Brewing Guide

You bought really good coffee. Don't blow it. Here's how I brew this stuff at home.

What you'll need

  • A V60 or a Clever Dripper
  • A burr grinder — don't use pre-ground
  • A kitchen scale
  • A kettle (gooseneck if you have one, for the V60)
  • Filtered water — not distilled, not straight tap
  • Paper filter for your dripper

The recipe

Same ratio for both methods. Just adjust the grind.

  • 15g whole-bean coffee
  • 240g water at 96°C / 205°F
  • Grind: medium-fine for V60 (like table salt) • medium-coarse for Clever (like kosher salt)
  • Total brew time: 3:00–3:30

That's a 1:16 ratio. If your cup is bigger or smaller, scale up or down — just keep the ratio.

Method 1 — V60

  1. Heat water to 96°C (205°F).
  2. Put a paper filter in the V60. Rinse it with hot water to kill the papery taste and warm the dripper. Dump the rinse water.
  3. Weigh 15g of coffee. Grind medium-fine.
  4. Add grounds to the filter. Tap to level.
  5. Bloom (0:00–0:30): Start the timer. Pour 45g of water in slow circles. Stir gently with a chopstick.
  6. First pour (0:30–1:15): Pour in slow circles up to 150g total.
  7. Second pour (1:30–2:00): Pour up to 240g total.
  8. Let it drain. Total time should be 3:00–3:30. Faster than that? Grind finer next time. Slower? Grind coarser.

Method 2 — Clever Dripper

The Clever is more forgiving. The brewer I'd hand someone who'd otherwise drink instant.

  1. Heat water to 96°C (205°F).
  2. Put a paper filter in the Clever. Rinse with hot water.
  3. Add 15g of coffee, ground medium-coarse.
  4. Pour 240g of water in one steady stream. Stir gently with a chopstick.
  5. Steep for 2:30.
  6. Place the Clever on a cup. The valve releases. Drain takes 1:00–1:30.
  7. Drink.

Common mistakes

  • Tastes sour or sharp? Under-extracted. Grind finer or extend the brew.
  • Tastes bitter or dry? Over-extracted. Grind coarser or shorten the brew.
  • Tastes flat or muddy? Your water is probably the problem. Try filtered — not distilled.
  • Coffee more than 2 weeks past roast date? Aromatics are mostly gone. (That's why I roast Saturday and deliver Sunday.)

One more thing — about Gesha

Gesha is the most aromatic coffee variety in the world. You're paying for the floral, jasmine, tropical character. To protect it:

  • Skip the cream and sugar the first time. Taste it black.
  • Drink it as it cools — the flavor shifts dramatically from hot to room temp.
  • Try a tasting note or two. You'll start noticing things you've never tasted in coffee.

Questions about brewing, origins, or what makes Gesha special? Just reply to any of my emails. It's me on the other end.

— Dylan