Here are the variables you can control and tweak, to hand-brew your perfect cup of coffee:

INGREDIENTS

Water is the most abundant ingredient in your coffee. Opt for a pure-tasting filtered water so that your cup tastes as clean as possible. And of course, use coffee that you like! See the Choosing Coffee section on what to consider.

GRIND

Choose the right grind size for your coffee-brewing method

The recommended grind size varies from coffeemaker to coffeemaker because of differing filter types, brewing techniques, etc. For Palmpress use a medium grind size, which falls between fine espresso grounds and coarse French press grounds.

For fresher coffee, grind your own

For the freshest taste, grind only the amount of coffee you need just before brewing. Opt for a burr grinder which produces more accurate and consistent results than blade grinders. Uniform coffee particles = even extraction of coffee = better tasting coffee.

Storing

Store your coffee at room temperature in an airtight container, away from light, heat, and moisture.

MEASURING

Coffee is a dry ingredient, and dry ingredients are best measured by weight as they vary in shape and size. Although it’s totally fine to measure your coffee with a spoon or scoop if that’s your preference, consider measuring your coffee using a food scale for a more consistent taste cup to cup.

RATIO

A coffee’s strength and caffeine content is best measured as the ratio of coffee to water. The higher the coffee-to-water ratio, the more concentrated and stronger your cup will be. Experiment with ratios that suit your taste!

BREWING

We aim for a balanced cup of coffee, and below are tips to help achieve just that. We want to avoid an under-extracted or over-extracted cup, which can yield unpleasant flavors.

Use water at the correct temperature

For hot coffee, use approximately 200°F (93°C) water, which is about a minute off boil. For other types of coffee, refer to the water temperature that the recipe calls for.

Ensure even saturation

Gently stir the coffee and water mixture to ensure it’s evenly saturated.

Brew for a sufficient amount of time

For Palmpress we recommend that you start with a three-minute brew time, and tweak to your taste from there. Just like cooking anything else, you control how long it’s cooked for until it’s just right. Good to know: The larger the grind size the more brewing time may be desired, and vice versa.