Specialty Coffee Brewing

We at UTOPIAN COFFEE CO. have taken great care to ensure that you are receiving the finest specialty coffee in the world. Storage and brewing practices are equally important, so here are some tips.

Coffee should be stored in an airtight, dark, room-temperature environment. Over time, oxygen and light rob specialty coffee of aroma, flavor, and body. And while some recommend freezing, there is evidence to suggest that coffee oils do not reconstitute if they are frozen—so don’t freeze it. The zip-seal bag in which your coffee is shipped is an ideal storage container.

Proper brewing brings brings a coffee to its appointed consummation and yields the best possible specialty coffee experience. Brewing involves four major variables: grind, water, temperature, and time. No matter the "drip" brewing method (i.e. flat filter, cone filter, french press, siphon, Mellita, etc.) 2 level tablespoons (10 grams) of ground coffee should be used for every 6 ounces of water. Brewing by weight instead of by volume is preferable, as weight ensures optimal precision while volume is prone to inaccuracy.

Paramount in brewing great coffee is the proper grind. For a flat-bottom filter, ground specialty coffee should resemble granulated salt; for a cone-shaped filter, slightly more coarse; and for a french press, coarse sand.

Water comprises roughly 98% of your brewed coffee, so water quality must be considered. Water should begin cool, fresh, and pure. Cool, fresh water has higher oxygen content than "ready-hot" water, and yields a livelier brew. Also, the purer the water used, the purer the flavor of the specialty coffee.

Water temperature and extraction time are largely beyond your control unless you are using a french press or Mellita drip. However, in shopping for a brewer, seek one that consistently brews between 197 - 205 degrees F, and has a brewing cycle of 3-4 minutes.