Brewing Coffee - Four Steps to a Great Cup of Coffee

The big secret to a fine cup is no secret at all. The key words are proportion, water, grind and freshness.

1. Use the right proportion of coffee to water. We recommend two tablespoons of ground coffee to each six fluid ounces of water. If that's too strong for you, add a little hot water to the finished cup.

2. Use fresh water and make sure it's cold when you start. For coffee brewed in a French press, heat the water until just before it boils (195–205 degrees) so that all the coffee's flavor can be extracted. If you use an automatic coffee maker, the water is heated for you, but make sure to put good water in. After all, that's 98% of what's in the cup.

3. Get the right grind. A good rule of thumb: The shorter the brewing process, the finer the grind. For instance, coffee ground for an espresso machine should be very fine, in part because the brew cycle is only 19 to 22 seconds long. But for a French press, the coffee should be coarse ground, because the water and coffee are in direct contact for about four minutes. The amount of time the coffee and water spend together are a key part of what determines the flavor.

4. Use freshly ground coffee. Coffee beans are like produce. To keep them fresh, store them in an opaque, airtight container at room temperature, don't freeze or refrigerate. For the best cup, grind whole beans each time you brew. Whole beans stay fresher longer, and that way you'll also get that fantastic fresh coffee aroma from the grinder every time you make a cup.