5 tips to get the most from your coffee

1. Buy small amounts

Buy only small amounts of freshly roasted beans (no more than a week’s supply) and keep them in an airtight container somewhere dark and cool (but not in the fridge). It’ll prevent your coffee tasting stale.

2. Grind accurately

For the best flavour, grind only what you need just before you make your coffee, setting the grind size (coarse, fine, or something in between) to suit your brewing device. Use a burr (rather than blade) grinder so all your coffee is ground (and extracts) evenly. Otherwise, have your local roastery grind it fresh when you buy.

3. Preheat your equipment

To prevent a cold cuppa, preheat your mug (and brewing device, if possible). This is key if you’re using a slower soft brewing method such as pour over (filter/dripper).

4. Let boiled water cool slightly

Use water that’s a few degrees below boiling point. That’ll prevent your coffee being overly bitter through being extracted too suddenly.

5. Bloom the coffee for soft brew

If you’re using a filter/dripper or plunger type device, pour in just enough water to wet the grinds at first, waiting 30 seconds or so for the initial gasses to be released. This is “blooming”. It’ll mean the remaining water poured through has better contact with the coffee to extract maximum flavour.