always use the correct grind for
the brewing method. Grinding beans just prior to brewing results in
about a fourth more flavor in the cup. If coffee is ground too fine
for the brewing method, you might end up with a bitter cup of
coffee. Likewise, too course a grind will lead to a weak cup of
coffee. Since the beans should be ground just prior to brewing, it
is an art you will master after only a few trials. In general, the
longer the coffee and water spend in contact during the brewing
process, the courser the grind you should use. Follow these
recommended grinds for various brewing methods:
French Press (Press Pot):
Course flakes like bread
crumbs, feels like a course sand paper.
Automatic Drip Brewer:
Flat bottom paper or
metal wedge shaped filters- medium grind.
Paper wedge-shaped filters:
Just a bit finer than
flat bottom filters.
Espresso:
Very fine with a texture between flour and table salt.
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Always use fresh, cold
water. If the tap water where you live is distasteful due to
hardness or treatment, consider using bottled water or a filter
system. Never use softened water! Remember, a cup of coffee is
98% water. If the water doesn't taste good, the coffee won't
either. The temperature of the water is also important. When
brewing coffee using a hot water method, generally the ideal
temperature should be between 190 - 200 degrees Fahrenheit. This
permits ideal extraction of essential flavor and oils from the
grounds. Water that is too hot will over extract thus yielding a
less than desirable cup of coffee. Likewise, water that is too
cold will under extract thus yielding a thin lifeless cup.
Always start with freshly
roasted gourmet coffee. Coffee maintains its peak freshness best
when kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. There
is some controversy as to whether it should be stored in a
refrigerator or not. Ultimately, the most important factors to
remember are keeping the coffee away from air (oxygen) and
moisture, which can degrade the freshness of your coffee. For
the freshest coffee, keep it stored in our one-way degassing
valve zip bags.
A few other things to
remember:
Coffee is best if served
immediately after brewing and will retain its peak flavor for up
to 20 minutes on the warmer. We recommend you transfer your
brewed coffee to a thermal carafe to hold for a longer period of
time.
Don't forget to take care of
your equipment! A clean coffee brewer is critical to great
tasting coffee. Periodically, use mild detergent or baking soda
to remove build-up, film, and oil.
