Our coffee is so fresh it'll run off with your granny. In order to keep our coffee fresh, we only roast a few types of coffee at a time. To read more about the coffees we have roasted and to buy online, check out the coffees that we have available to buy online in the Buy Coffee menu (currently just Janszoon Blend, the others are available at our cafes). For brewing guides see our guides below.
The basics to brewing coffee
There are many different ways to brew coffee and each have their peculiarities. However, the following is true for all methods:
The flavour perception of the coffee depends on:
- the ratio of coffee to water
- the contact time
- grind size
- age of coffee
- agitation (stirring)
If I've already started boring you, here is our simple guide. If your neurons are now firing like a multi-national with the excuse of a global recession, come in and talk to us.
Simple guide
Cafetiere/French press
Place coarse ground coffee into your cafetiere. The amount depends on your taste preference, but roughly a tenth the amount of water. Add the water just off the boil ensuring that all the grounds are wet. The coffee will probably foam a bit. This is just CO2 gas escaping and is fine. Give the pot a gentle stir and place the top on with the screen just down to the top of the water level. Wait 3-4 mins and then plunge and enjoy. If you find that your coffee isn't consistent please look at our in depth guide.
V60/filter cone
Pre-heat your filter cone and cup and wash your paper filter by running some hot water through. Throw out the water and grind the coffee for paper filter (finer than cafetiere, but not as fine as espresso). The amount of coffee will depend on your taste, but roughly two heaped teaspoons per cup. Put the coffee in the bottom of the cone and add just enough water to wet the grinds. Wait for half a minute then add enough water to make up a cup. If you find that your coffee isn't consistent please look at our in depth guide.
Espresso
You need a grinder even the simple guide people. Take your portafilter out of the group head and empty out any grinds. Fill your portafilter basket with grinds and try to make sure that you get the same amount each time. Tamp the grinds using a solid tamper that fills the whole basket. Turn your machine pump on. It should take a few seconds for the coffee to start coming out of the machine. When it comes it should be dark and viscous. Once the streams thicken up and turn light, stop the pour. This should take 30 seconds. If it's too long, make your grind a very little bit coarser. If it's too short, make your grind a very little finer and try again.
Milk
We aim to create creamy milk by incorporating microbubbles into our milk to give a textured coffee experience. It's a little bit like waterboarding. You want to briefly get some air into the mix and then spend as much time as possible with the head under the surface putting the air into the liquid. To do this: place the steam spout just below the surface of the milk and as quick as an Guantanamo inmate gasping for air, bring the tip up to get the tiniest hiss of air entering the liquid. Note: I know this is a sick analogy, but so is waterboarding and the important thing is that the image sticks, you make good milk and to make yourself feel better afterwards you can write a letter to your local MP. You should take the milk to around 60-65ºC. Do this by use of a thermometer or by feeling the side of the jug. When it's too hot to handle, remove your hand, count to three and turn the steam off. If you take the milk too high, the customer won't be able to drink the coffee until it cools down and by then the texture will be lost. Beyond 60ºC the proteins start to denature, beyond 72ºC the proteins start to taste cooked. For latte art come in and ask one of the espresso rockstars at the cafes.