A pour over is a type of infusion brewing where hot water is poured over ground coffee.
A metal, glass, or ceramic brew basket containing a filter and ground coffee sits above your mug or carafe. Hot water is poured over the ground coffee and brews as it passes through the coffee. The freshly brewed coffee exits the brew basket through perforations in the bottom of the basket and into your mug or carafe with only the help of gravity.
A good starting point for pour over coffee is a 16:1 water-to-coffee ratio (16 grams of water to 1 gram of coffee). However, the ideal ratio ultimately depends on your personal taste preferences. Experiment with ratios ranging from 15:1 to 17:1 to find the perfect water to coffee ratio for your pour over. Keep in mind that other factors, such as grind size and water temperature, can also impact the final taste of your coffee.
Learn more about Coffee to Water Ratio.
You will want to grind your coffee with enough coarseness that the water passes through the grounds within your desired brew time. To achieve this, we recommend a medium grind consistency which feels similar to table salt. Most pour overs use a paper filter. Paper filters produce a very clean cup of coffee because of how well they capture small particles of coffee.
Learn more about coffee grinding on our How to Grind Coffee guide.
Technique is very important when brewing a pour over. Start with a level bed of coffee in your brew basket. To obtain an even extraction, pour your hot water with a gooseneck kettle using circular motions that spiral out from the middle to the outside and back to the middle again. When the brewing is complete, you should see a level bed of coffee in your filter once all the water has drained out.
Keeping your espresso machine clean actually prolongs the life of the machine and preserves the flavor of your espresso. Whether you have an espresso machine with a water tank or one that’s hooked up to a water line, it’s likely you’re using hard water in the machine. Hard water is completely fine to use in an espresso machine, but it can also cause a buildup of minerals to form within the lines–commonly referred to as “limescale.”
Limescale can slowly build up over time and clog water lines in your espresso machine. This actually causes the machine to use more energy as it takes longer to pull water through the machine and heat it. It can even cause your espresso machine to break down, which is a costly and frustrating problem.
Limescale can affect the taste of your espresso as well by dulling the clarity and flavor profiles. Since limescale also inhibits the flow of water through the water lines, it can affect the overall quality of the espresso shots once they are pulled.
What counts as “regular” cleaning depends on how often you use your espresso machine.
If you work in a coffee shop, you should clean your espresso machines at least once a day. If you’re in a high-volume cafe where you’re making hundreds of espresso drinks a day, it’s wise to incorporate a cleaning regimen at least twice a day after each shift.
Home espresso machines are used far less frequently than ones in cafes. As a result, limescale builds up much more slowly than commercial espresso machines. Nevertheless, you should still give your espresso machine a good deep clean at least once a month to keep it in top condition.
To give your espresso machine a thorough clean, you’ll need the following materials:
You’ll need to identify the following parts of your espresso machine so you can clean them correctly.
Follow these steps to thoroughly clean your espresso machine.
Whether you’ve got Cafiza cleaning solution, a different brand, or a homemade cleaning solution, prepare it according to packaging instructions. For example, you can dilute up to two teaspoons of Cafiza powder into a liter of water for a strong cleaning solution.
Remove the portafilter from the group head and remove the basket and portafilter spring. Place these pieces into your diluted cleaning solution. If your portafilter has a wooden or rubber handle, avoid submerging it into the cleaning solution as this could damage the handle.
Take your short-handled flathead screwdriver and remove the dispersion screw holding the group head together. Once you’ve removed the screw, you should be able to remove the screen and access the gasket. Submerge the screw and group screen in your cleaning solution.
Either wet the brush with hot water from the machine or dip it in your cleaning solution and scrub the group head and gasket. Once you’ve finished scrubbing, wipe the group head with your cleaning cloth and rinse it well.
After you’ve scrubbed the group head and cleaned the portafilter, rinse all the pieces well and reassemble them. We recommend hand-tightening the dispersion screw so as not to damage the mesh screen.
Backflushing your espresso machine involves flushing water back through the lines to clean out any residual buildup in the machine. This is an incredibly important step that helps remove limescale and other buildup.
First, insert the blank basket into the portafilter. Then, put about ¼ to ½ a teaspoon of your cleaning powder into the basket. Attach the portafilter to the group head and turn the machine on for ten seconds so the water and cleaning powder can cycle through the machine. Repeat this process five more times to thoroughly backflush your machine.
Once the first backflushing process is complete, remove the portafilter and rinse it thoroughly. Purge the machine of any residual cleaning solution by letting the water run for a few seconds. Give the group head another scrub with a clean espresso brush and wipe it with your cleaning cloth.
Attach the portafilter again and repeat the backflushing process without any cleaning solution. This ensures the pipes are thoroughly rinsed from any residual limescale and cleaning solution. Remove the portafilter and purge the group head one last time to complete this step.
Use your steam wand cleaning solution of choice for this step–we use Rinza. Dilute your cleaning solution according to package instructions in a steaming pitcher. Insert the steam wand into the solution and turn it on to purge the wand and heat the cleaning solution.
Let the wand sit in the cleaning solution for 5-10 minutes before removing it. Wipe the steam wand thoroughly with a clean towel and purge the steam wand again to flush out any remaining cleaning solution.
Give the drip tray a good scrub to remove any buildup from coffee or milk that has dripped down into the tray. Reassemble the drip tray once it has been cleaned.
Don’t forget to clean your espresso grinder so it continues to grind according to your calibration specs. A clean espresso grinder also helps your espresso stay fresh and delicious.
Remove the hopper from the grinding machine. Remember to close the gate on the hopper so your coffee beans don’t spill everywhere!
After you remove the hopper, there are usually beans left over in the top of the grinder. You can spoon these out and place them in an airtight container or you can run the grinder to purge them completely.
Use a shop vacuum to clean out any remaining beans and grounds in the grinder. If you don’t, these could become stale and change the taste of your ground espresso.
You can use coffee grinder cleaning tablets for a deeper clean. You can find and purchase coffee cleaning tablets on most coffee supply websites. Just follow the package instructions when using these cleaning tablets, and be sure to purge the machine with a few coffee beans once complete.
Yes. White vinegar is great for descaling your espresso machine when diluted with water. You should not use pure white vinegar to clean your espresso machine. Just make sure to check your espresso machine’s manual for any specific instructions from the manufacturer before using a vinegar solution. Keep in mind that commercial espresso machine cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to preserve the life of your machine and clean it safely and efficiently.
If you don’t regularly clean and descale your espresso machine, limescale can build up and obstruct the water lines in your machine. This can prevent you from pulling good espresso shots, use more energy than necessary, lengthen the time it takes to pull a shot of espresso, and even damage your machine.
Yes. If you want a natural way to clean your espresso machine, you can use white vinegar or citric acid. Just be sure to dilute these natural cleaners with water so they do not damage your espresso machine. The ideal ratio for a citric acid solution is two tablespoons per quart of water. For vinegar, the ideal ratio is one part vinegar to four parts water–or an equal one-to-one ratio for a stronger solution.
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]]>Latte art is the design made on top of milk-based espresso drinks created by a technique used by baristas. Using a specific pouring technique, baristas make hearts, rosettas, and more out of steamed milk and espresso. Though latte art doesn’t affect the taste of your beverage, it does add an aesthetic experience intended to elevate the enjoyment of the beverage while demonstrating mastery of milk frothing, which does influence the quality of a latte.
Some baristas also utilize latte art stencils when creating latte art. While you can certainly make unique designs with stencils, it’s not quite the same as creating latte art with foam.
Though you can steam any type of dairy or non-dairy milk to create a latte, whole dairy milk is widely preferred when creating latte art. Since whole milk has a high-fat content, it can easily create that silky microfoam perfect for making latte art. Oat milk is a fantastic non-dairy alternative as you can also achieve microfoam when steaming.
Learn more: 8 Best Non-Dairy Milks for Coffee | 5 Best Oatmilks for Coffee
To create latte art, you need to pull a shot of espresso and steam your milk.
You will need:
Your coffee cup size and shape influence how much milk you’ll need to steam for your latte. Cups that are bowl-shaped or as wide as they are tall will make pouring latte art far easier. A 12-ounce steaming pitcher is perfect for 8-ounce drinks or smaller, such as macchiatos or cortados. A 20-ounce steaming pitcher is best for drinks larger than 8 ounces. Our recommendation is to pour the milk about a finger’s width under the spout of the pitcher.
The key is to steam just enough milk to fill the cup and make your art. If you don’t steam enough milk, you might not have enough foam to even make your art. If you steam too much milk, the cup will fill up before you have a chance to create anything and it creates unnecessary waste.
Ready to learn the basics? These are the essential steps to pouring great latte art.
The key to great latte art is perfectly steamed milk. Good steamed milk should be rich with microfoam and mixed evenly–there shouldn’t be separate layers of thick foam and hot milk. Pour the milk about a finger’s width under the spout of the pitcher and submerge the steam wand under the surface of the milk. Turn the steam wand on to introduce air into the milk and begin the steaming process. After a few seconds, further submerge the steam wand so the hot milk and foam can fully combine. The desired texture should remind you of latex paint.
Learn more: How to Steam Milk for a Latte
How you start pouring your steamed milk into your espresso influences the success of your latte art. Tilt the cup with espresso at a 45-degree angle and hold the steaming pitcher high, about 5-6 inches above the cup. Pour the steamed milk into the deepest part of the espresso so that the milk goes under the crema and blends with the espresso. At this step, you are pouring the steamed milk high & slow.
Note: Crema is the caramel-colored foam on top of an espresso shot and is one of the best canvases for latte art. Pouring milk under the crema helps preserve that beautiful color and flavor.
Once your cup is nearly full, draw the pitcher closer to the latte’s surface and bring the cup back to an even angle. Now you’ll begin to pour the milk low & fast. You should see white milk foam gathering on the surface of the latte. Wiggle the pitcher back and forth to spread the milk over a larger area and draw your design.
With the basics mastered, you should be ready to try some of the most popular latte art designs.
The heart is one of the simplest and most popular forms of latte art. Follow the steps above to set up your latte. Once your cup is nearly full, draw your pitcher closer to the surface of the latte and begin to wiggle it back and forth so the foam spreads across the surface. Once it’s nearly covered, create a thinner stream of milk by pulling the pitcher up and through the design. Now, you have a heart!
When you’ve mastered the heart latte art, you’re ready to tackle a rosetta. Making a rosetta on your latte is very similar to making a heart. While shaking the pitcher to cover the surface with foam, you’re going to pull the pitcher back to the edge of the cup. Then, raise the pitcher and pull the milk through the design.
When making a tulip, you’ll actually be pulling up your pitcher to stop the flow of milk. Start as you would when making a heart, but instead of pulling milk through the design, stop pouring. You should have a white circle in the middle of your latte. Start pouring again and you should see the first circle thin out and wrap around the new foam circle. Repeat until the stem is to your liking, then pull a line of milk through the entire design to reveal your tulip.
Making swan latte art might seem intimidating, but if you can master the other latte art techniques, making a swan should be simple. First, make a rosetta out of your steamed milk. Then, without wiggling the pitcher, draw a line of foam into the rosetta and back up again–this is the swan’s neck. Finally, make a small heart for the swan’s head.
We hope this guide has inspired you to start experimenting with latte art for your home brews. Be sure to give these techniques a shot and let us know how it ends up by tagging us on Instagram!
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]]>The fundamental difference between steaming and frothing milk lies in how much air is pulled into the milk. Frothing milk requires a great deal of air to be pulled into the milk while heating it to create lots of bubbles and volume. Steamed milk, on the other hand, pulls less air into the milk while steaming, creating smaller bubbles that form “microfoam” which gives lattes that perfectly velvety mouthfeel.
Whole dairy milk is preferred by baristas far and wide due to its fat content. The high-fat content allows baristas to achieve that silky microfoam that makes a delicious latte. However, whole dairy milk isn’t the only type of milk you can steam or froth. Skim milk can be steamed easily, though it will produce larger foam bubbles than whole milk does.
You can also use alternative milk products such as almond milk, oat milk, and coconut milk. We recommend purchasing brands that make these alternative milk products specifically for baristas as they will steam and foam much better than others.
Learn more: 5 Best Oat Milks for Coffee | 8 Best Non-Dairy Milks for Coffee
Having the right equipment is vital to creating a great latte. Though most coffee shops use professional espresso machines to create your favorite beverages, there are other ways to steam milk at home.
Using an espresso machine with a steam wand is one of the easiest ways to create a latte at home. It’s important to make sure you choose a machine with a steam wand; many home espresso machines only pull shots. Make sure the steam wand has decent pressure so it can heat the milk quickly and produce those microscopic bubbles necessary for good foam.
Learn more: How to Choose a Home Espresso Machine
Espresso machines can be an investment, but thankfully there are other tools you can use to create steamed milk for your coffee. Milk frothing pitchers are a convenient and affordable way to make delicious steamed milk. Similar to electric kettles, all you need to do is pour the milk into the pitcher and turn it to your desired setting.
If you want a less bulky appliance, as well as one that can be used for more than frothing milk, consider purchasing a hand-held frother. These motorized whisks can create velvety foam in minutes and can be stored in a kitchen drawer when you’re done. Keep in mind that you need to heat your milk before using this frother, otherwise you’ll never get the bubbles you’re looking for.
If you’re using an espresso machine or a hand-held frother, make sure you use the right kind of milk steaming pitcher. We recommend using a stainless steel pitcher with a handle so you don’t scald yourself while steaming the milk. Use a 12-ounce pitcher for drinks that are 8 ounces or smaller; otherwise, use a 20-ounce pitcher for any drinks larger than 8 ounces. The extra space ensures the milk stays in the pitcher and doesn’t splash while frothing.
The first step to steaming milk is to pour cold milk into your steaming pitcher. Remember, steamed milk increases in volume, so you’ll need to use less than you think. As a general rule, you should pour the milk about a finger’s width under the spout.
Submerge the tip of the steam wand just under the surface of the milk and turn the steam wand on. The steam wand will introduce air into the milk to help create bubbles and volume. This step only takes a few brief seconds, at most, to introduce the right amount of air into the milk.
If using a handheld frother, the method is very similar. Dip the tip of the frother just under the surface to introduce air into the milk. It may take up to a minute to notice an increase in volume with this method.
Move the steam wand further under the surface of the milk until it creates a “whirlpool” effect with the milk. This step is incredibly important as it not only steams the rest of the milk but also evenly distributes the foam. You can also create the whirlpool effect with a handheld frother using this technique.
If your steam wand does not have preset temperatures, you’ll need to monitor how warm your milk is getting while being steamed. Cup your hand around your steaming pitcher to feel the temperature of the milk, and stop steaming once the pitcher becomes almost too hot to touch–right around 140F. Remember, stop the steam wand before you move the pitcher. Otherwise, the steam wand will spray hot milk everywhere!
Once the steam wand has been turned off, remove the pitcher. Use a damp cloth to clean any leftover milk from the steam wand. You’ll want to do this quickly, as hot milk can cool and dry solidly to the steam wand and be incredibly difficult to clean off. Turn the steam wand on for a few seconds to purge condensation and milk residue, and turn it off once more. Remember, keep your hands away from the steam wand or you will be scalded.
Once you’ve finished steaming, it’s time to pour the milk into your coffee! Start high when pouring, about six inches above the cup, to ensure the steamed milk fully incorporates with the coffee or espresso in the cup.
Here are some things to keep in mind when steaming milk. Avoid these common mistakes to ensure you make perfect foam every time.
Pulling air into steamed milk is a very quick process, taking only a few seconds to create that perfect texture. If you take longer, you’ll create larger bubbles that will weigh down your milk and ruin your foam. If you do like your milk on the foamy side, you should pull air for five seconds at most before fully submerging the steam wand.
Remember to pull air into the milk first before completely submerging the steam wand into the milk. Trying to make foam with a steam wand after the milk is warm is much more difficult than doing so at the start of the process.
Heating the milk too much breaks down the foam you worked hard to create and it also doesn’t taste very good. Be mindful of the temperature of the milk as you’re steaming it. Remember, stop steaming when the pitcher is almost too hot to touch, about 140F.
The steam wand itself on an espresso machine is incredibly hot, and so is the steam it produces. Be sure not to touch the steam wand directly with your hand, especially when it’s on.
Pour your steamed milk as soon as you’re done. Otherwise, the foam will separate from the milk as it cools and won’t incorporate well with your coffee or espresso.
We hope this guide has given you the knowledge and confidence you need to steam milk at home. No matter your preferred roast or blend, milk preference, or drink style, we’re sure you’ll be able to craft the perfect latte or cappuccino at home using this milk steaming guide.
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]]>“Dialing in espresso” refers to adjusting your parameters to render a fantastic tasting espresso. The parameters include the amount of coffee, the grind size, the brew time, and the amount of coffee brewed also known as yield.
Espresso is ground fine, but not extra fine. It tends to have a consistency similar to ground cinnamon. When dialing in your espresso grind, you will want to make micro adjustments as the slightest change in grind can render drastic change in flavor.
Learn more about coffee grinding on our How to Grind Coffee guide.
There are many recipes for espresso, but they all have an underlying structure: dose, yield, and time. Dose is the amount of coffee used. Yield is the total output of liquid. And time is how long it takes to reach the yield. For reference, here are some traditional espresso recipes and their names.
Name | Dose | Yield | Time |
Espresso | 14g | 28g | 20-30 seconds |
Doppio | 19g | 38g | 20-30 seconds |
Single ristretto | 14g | 20g | 20-30 seconds |
Double ristretto | 19g | 30g | 20-30 seconds |
Lungo | 14g | 38g | 35 seconds |
“Normale”, “ristretto”, “lungo”, and “doppio” are all Italian names that refer to volume-based recipes of espresso. Normale, or normal, is your typical shot of espresso. Ristretto translates to restricted, which means you’re using a normal dose of coffee but the shot yields less. Lungo translates to long and refers to an espresso with a lower dose with a higher yield over an extended time. And Doppio translates to double, meaning a double espresso.
Times have changed and instead of the emphasis being on volume, we’re now interested in extraction. Extraction is the magical ratio of coffee, water, and time. Modern cafes are less restricted to tradition and are now exploring their own espresso recipes.
Learn more: Coffee to Water Ratio: The Ulimate Guide to Brewing Ratios
After years of dialing in espresso, here is the recipe we use in all our Methodical cafes. When added to milk, we believe it renders the best flavor. For reference, our espresso with milk beverages come in 3 sizes: 4.5oz (cortado), 6oz (cappuccino), and 12oz (latte).
Dose | Yield | Time |
18g | 36g | 32 seconds |
When adjusting your parameters to dial in a better tasting espresso, it’s best to adjust them one at a time. Otherwise, you won’t know exactly what is affecting the change in flavor. We recommend keeping your recipe the same (dose, yield, and time), and focusing on your grind size. If you’re finding your shots pull way too fast where you’re meeting your yield far before your time, your coffee is ground too coarse. If you’re finding it pulls far past time, your coffee is too fine. Make micro adjustments to your grind size to not overcompensate the other direction.
Your recipe is not the only indicator that something is off. Train your palate to decipher bitterness and sourness to dial in your espresso.
If you’re finding your espresso tasting bitter, sharp or pungent, then your coffee is over extracted. The best way to adjust for bitterness is to coarsen your grind while still ensuring you’re meeting the parameters of your recipe.
If your coffee is tasting sour, overly citrusy like lemons, then your coffee is under extracted. Adjust your grind to be finer to allow more coffee to be extracted as it pulls.
Because espresso is so exact, it’s a good idea to consistently evaluate your recipe and grind. In our cafes, we check the espresso many times throughout the day. Humidity is a big contributor to throwing off your recipe. As the day warms and humidity changes, or as the weather changes, so can the espresso. Though you may not be pulling as many shots as a barista in a day, it’s not a bad idea to check how your shots are pulling every day.
There is nothing different about coffee that is labeled “espresso”. It simply means the coffee blend and its roast level was done with the intention of it being used on espresso. But you can use any coffee on espresso or even brew “espresso” coffee in your coffee maker. Something to keep in mind is if you are making milk-based beverages, it’s best to use a more developed, or darker, coffee so it’s not lost in the milk. Lighter and more delicate coffees don’t stand up well in a milk-based beverage.
Learn more: Light Roast, Medium Roast, Dark Roast: What’s the Difference?
Our line of blends was developed with espresso in mind. Late Night is our darkest blend for those who enjoy a dark, but not over-roasted, flavor. Belly Warmer is roasted slightly less than Late Night. Blue Boy and Play Nice fall right in the middle having plenty of body with nuance. And Pink Lady carries more fruit forward tones while still holding its own in milk. But also, try any of our single origin coffees on espresso and find what you like most.
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]]>Espresso is very concentrated coffee. It’s produced by a machine that pushes pressurized hot water through a puck of finely ground coffee to produce a serving size of around .75oz to 2oz in a 2:1 ratio of water to coffee. Espresso is instantly recognizable not only by its serving size, but by the layer of cream colored microfoam that naturally forms at its surface called crema. Espresso is not a type of coffee bean. Though you’ll find bags of coffee with “espresso” written on them, you can use any coffee to brew espresso.
Espresso is simply a method for brewing coffee. But what you get when you order a coffee all depends on where you are in the world. In some parts of the world, like the US, when you order a coffee the barista will assume you’re referring to a coffee that was brewed on a batch brewer with a paper filter where the water to coffee ratio is around 15:1. But in other parts of the world, like in Italy, the barista will assume you’re referring to espresso when you order a coffee because in that culture, espresso is the dominant way to consume and enjoy coffee.
If you’ve ever looked under the hood of an espresso machine, it may look similar to what’s under the hood of your car—tubes, wires, and gauges running everywhere. The purpose of all those parts is to simply push a small amount of precisely pressurized and temperature controlled hot water through finely ground coffee.
Every espresso machine contains some type of water pump that pulls water from its reservoir, or its direct water source, and into its boiler. Higher-grade espresso machines contain 2 water boilers, one for brewing the coffee and the other for steaming milk, whereas lower-grade machines contain one boiler to serve both operations. The water is held at temperature and pressure within the boiler and is released to the group head where it meets the coffee, or to the steam wand to froth and heat your milk. The pressure of the water when it meets the coffee within the group head is typically 9 bars (9 times the atmospheric pressure found at sea level). The group head contains the portafilter which is basically a perforated metal basket that contains the ground coffee. The portafilter has a handle that allows the barista to easily insert and remove the portafilter without burning their hand.
If you’re interested in purchasing an espresso maker, check out our guide to home espresso makers.
For espresso, the ideal ratio of water to coffee is 2:1. This means 2 parts of water to 1 part of coffee. This is very concentrated coffee. Which is why espresso is often added to milk to dilute it. The ratio of espresso to milk is where we get all the lovely Italian names such as macchiato, cortado, cappuccino, or latte. There’s not a whole lot of difference between these drinks other than the ratio of milk to espresso.
Learn more about coffee to water ratios.
Espresso is not the finest grind you’ll find when brewing coffee. Espresso grind is far finer than you’d grind for brewing a pour over, but it’s less fine than brewing Turkish coffee. If coffee is ground too fine, the water will create channels through the espresso and your espresso will not taste great. We recommend a fine grind that can feel like ground cinnamon.
Learn more about coffee grinding on our How to Grind Coffee guide.
Learn more: How to Pull a Shot of Espresso
]]>A shaken iced coffee brews a hot concentrated pour over that gets shaken in a cocktail shaker with ice. The shaking introduces micro bubbles into the coffee that gives it the appearance and mouthfeel of an ice cold beer.
A pour over brew basket containing a filter and ground coffee sits above a carafe. Hot water is poured over the ground coffee and brews as it passes through the coffee. The freshly brewed coffee concentrate exits the brew basket into your carafe. The hot coffee is poured into a cocktail shaker full of ice and immediately shaken just like your favorite cocktail. The mixture is strained into a cup with a cocktail strainer and best enjoyed immediately.
Because the ice in the cocktail shaker will dilute the coffee, we’re brewing a coffee concentrate. We recommend a water to coffee ratio of 10:1. This means 1 gram of coffee to 10 grams of water. After brewed, we’ll shake the coffee with ice but we’re not measuring the ice in the shaker.
Learn more about water to coffee ratios.
You will want to grind your coffee with enough coarseness that the water passes through the grounds within your desired brew time. To achieve this, we recommend a medium grind consistency which feels similar to table salt. Most pour overs use a paper filter. Paper filters produce a very clean cup of coffee because of how well they capture small particles of coffee.
Learn more about coffee grinding on our How to Grind Coffee guide.
This method brews a coffee concentrate. When we add the coffee to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, the heat will melt the ice creating a proper dilution. To start, pre-rinse your coffee filter and dump the water out. Add your ground coffee, tare your scale, and start your timer.
An iced pour over is a method to brew an iced coffee by brewing hot coffee over ice.
A pour over brew basket containing a filter and ground coffee sits above a carafe filled with ice. Hot water is poured over the ground coffee and brews as it passes through the coffee. The freshly brewed coffee exits the brew basket and over the ice in your carafe. The ice cools the coffee while also diluting the brewed coffee to a proper coffee to water ratio.
Because we’re brewing over ice, the brewed coffee will be diluted from the ice melting. So we’ll brew a coffee concentrate. We recommend a coffee to water to ice ratio of 1:10:6. This means 1 gram of coffee to 10 grams of water and 6 grams of ice. At the end, we’ll pour the coffee into a glass filled with ice but we’re not measuring the ice we're puting in that glass.
Learn more about coffee to water ratios.
You will want to grind your coffee with enough coarseness that the water passes through the grounds within your desired brew time. To achieve this, we recommend a medium grind consistency which feels similar to table salt. Most pour overs use a paper filter. Paper filters produce a very clean cup of coffee because of how well they capture small particles of coffee.
Learn more about coffee grinding on our How to Grind Coffee guide.
This method brews hot coffee over ice to make an iced pour over coffee. The recipe already takes into account dilution from the ice melting when the hot coffee hits it. To get started, add 170g of ice to a carafe and set your pour over basket on top. Add your filter but don’t pre-rinse it, or if you’d like, rinse it over the sink to avoid melting your ice. Add your ground coffee and make sure the coffee bed is flat. Tare your scale and start your timer.
Automatic coffee makers simulate a large pour over by pouring hot water over ground coffee within a brew basket and into a carafe. Every automatic coffee maker has 4 key parts: a reservoir, shower head, brew basket, and carafe.
We recommend a water to coffee ratio of 17:1. This translates to about 10 grams of coffee for every cup of coffee.
We recommend a medium grind with a consistency similar to table salt. Your brewer may overflow if the coffee is ground too fine. Conversely, your coffee will under extract if ground too coarse.
Learn more about coffee grinding on our How to Grind Coffee guide.
Invented in 1941 by Peter Schlumbohm, the Chemex is an hourglass-shaped glass carafe with a wooden collar. Its iconic shape allows it to hold a folded paper coffee filter without any additional hardware. And its iconic wooden collar is designed to prevent you from burning your hand while pouring.
The Chemex brews by infusion similar to a pour over. The thick paper filter sets within the Chemex by leaving it folded but pulling one sheet from the other 3, forming a cone. Ground coffee is added to the filter and hot water is gently and evenly poured over the coffee for several minutes. As the water dissolves the solluables of the coffee, it passes through the filter and into the bottom of the carafe producing a clean and smooth cup of coffee.
We recommend a water to coffee ratio of 16:1. This means 16 grams of water for every gram of coffee. To calculate how much coffee you need, weigh the amount of water you want to brew and divide that by 16. That will give you the amount of coffee to grind.
Learn more about coffee to water ratios.
We recommend a medium to coarse grind with a consistency similar to sea salt. The finer the grind, the longer it will take for the water to work through the ground coffee lengthening your brew time and potentially over extracting the coffee.
Learn more about coffee grinding on our How to Grind Coffee guide.
By inverting the Aeropress, you’re able to brew by immersion—letting the coffee and water sit together for a period of time before plunging the coffee into your mug.
The plunger is backed nearly all the way out of the cylinder and set upside down. Coffee and water is added inside the cylinder and allowed to brew. Once brewed, the filter and basket is screwed on and the Aeropress is set right side up on top of the mug and plunged.
We recommend a water to coffee ratio of 15:1. This means 15 grams of water for every gram of coffee. Since the Aeropress doesn’t yield a large amount of liquid (275g) this will brew a nice rich cup of coffee.
Learn more about coffee to water ratios.
We recommend a medium to fine grind with a consistency similar to table salt. Keep in mind that a coarser grind will make the plunge easier, whereas a finer grind will make the plunge more difficult.
Learn more about coffee grinding on our How to Grind Coffee guide.
A french press is an immersion coffee brewing device. The french press produces a rich and creamy cup by allowing the oils and superfine coffee particles through its metal filter and into your cup of coffee.
Ground coffee and hot water is added to the carafe, and when the coffee is brewed and ready to pour, the plunger is pushed down, trapping the ground coffee at the bottom of the carafe, allowing the brewed coffee to be easily poured into your cup.
We recommend a water to coffee ratio of 16:1 to 12:1 depending on the coffee and your preference. This means 16 grams of water for every gram of coffee. To calculate how much coffee you need, weigh the amount of water you want to brew and divide that by 16. That will give you the amount of coffee to grind.
Learn more about coffee to water ratio.
Because the metal filter allows superfine coffee particles to pass into your cup, you’ll want to grind your coffee a bit more coarse to reduce the amount of sediment in your cup. This grind consistency should be similar to coarse sea salt.
Learn more about coffee grinding on our How to Grind Coffee guide.
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