brewing methods

Plunger coffee
Use medium- to coarsely-ground coffee. Use water that is just off the boil, between 95 - 105 degrees celcius .

Always pour just a little water on the coffee first, to let the grounds 'bloom.' Fresh coffee will bubble up, as gas is released. The damp coffee grounds will then infuse more evenly when the rest of the water is added. Keep the grounds wet. Stir, wait a minute, stir again, and push the plunger down. Don't wait more than three minutes: longer steeping will over-extract coffee from the grounds, and the coffee will get bitter.

Dripolator

The drip method of brewing can make excellent coffee if you use gold or nylon permanent filters. Permanent filters allow the flavour molecules to pass through without adding unwanted flavours (assuming you clean the filters after each brew). Paper filters can leave a papery taste in the coffee. If you do use paper filters, rinse them with warm water before brewing, to rinse out some of the impurities.

Use a medium to fine grind for your electric or pour-over dripolator. Monjava's drip grind is designed to give the best tasting cup for this type of brew.

Whether you are brewing coffee in a coffeemaker or by the cup, a large quantity or small, use the same proportion of ground coffee to water. Don't skimp.

Espresso
Grind is important to good coffee, but it's crucial to espresso. If you use too coarse a grind the coffee will be thin and weak; use too fine a grind and the coffee will be over-extracted and bitter (some of the water may not come through at all). Using a burr or conical grinder is strongly recommended if you have an espresso machine.

An espresso should take 20 to 25 seconds to extract in most machines with a good pump. As the espresso flows into the cup, there should be caramel-brown layer ('crema') on top. After the good-tasting soluble solids are extracted the liquid flowing from the filter will become whitish-brown. Stop immediately - this fluid tastes awful!

A fully extracted, properly prepared espresso is 30 mls which is about the size of a shot glass or about half a small demitasse cup. Forcing more water through the grounds will give it a bitter taste. Properly made espresso is strong, but not bitter. If you prefer it weaker, add hot water or hot milk.