Coffee 101
Brewing Specialty coffee at home shouldn’t be hard. It’s a little bit of science, it’s a little bit of an art, and it should be a whole lot of fun! No matter what device or machine you use at home, these simple tips and tricks will help you brew better coffee in no time!
Yield Coffee. Start with fresh coffee. Yield only buys the top 1% of green coffee in the world. Buy whole beans and buy less quantity more often for the freshest taste experience (If you don’t have a grinder, no worries. Just select Auto Coffee Maker at checkout for freshly roasted coffee that we roast and grind right before shipping to you!). In general, brew within 2-30 days of the roast date (that date will always be on our bags!) and 7-10 days of opening the bag for the best tasting coffee. Store your coffee in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. (or keep in bag, it has a nifty one-way valve to let the CO2 out and not let any unwanted oxygen in.)
What does roast level signify? It’s simply an indicator of the time and temperature that we roasted the coffee to. Most light roasts will have more sweetness, acidity, fruity notes, medium roasts will have nuttier and more chocolatey tones to them, and dark roasts will have a boldness and darker chocolate tones.
Light Roast recommendation - https://www.yieldcoffee.com/collections/all-products/products/ethiopia-kebele-dumerso-yirgacheffe
Medium Roast recommendation - https://www.yieldcoffee.com/collections/all-products/products/brazil-primavera
Dark Roast recommendation - https://www.yieldcoffee.com/collections/all-products/products/old-school-dark-roast
Not sure? Grab our sample box to start exploring the various types of relational coffees that we offer. https://www.yieldcoffee.com/collections/all-products/products/the-taste-of-yield
Grinder. Coffee grinders come in two varieties: blade and burr. Blade grinders haphazardly chop your coffee into various sizes, while burr grinders cut it to a relatively consistent size, producing a grind more capable of yielding even, delicious brews. Use a burr grinder to select a grind/particle size appropriate for your brew method. Grind just prior to brewing for optimal taste.
Water. Coffee is 98% water. Use filtered water. Water that tastes or smells off (e.g., chlorine, sulfur, iron) will inevitably produce off notes in your coffee. Distilled water won’t yield a full extraction, unless you add chemicals (like 3rd wave water.).
Filter. Choose a clean filter that will not impart taints. Metal filters tend to retain funk and detergent taints; they need extra-mild soap, hot water, and elbow grease before use. Paper filters yield paper notes; these need a thorough rinsing with hot water before use for best taste!
Temperature. Coffee should be brewed right around 200-202°f. Be sure to pre-heat your brewing equipment with hot water; this enables you to brew without amplified heat loss through initial contact with room-temp ceramic or glass brewing devices. Pro tip: pour your boiling water through the paper filter into your vessel to both rinse the filter while preheating your brewing gear. It’s a win-win.
Dose. The most consistent way to dose coffee is using a gram scale. (It’s like college chemistry lab all over again!) Try a ratio of 1 g of coffee to 15-17 g of water. (e.g., 20 g of coffee to 300 g of water). If you don’t have a scale, try 2 tablespoons to every cup (8oz) of coffee you’re trying to make!
FOR COFFEE BREWING GUIDES CLICK HERE