KEEP IT SIMPLE

Home brewing GUIDE

Don't panic. 

Great coffee at home should be easy, enjoyable and delicious – you don't even need fancy kit.

We built this guide to help you make awesome coffee using simple and fun methods.

Look for 'Advanced' notes in each section if you want to get more detailed with things.

Getting started

  1. 01 Use rested coffee Coffee is at its best around 11 days after roasting. Freshly roasted coffee is still releasing CO₂ from the roast, so brewing it too soon is sub-optimal. Letting it rest helps it brew more evenly and reach its full flavour.
  2. 02 Freshly ground Grind as close to brewing as possible. Reputable suppliers usually grind for you if you're without a grinder.
  3. 03 Pre-warm your kit Preheat your cups and pots before brewing. A splash of hot water, a swirl, and let it steam through.
  4. 04 Focus on taste Take a moment to really taste your brew, and look out for sour or bitter notes. Wash the coffee over your tongue to cover your taste buds.

    See our taste guide below ↓
  5. 05 Not quite boiling Use water just off the boil. Let the kettle sit for a moment after it clicks off.

Brew guides

Espresso
Method 01

Espresso

For anyone with an espresso machine at home. This is how we pull our Pearl Blend.

You'll need

Espresso machine, a grinder (or coffee ground for espresso), a tamper, a timer, your cup

Recipe
Coffee
A double basket, levelled
Grind
Fine
Shot
A double
Time
About 30 seconds
Advanced

Our exact Pearl Blend recipe:

  • Dose: 18g of ground coffee
  • Yield: 36g of espresso in the cup
  • Time: 32 seconds
  • Ratio: 1:2

Weigh the coffee into the basket, then stand your cup on the scales and stop the shot when it reaches 36g.

Brew it with SAPHI Pearl Espresso
Method
  1. Warm everything up: turn the machine on and run some hot water through the handle (portafilter) and into your cup.
  2. Grind your coffee fine and fill the basket. Level it off, then press it down firmly and evenly (tamp).
  3. Lock the handle in and brew a double shot. It should take about 30 seconds.
Taste & tweak

A finer grind pours slower; a coarser grind pours quicker.

  • Sour? Grind finer.
  • Bitter? Grind coarser.
French press
Method 02

French press

Full-bodied and rich. The easiest way to start. Makes about two mugs; for a smaller press, halve everything.

You'll need

French press, kettle, tablespoon

Recipe
Coffee
6 level tablespoons
Water
600ml, just off the boil
Grind
Medium-coarse
Time
4 min + 4 min
Advanced

Our exact recipe, using scales:

  • Coffee: 30g, ground medium-coarse
  • Water: 600g, just off the boil
  • Ratio: 1:20

Stand the press on the scales and zero them. Add the coffee, zero again, then pour in the water. Use a timer for the two 4-minute waits.

Method
  1. Add 6 level tablespoons of medium-coarse ground coffee to the press.
  2. Pour in 600ml of water, just off the boil.
  3. Give it one stir.
  4. Put the lid on, but don't plunge yet.
  5. Wait 4 minutes.
  6. Plunge slowly.
  7. Wait another 4 minutes.
  8. Pour and enjoy.
Moka pot
Method 03

Moka pot

Strong, rich stovetop coffee. No scales needed.

You'll need

Moka pot, kettle, a towel or oven mitt

Recipe
Coffee
Fill the basket, levelled
Water
Just boiled, up to the valve
Grind
Medium-fine
Heat
Low, lid open
Method
  1. Bring water to the boil, then take it off the heat.
  2. Pour it into the bottom chamber, up to the safety valve.
  3. Put the basket in and fill it to the top with medium-fine ground coffee. Level it off, but don't press it down.
  4. Screw the top on, using a towel or oven mitt. The base will be hot.
  5. Put it on a low heat with the lid open.
  6. When the coffee is flowing steadily, watch for it to turn pale and start to sputter, then take it off the heat straight away.
AeroPress
Method 04

AeroPress

A clean, smooth single mug.

You'll need

AeroPress, paper filter, kettle

Recipe
Coffee
1 heaped AeroPress scoop
Water
200ml, hot
Grind
Medium-fine
Time
2½ minutes, then press
Advanced

Our exact recipe, using scales:

  • Coffee: 13g, ground medium-fine
  • Water: 200g
  • Ratio: about 1:15

Stand your mug and AeroPress on the scales to weigh the coffee and water, and use a timer for the 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

Method
  1. Put a paper filter in the cap and attach it to the chamber. No need to rinse.
  2. Stand it on your mug and add 1 heaped scoop of medium-fine ground coffee (the scoop comes in the box).
  3. Pour in 200ml of hot water.
  4. Put the plunger in at the top and pull it up slightly to make a seal. Leave it for 2 minutes.
  5. Holding the mug, chamber and plunger together, give it a gentle swirl.
  6. Leave it for another 30 seconds.
  7. Press down gently, and keep pushing all the way through the hiss.
A beginner’s guide

Finding a balanced taste

Achieving a balanced coffee flavour is a bit like mixing a gin and tonic or orange squash. Get the amounts (and times) right and you'll achieve a balanced flavour. The goal is simply to brew it just enough, so your coffee lands in the 'balanced' sweet spot.

Under-brewed, and it tastes sour. Over-brewed, and it tastes bitter. Just right, and it tastes balanced: you'll get the intended flavour of the coffee.

Use the slider below to see the different tastes you might experience, and how to correct them.

Taste Brew time Sour(Under-extracted) Balanced Bitter(Over-extracted)

Follow the recipe for your brewing method. If it still doesn’t taste right, adjust one thing at a time, so you know what made the difference.

QC Cupping
Method 05Advanced

QC Cupping

Cupping is the simplest way to brew: just ground coffee and hot water in a cup, done the same way every time. Professionals use it to check quality, because with no machines, filters or technique to get in the way, all you taste is the coffee itself. This is the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) method.

You'll need

Scales, a thermometer or temperature-control kettle, a timer, a SAPHI cup (or any 150ml cup) for each coffee, two spoons, a glass of hot water for rinsing

Recipe
Coffee
8.25g per cup
Water
150g at about 93°C
Ratio
About 1:18
Grind
Slightly coarser than filter
Break
At 4 minutes
Taste
From about 70°C, as it cools
Method
  1. Weigh 8.25g of each coffee and grind it slightly coarser than for filter. Pour the water within 15 minutes of grinding. Smell the dry grounds.
  2. Stand each cup on the scales, start a timer and pour 150g of water at about 93°C, filling to the brim. Make sure all the grounds are wet.
  3. Leave it alone for 4 minutes. A crust of grounds will form on top.
  4. At 4 minutes, break the crust: with your nose close to the cup, gently push the crust back with a spoon and stir 3 times. This is when the aroma is strongest.
  5. Use two spoons to scoop off the foam and floating grounds.
  6. Start tasting once it's cooled to about 70°C, roughly 8 to 10 minutes from when you poured.
  7. Take a spoonful and slurp it hard, so it sprays across your tongue. Rinse your spoon between cups.
  8. Keep tasting as it cools to room temperature. Flavours change, and often get sweeter.
  9. Professionals cup five cups of each coffee to check they all taste the same, and score each one as they go.
What to taste for
  • Flavour: what does it remind you of? Chocolate, fruit, nuts?
  • Sweetness: how sweet is it?
  • Acidity: is it bright and juicy, or soft and mellow?
  • Body: does it feel light or heavy in your mouth?
  • Aftertaste: what's left once you've swallowed?