Brewing Coffee

Consider the many steps involved in getting the coffee beans ready to finally brew. Growing, picking, sorting, processing, packaging, shipping, and roasting. Even if all that is done perfectly, if the brewing is not done well, the resulting cup of coffee will not live up to its potential. Here are a few considerations to ensure you brew what is to you, amazing coffee!

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First, a quick editorial about "good coffee." There is no single perfect coffee. Only you can decide what has the aroma and flavor that appeals to you. Everything we offer, from our bean types, to our roasts and brewing guidelines, are to help you find that amazing coffee drinking experience! 

Always grind the coffee fresh prior to brewing. Once ground, coffee immediately begins losing flavor and aroma. You want to enjoy all that aroma and flavor! As for grinders, a conical burr grinder provides a more uniform grind than a blade. The size of the grounds impacts how the coffee flavor is extracted so you want good control over the size and a nice uniform grind. Each brewing technique suggests a grind level, but feel free to adjust to your taste. A little finer grind will add to the strength while a coarser grind will mellow it out. Likewise adding more coffee for a given amount of water will make it stronger and using a little less will make it weaker. 

Again, there is no single, perfect recipe when making coffee. What matters most is that you enjoy the resulting aroma and flavor of your freshly brewed cup!

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French Press: Pour some hot water into your French press to heat it up. Discard the water. Grind your favorite Tandala whole bean coffee to a coarse ground. Add approximately one tablespoon of ground coffee for every 5 oz. cup. Pour roughly a third to one half of your hot water evenly over the grounds. This is called the bloom. Let it sit for 30 seconds. Continue to pour remaining water into the press. Now let it brew for 4:00.  After the 4 minutes is up, depress the plunger slowly. Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy or into a thermal cup to maintain.

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Drip: Fresh grind your favorite Tandala whole bean coffee to a medium ground. Add a tablespoon of coffee per 5 oz. cup. A little more with some brewers can improve results due to the water being in contact with the coffee for a shorter period with some brewers.  Add fresh water to the machine and brew per the manufacturers instructions. For best results, I recommend a brewer that performs a pre-infusion. i.e the bloom. Also, check to ensure it delivers water at 195-205°F**.

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Chemex: Grind your favorite Tandala whole bean coffee to a medium coarse ground. Place the filter in the Chemex brewer with the thicker portion over the spout. Add approximately one rounded tablespoon of ground coffee for every 5 oz. cup. A little more if you like your coffee stronger. Pour heated water (~205°F, or cooled just below a boil**) onto grounds until just soaked. Let it sit for 30-45 seconds. Continue to pour remaining water. Remove filter and toss it. Give the coffee a swirl, pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!  FYI - The Chemex is a Tandala favorite!

**Note on Elevation: At higher elevations the boiling point of water is quite a bit lower. So, if brewing in the Rockies at 8,000', where water boils at roughly 197 deg., you can pour immediately from a boil. You may also experiment with a little more coffee or a slightly finer grind to compensate for the lower temperature and resulting reduced extraction.