Try adjusting either the grind or the amount of coffee you use. It’s important to only change one variable at a time, otherwise you won’t know which change led to your desired taste profile.
Changing the size of the grind can largely influence the taste of your coffee. For all brewing methods, if the coffee tastes bitter, use a coarser grind; if the coffee tastes sour, use a finer grind.
Brewing Methods
To brew your coffee with a home brewer, start out with one that is clean and happily-functioning. Determine how much ground coffee is needed based on how much you plan on brewing – it should be a 1:16 coffee to water ratio.
To brew your coffee with a commercial batch brewer you will need medium-coarse ground coffee and a clean brewer. Check the instruction manual to find out how much you will need for your desired volume of coffee.
To brew your coffee with a French Press you will need 50g of coarsely ground coffee, 28oz of nearly-boiling water, a scale (to measure out what you need), and a timer. The entire brewing process takes about 4 minutes, give or take 30 seconds or so. Preheat your French Press by rinsing it with hot water, and be sure to have a separate serving device ready (or a large mug!) ready to transfer the coffee to as soon as it’s finished brewing.
To brew your coffee using a Kalita 185, you will need 27g of medium/coarse ground coffee, 400g of nearly-boiling water, a scale, and a timer. You will want to rinse the filter with hot water prior to brewing to preheat the equipment and tare the scale to 0g.
To brew your coffee with a Moka Pot you will need 20g of finely ground coffee and 320g of boiling water. Start by pouring the boiling water into the bottom half of the pot, add your coffee to the basket – give it a shake to settle the grounds, and place the basket on top of the bottom portion.
To brew your coffee with a siphon you will need 35g of medium/fine ground coffee, 590g of nearly-boiling water, and a timer.
Coffee beans are like little, hard sponges that absorb odors into their little cells, which also contain the aromatic oils we love. The basic principles of keeping roasted coffee fresh are to keep your coffee away from:
Moisture
Heat
Direct Sunlight
Oxygen (as much as possible)
Odors
A well-sealed, opaque container of coffee on your pantry shelf is the best way to store your coffee, once it has been opened.
We don't recommend storing in the refrigerator. This exposes the coffee beans to the moisture of condensation, which then is sealed into the bag and can make your brew taste like cardboard pretty quickly. Odors also abound in fridges and freezers.
It is all right, though, to freeze well-protected, unopened packs of whole beans for up to a month. When you remove the frozen beans, let them warm to room temperature in your pantry first, then grind and brew within two weeks, as you do with fresh coffee.