Brew Guides

With great coffee comes great responsibility.

Not really, but you do get a great chance to make a truly awesome beverage, so we’ve put together these simple guides to help.

Henceforth consider yourself one of us, a wolf in wolf’s clothing, or a sheep in wolf’s clothing, depending on if it’s a Friday or Monday.

Become capable of amazing feats. 

 

STOVETOP  |  THE JEFF GOLDBLUM OF COFFEE BREWING

Arguably the classiest of the brewing devices, the Stovetop has been around for many years and makes a strong, rich cup of coffee. Definitely a good bit of theatre in the morning when your bed partner has just slept over for the first time.

CRUCIAL KIT

  • Stovetop Brewer
  • Fresh Coffee
  • Boiling water

 

PRO TWEAKS

  • Grinder (to grind right before brewing)
  • Timer

 

ROCK SOLID DIRECTIONS

  1. Unscrew the three sections of your espresso pot
  2. Fill the lower chamber with water and the middle section with a medium-fine ground coffee suitable for an espresso pot
  3. Put the funnel into place in the pot and screw the upper section securely
  4. Put the pot on your hob at a medium-high temperature
  5. Listen for when the coffee starts bubble up the funnel, as soon as it does, turn down the stove to let it rest and fully percolate
  6. Your coffee is ready when the pots stops ‘gurgling’ and just steam emerges from the filter funnel

 ESPRESSO  |  THE PINNACLE OF COFFEE MAKING ACHIEVEMENT

Espresso is the most complex of popular coffee brewing techniques. For those making it at home, there are probably more variables to master than you think, so here’s a basic guide, but young skywalker, you'll need to do some experimenting to perfect it for yourself. 

CRUCIAL KIT

  • Espresso Brewer
  • Fresh coffee (ground specifically for espresso)
  • Tamper
  • Cup

 

PRO TWEAKS

  • Grinder (to grind right before brewing)
  • Scale (for exact measures of coffee)
  • Timer

 

ROCK SOLID DIRECTIONS

  1. An espresso shot should be made with clear and filtered water heated between 90 to 97°C
  2. The coffee grind needs to be finer than most grind methods, similar to table salt
  3. Feel free to adjust your dose according to taste, but normally baristas use between 18 to 21 grams of ground coffee to extract 30mls (a double shot)
  4. A firm body weight and level tamp is essential for a nice even extraction
  5. Position the portafilter (handle) in the group-head and start your shot
  6. The shot should start with a slow drip, then develop into a gentle, even stream. A little like a soba noodle
  7. Near the 25 second mark, the extraction will end, causing the shot to thicken and start “blonding,” or turning yellow. Your job is to stop the shot just before this point, or right as this process begins

 

AEROPRESS  |  IF THE ESPRESSO MACHINE FANCIES ITSELF AS A SUPERCOMPUTER, THIS IS YOUR TRUSTY IPAD

Created by inventor of the frisbee, this pump styled coffee maker has developed a cult following. It’s ultra-portable for those who want to brew different on the go and it makes great coffee. There are endless techniques for using Aeropress, but we’re going to cover the ‘inverted’ method here, which means brewing upside-down (the kit, not yourself, unless...)

CRUCIAL KIT

  • Aeropress Brewer
  • Aeropress Filter
  • Aeropress Scoop
  • Or 17g of coffee in an Aeropress Paddle
  • Hot water just off the boil
  • Mug

 

PRO TWEAKS

  • Grinder (to grind right before brewing)
  • Timer
  • 96°C Water

 

ROCK SOLID DIRECTIONS

  1. Bring your water to a boil and then let it cool for about one minute
  2. Measure out two full AeroPress scoops of coffee beans (about four tablespoons) and grind until fine
  3. Assemble the AeroPress with a paper filter inside the cap and place on top of a mug or cup. Drizzle a little warm water in to wet the filter
  4. Place the funnel on top of the cup and pour in the coffee. Remove the funnel
  5. Pour in coffee until it comes up to the top line on the AeroPress
  6. Stir to make sure all the grounds are wet, and wait 30 seconds
  7. Insert the plunger and firmly press down until you hear a long hiss
  8. Taste the coffee and if desired add water 

The AeroPress makes a concentrated cup of coffee, so if desired Desiree you can split this amount between two cups and add a little more hot water.

 

POUR OVER  |  PRETTY MUCH COFFEE ON TAP

There are a number of ways to pour hot water over coffee, but at their heart they are all pretty similar. The V60 is the easiest to get started with, it’s relatively cheap and gives you a lot of control over the brew. The Chemex is another popular pour-over technique, which makes you look very serious about what you’re doing, but yields pretty similar results.

CRUCIAL KIT

  • Chemex or Hario V60 brewer
  • Chemex or Hario V60, filter
  • Hot water just off the boil
  • 3 tablespoons of coffee
  • Mug

 

PRO TWEAKS

  • Grinder (to grind right before brewing)
  • Scale (for exact measures of coffee)
  • Timer
  • 96°C Water

 

ROCK SOLID DIRECTIONS 

  1. Fold the filter paper and put it into your Chemex with the thicker side toward the spout
  2. Rinse the paper with hot water, then discard the water
  3. Grind 25g of coffee and place it in the filter
  4. Gently pour in 40g of water just off the boil
  5. Stir to make sure all the grounds are wet and wait 30 seconds
  6. Once the brew is complete, lift out the filter paper, swirl the Chemex to mix the coffee and enjoy

 

PLUNGER  |  AKA THE FRENCH PRESS, THE DIGNIFIED HOME BREWER

This humble vessel is one of the world's most widespread coffee-makers and while it’s certainly less hip than modern techniques it can still make an excellent brew when used correctly. 

 

CRUCIAL KIT

  • 4 cup French Press brewer
  • 4 tablespoons of fresh coffee
  • Hot water just off the boil
  • Spoon
  • Mug

 

PRO TWEAKS

  • Grinder (to grind right before brewing)
  • Timer
  • 96°C Water

 

ROCK SOLID DIRECTIONS

  1. Coffee should be ground much coarser for a plunger than for an espresso machine, a gritty sand-like consistency 
  2. Let your boiling water rest for one minute before pouring onto the ground coffee to prevent excess bitter and sour flavours
  3. Half fill the plunger and give it a good stir to activate the infusion and encourage the extraction of flavour as evenly as possible
  4. Let it sit for a moment, then pour the rest of your water in and leave it to brew for another three minutes before serving
  5. Push down the plunger filter, then pour and enjoy