Prepare for Launch
RetroRocket Tips
Start with clean equipment - regularly clean your brewing device so there is no leftover coffee grounds or oils as this affects the flavor of your next cup of coffee.
Get a scale - it will help you recreate that great cup of coffee over and over again.
Purchase whole coffee beans that have been roasted no more than 3 weeks before purchase date.
Grind coffee beans just before you brew to get the most flavor out of your coffee.
Store coffee beans in an airtight container, room temperature
Nerd Alert
A Bit About Brewing
Coffee is a delicate beverage. Everything, from where it comes from, how it is roasted to how it is brewed affects and changes the flavor. A few things to note when brewing coffee: Follow a recipe; Just like baking bread, you’ll want to measure out how much of what ingredients you use so you can refine and repeat. Things that will be a part of your recipe list include type of coffee, water, the brew ratio, grind size, and brew method.
There are endless ways to customize your coffee to make it just the way you like it. In the end, Ground Beans + Water = Cup O’ Joe. So don’t stress! Have fun experimenting and creating recipes that you like best.
Seventeen to One
Brew Ratio
The brew ratio is the ratio of water to coffee when making coffee. A good median brew ratio is 17 gram of water to 1 gram of coffee. This is a general guide and you can adjust this ratio based on the type of coffee you are using, your brew method and, of course, your personal preference. To give you an idea of how ratios affect flavor, a 10:1 ratio would be thick cowboy coffee, whereas a 20:1 ration would be extremely weak. Try to shoot in between that and find what recipe you like best. The way you brew your coffee (your brew method) will also determine your brew ratio.
To calculate brew ratio: Say you are going to do a 18:1 ratio (18 grams of water to 1 gram of coffee). figure out how much coffee you are brewing first (how much water will fill your vessel); For example: an average size french press is 34 oz; 34 oz = 964 g; Divide 964 by 18 (which = 54 g); So you’ll need 964 g of water and 54 g of coffee.
Feeling Fine
Grind Size
The finer or coarser your coffee is ground has a big impact on the quality of your cup of coffee. If your grind is finer (like fine sand), the water will pass more slowly through the coffee grounds, taking a longer time to finish brewing. If you grind your coffee coarse (like extra coarse peppercorns), the water will pass through fast, speeding up the process. We also provide recommendations for grind size in our Brew Methods section to help you.
If your coffee is tasting bland and bitter, it may be over-extracted (the grind size is too fine); if your coffee is sour or salty it may be under-extracted (the grind size is too coarse). Adjust one variable at a time. Start with the grind size and try to brew your coffee within the time recommended for that method. If after you change the grind size and it is still not brewing at the recommended time, you may then want to adjust the brew ratio—add a little more coffee if it is done too soon, or a little less if it has gone too long.
