Brewing

Getting the most from the coffees we list: resting, ratios and grind, and a starting recipe for each brewer.

• Resting coffee after roasting: Why fresh-roasted coffee needs a few days before it tastes its best, how long to wait for filter and espresso, and how to read a roast date.
• Ratio, grind and time: The brew ratio explained, with a calculator, plus how grind size, water temperature and brew time work together and how to fix a cup that tastes sour or bitter.
• V60 pour-over: A starting V60 recipe (15 g coffee, 250 g water, about three minutes), step by step, with how to adjust it and which coffees suit a pour-over.
• AeroPress: A forgiving AeroPress recipe (15 g coffee, 200 g water, two minutes), step by step, with how to adjust it.
• French press: A French press method that makes a clean, full-bodied cup without the sludge: 30 g coffee, 500 g water, a long steep and a gentle pour.
• Espresso: A starting espresso recipe (18 g in, 36 to 40 g out, 25 to 32 seconds), how to dial in a new coffee, and why light roasts need different numbers.