What makes a great cup of coffee?

There's only a few simple steps to brewing a perfect cup of coffee. The two most important elements are fresh water and great beans. If you are one of the lucky few that has been blessed with delicious tap water than by all means use it.

However, if your water tastes of chlorine or hard minerals, then filtered or bottled water is a must. Fresh clean water is the foundation of great coffee. The other key is obvious: high quality beans. Our beans combine to create a smooth, rich, aromatic flavor that few other coffee beans can compete with.

Coffee beans need to be stored properly to preserve their flavor. Once a bag of coffee has been opened, we recommend storing it

Fresh pure water is key to great tasting coffee

in an opaque, airtight container such as a glass jar or canister, at room temperature. Never store coffee in the refrigerator or freezer. Coffee beans are porous and will pick up unpleasant flavors and moisture from the refrigerator. Once coffee has been ground, it starts to lose its flavor, so never grind more than you will use within a few days.

Properly stored fresh roasted coffee beans

There are many names used to describe the different roasts but there is no actual standardization for what they mean. Here is a general guide to roasts and the terms used to describe them:

Light roasting results in a cinnamon-brown bean with no oil on the surface. The lower roasting temperature means the coffee retains more of its origin flavors and acidity. Origin flavors are the elements that make a regional coffee taste unique; it’s why a fine Kona coffee tastes different from a coffee grown in Africa or South America. These origin factors include the mineral content of the soil, hours of sunlight per day, average ambient temperature, and rainfall.

Medium roasted beans are chocolate colored and typically have a light sheen of oil on the surface. A medium roast has a richer, more balanced flavor, aroma, and acidity compared to a light roast.

Sometimes people are reluctant to buy a light or medium roast fearing that it will be light on flavor. This is not true; while not as intense as a dark roast, a lighter roast has more complexity of flavors. If you prefer drinking your coffee black, then you will probably enjoy a light or medium roast the best!

The world's equatorial coffee growing belt

World coffee growing belt. The Hawaiian islands have been scaled up to show their importance in the coffee world.

Dark roasted beans are rich brown to almost black and have a distinctive sheen of oil on the surface. The roasting flavors predominate over the origin flavors and are characterized by smoky, dark chocolate, and carmelized sugar flavors. Our dark roast is rich, robust, and full-bodied.

Acidity is sometimes a confusing descriptor for coffee; it does not refer to sour or sweet, but rather to how bright or lively a coffee tastes. In its simplest terms, acidity is to coffee what carbonation is to soda. And, contrary to what many believe, lighter roasted coffees actually have the most caffeine (though the difference is small).

The standard measure for brewing coffee is two level tablespoons per six ounces of water, but that's just a starting point. Your kitchen is where the chemistry and art come together. Add more beans or take a little away; blend your roasts; drink it black as night or as sweet and milky as a dessert.