How to Brew Drip Coffee

1. Start with fresh roasted, specialty coffee. Keep coffee in an air-tight container (or one with a one-way breather valve that doesn't let air in) and store dry cool place to maintain freshness. Never in the fridge. If you do store in a freezer, never put your coffee back in once you've pulled out a container.
   
   
2. Use fresh, cold water. If your tap water is distasteful due to hardness or treatment, consider using bottled drinking water.
   
   
3. Use the correct grind for your brewing method. If unsure, consult the manufacturer's instructions. For drip coffee, a grind size about twice that of granulated sugar is optimal.
   
   
4. Although coffee use will be dictated by individual taste and brewing method, we recommend beginning with one tablespoon of coffee to 6 ounces of water. The SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) suggests slightly more, but ultimately this is up to you.
   
   
5. Be sure your coffee maker is clean. Residues of stale coffee oils will interfere with good flavor.
   
   
6. Use a brewing method (such as manual drip, plunge pot, vacuum pot, or high-quality electric drip) which will produce temperatures of 195 - 205 degrees. Never boil or reheat coffee. Serve the beverage as soon as possible, as it will retain optimum flavor and aroma for approximately 30 minutes after brewing. It is preferrable to store brewed coffee in a thermally insulated carafe as opposed to a glass carafe on a hot plate.