Find the sweet spot
Brewing extracts flavour from coffee. Bright, acidic notes tend to come through first, followed by sweetness, then bitterness. Aim for the sweet middle and use taste to guide small adjustments.
Method · Ratio · Time · Temperature
BREW GUIDESBREW GUIDES
at home comes down to a few basics: how much coffee you use, how much water, how fine you grind and how long you brew. These guides cover each one, starting with ratio, because it makes the biggest difference to how your cup tastes. Ratio is simply coffee to water by weight, so 1:16 means 1g of coffee for every 16g of water.
Each method comes with a starting recipe, not a fixed rule. Use it as a baseline, then adjust to your taste. A set of scales will help you brew more consistently, but you don't need one to get started, especially with an AeroPress or moka pot.
Method · Ratio · Time · Temperature
THE FUNDAMENTALS
A few basics for a better cup
Start with the ratio
A ratio of 1:16 means 1g of coffee for every 16g of water. For filter coffee, start around 1:15–1:17. More coffee makes a stronger brew; more water makes it lighter. Scales help, but the AeroPress scoop and brewer markings are useful too.
Grind, temperature & time
A finer grind extracts faster; a coarser grind extracts more slowly. Aim for an even grind, ideally from a burr grinder. Water around 90–96°C suits most methods: try the hotter end for lighter roasts and the cooler end for darker roasts. Grind and brew time work together.
Use good water
Water makes up most of your cup. Very hard water can mute flavour and leave scale in your equipment, so try filtered or bottled water if your tap water is hard. Volvic is one widely available bottled option to try.
Choose your preparation method
POUR OVER brew guide
- Starting recipe
- About 1:16 · e.g. 15g/250g · 90–94°C · 3–4 min
- Grind
- Start at medium; adjust for the brewer, taste and drawdown time.
- What you need
- Pour-over brewer and filter, kettle and timer. Scales help; a gooseneck kettle gives more control.
Start with about 1 part coffee to 16 parts water, for example 15g coffee to 250g water. Heat water to 90–94°C. Different brewers drain at different rates, so treat this as a starting point.
Start with a medium grind and adjust to taste and drawdown time. Rinse the filter to remove papery flavours and warm the brewer and mug.
Add the ground coffee and make a small hollow in the centre of the bed.
Start a timer and pour about twice the coffee's weight in water to bloom it. Wait 30–45 seconds, then add the remaining water in 2–3 steady pours.
Let the coffee drain. Around 3–4 minutes is a useful guide, but the brewer and grind affect the timing.
If the cup tastes sour or thin, or drains quickly, try a finer grind. If it tastes bitter or harsh, or drains slowly, try a coarser grind. If the taste is good but the coffee is too strong or weak, adjust the ratio. Change one thing at a time.
ROASTERY
What having our own roastery means to us..
Having our own roastery means we can control every step of the coffee journey, from sourcing green beans to perfecting each roast. It lets us deliver the freshest, most flavourful coffee to our cafés and customers, while reducing waste and cutting emissions. Roasting in our Stillorgan church-turned-roastery isn't just about quality, it's about staying true to our values of sustainability, community, and craft.
Our sustainability journey
We believe great coffee shouldn't come at the cost of the planet. That's why we're committed to sustainable sourcing, compostable or recyclable packaging, and minimizing our carbon footprint every step of the way. From working with responsible growers to reducing waste in our production and delivery processes, we're constantly looking for ways to do better — for your cup and the earth.
LEARN MORE