Brewing guide

Great coffee at home comes down to four things: how much coffee you use, how finely it is ground, how hot the water is and how long they spend together. These are the recipes we use, along with the AHUN coffee we would reach for with each. Treat them as a starting point and adjust to taste.

A digital scale makes the biggest single difference. We give water in millilitres; 1 ml of water weighs about 1 g, so you can weigh it straight into your brewer.

At a glance

Method	Coffee : water	Grind	Water	Time	Try it with
Pour-over (V60)	15 g : 250 ml	Medium-fine	93–96 °C	2:30–3:30	Yirgacheffe, Guji, Sidama
Filter machine	60 g : 1 litre	Medium (Filter)	Set by machine	4–6 min	Limu, Yirgacheffe, Guji
AeroPress	15 g : 230 ml	Medium-fine (Filter)	85–95 °C	About 2 min	Sidama, Yirgacheffe, Guji
Cafetière / French press	30 g : 500 ml	Coarse (Cafetière)	93–96 °C	4 min, plus resting	Limu, Buna, Sidama
Espresso	18 g in : 36 g out	Fine (Espresso)	92–94 °C	25–32 s	Buna, Sidama, Limu
Moka pot	Fill the basket; water to the valve	Fine-medium (Espresso)	Just off the boil	4–6 min	Buna, Limu
Cold brew	100 g : 1 litre	Coarse (Cafetière)	Cold, filtered	12–18 hours	Yirgacheffe, Sidama, Limu

Which grind should I order?

• Whole Bean: the freshest option if you have a grinder at home. Grind just before brewing.
• Espresso: for espresso machines and moka pots.
• Filter: for pour-over, filter machines and AeroPress.
• Cafetière: for French press and cold brew.

Every grinder and machine is a little different, so if you can grind your own beans, you will have the most control over the final cup.

Pour-over (V60)

Our favourite way to taste the florals in Yirgacheffe and the fruit in Guji.

• Coffee: 15 g, medium-fine (like table salt)
• Water: 250 ml at 93–96 °C (use the hotter end for light roasts)
• Total time: 2:30–3:30

1. Rinse the paper filter with hot water to remove any papery taste, and warm your cup. Discard the rinse water.
2. Add the coffee and shake it level. Start a timer and pour about 40 ml of water, just enough to wet all the grounds. Let it bloom for 30–45 seconds.
3. Pour slowly in small circles, in two or three stages, until you reach 250 ml by around 1:45.
4. Give the brewer a gentle swirl and let it drain. If it runs too fast and tastes sour or thin, grind finer; if it drains slowly and tastes bitter, grind coarser.

Filter machine

The easiest way to make coffee for a crowd. Limu is our everyday choice here.

• Coffee: 60 g per litre of water, medium (our Filter grind)
• Water: fresh, cold water in the reservoir; the machine heats it
• Total time: 4–6 minutes, depending on the machine

1. Rinse the paper filter if your machine uses one.
2. Add the coffee, level the bed and start the brew.
3. Stir the jug once it has finished and serve straight away. Coffee left on a hotplate soon tastes stewed, so transfer it to a flask if you are not drinking it all at once.

AeroPress

Forgiving, portable and brilliant with the juicy Sidama Natural.

• Coffee: 15 g, medium-fine (our Filter grind works well)
• Water: 230 ml at 85–95 °C (hotter for lighter roasts)
• Total time: about 2 minutes

1. Rinse the paper filter in the cap, then set the AeroPress on a sturdy mug.
2. Add the coffee, start a timer and pour in all the water. Stir gently for 10 seconds.
3. Insert the plunger about 1 cm to create a seal and stop it dripping. Wait until 1:30.
4. Give it a gentle swirl, then press slowly for about 30 seconds. Stop when you hear a hiss.

Cafetière / French press

Full-bodied and fuss-free. Try it with Limu or Buna for a rich, chocolatey cup.

• Coffee: 30 g, coarse (our Cafetière grind)
• Water: 500 ml at 93–96 °C (about 30 seconds off the boil)
• Total time: 4 minutes, plus a few minutes' rest

1. Add the coffee to a warmed cafetière, pour in all the water and start a timer.
2. At 4 minutes, stir the crust on top and scoop off any foam and floating grounds with a spoon.
3. Put the lid on and leave it for another 3–5 minutes so the fine particles settle.
4. Press the plunger down just to the surface, not all the way, then pour slowly. Do not leave the rest sitting on the grounds.

Espresso

Buna was built for this, on its own or under milk. Sidama makes a fruitier, brighter shot.

• Dose: 18 g of coffee, fine (our Espresso grind)
• Yield: about 36 g of espresso in the cup (a 1:2 ratio)
• Water: 92–94 °C, if your machine lets you set it
• Time: 25–32 seconds from starting the pump

1. Dose the coffee into a clean, dry basket, level it and tamp firmly and evenly.
2. Lock in the portafilter, place your cup on a scale and start the shot straight away.
3. Stop at about 36 g. If the shot runs much faster and tastes sour, grind finer; if it runs much slower and tastes bitter, grind coarser. For lighter roasts like Sidama, try a slightly longer ratio of about 1:2.5.

Every machine and grinder behaves differently, so expect to adjust a little when you open a new bag.

Moka pot

A stovetop classic. Buna and Limu give a rich, rounded cup.

• Coffee: enough to fill the basket level, fine-medium (our Espresso grind)
• Water: just off the boil, up to the bottom of the safety valve
• Total time: 4–6 minutes on medium-low heat

1. Fill the base with hot water up to just below the safety valve. Starting with hot water means the coffee spends less time on the heat.
2. Fill the basket with coffee and level it with a finger. Do not tamp it.
3. Holding the hot base with a tea towel, screw the top on firmly and place the pot on medium-low heat with the lid open.
4. When the coffee turns pale and starts to sputter, take the pot off the heat and cool the base under a cold tap to stop the brewing. Stir and serve.

Cold brew

Smooth and refreshing. Yirgacheffe makes a bright, tea-like cold brew; Limu a mellow, chocolatey one.

• Coffee: 100 g, coarse (our Cafetière grind)
• Water: 1 litre of cold, filtered water
• Time: 12–18 hours in the fridge

1. Combine the coffee and water in a large jar or jug and stir well so all the grounds are wet.
2. Cover and steep in the fridge for 12–18 hours.
3. Strain through a sieve, then through a paper filter for a cleaner result.
4. This makes a concentrate. Dilute it about 1:1 with cold water or milk, pour over ice and keep the rest covered in the fridge for a few days.

Storing your coffee

• Keep it sealed. Our pouches are resealable. Squeeze out the air and close the seal after each use, or move the beans to an airtight container.
• Keep it cool, dark and dry. A kitchen cupboard away from the oven and direct sunlight is ideal.
• Skip the fridge. Moisture and food odours do coffee no favours.
• Freeze only if you must. For longer storage, freeze whole beans in small airtight portions and take out only what you need. Do not refreeze.
• Grind just before brewing. Whole beans stay fresh far longer than ground coffee.
• Check the roast date. It is printed on every bag. For the most flavour, enjoy your coffee within about a month of opening.

Questions about brewing? Have a look at our FAQ or get in touch. We are always happy to talk coffee.