How a person enjoys their coffee is subjective, to say the least. Some people prefer coffee with milk, sweetener, flavoring — or all three. Some people prefer to drink their coffee straight black like we do (and recommend). Wherever you land on that spectrum, there are a few basic guidelines to make sure you have the best coffee experience possible, and we'll do our best to walk you through them.
The Basics
Start with freshly roasted and just-ground coffee.
Brew water should be near 200°F, about 20-30 seconds off boil.
Use a gram scale to properly weigh your coffee and water.
Start with a 1:18 brew ratio (1 gram coffee to 18 grams water) and see how you like it.
Store whole bean coffee in an airtight container, out of direct sunlight, and away from heat, cold, and moisture.
The 1:18 Golden Ratio
The Specialty Coffee Association has determined a 1:18 coffee-to-water ratio as the standard ratio for the ideal cup of coffee. That means for every 1 part of coffee, you need 18 parts water. For example, 12 ounces (a good amount of morning coffee) is 340 grams, so by dividing 340 by 18, we find we need 18.8 grams of coffee to brew with 340 grams of water.
"Grams," you say? Yes, grams. The ambiguous "scoop" or tablespoon won't help you brew the best cup of coffee you can.