guidelines
I primarily consider the coffee’s flavor profile, but I strive to roast it as light as possible.
The flavor profile also determines whether I recommend it for espresso or drip coffee. These categories aren’t set in stone, but I believe this is the best way to enjoy their full potential.
In my personal experience, for the fullest experience, it’s best to open the bag about 14–18 days after roasting.
With a good, tried-and-true recipe, simply by adjusting the grind size and water temperature, we can bring out 95% of the flavor profile. I think it’s much more important to focus on consistency rather than varying the recipe.
recipes
water: Like with many things, I don’t like to overcomplicate this. Based on asking around and my own tests, I’ve concluded that the simplest and best recipe is to add 1 g of Epsom salt to 5 liters of distilled water.
filter: My personal favorite is the Origami, with flat-bottomed paper. Depending on the coffee, I pour 110g of water at 90–94°C over 13g of coffee, then another 110g after 45 seconds. I adjust the grind so that it drips through in about 2.5–3 minutes.
espresso: To be honest, I’m not a big fan of espresso; I only crave it occasionally, or I taste it for quality control purposes. In these cases, I make a faster-flowing “turbo shot”: using 19g of coffee, after a 15-second pre-infusion, I brew about 55g of coffee in roughly 30 seconds total.