Brewing your first cup!
How to Make a Great Cup
You do not need special equipment or a barista's training to enjoy good coffee and tea. You need hot water, a few minutes, and a little guidance. Here is everything you need to know, wherever you are starting from.
If you have no equipment at all
Start here. You have three easy options, and none of them require a machine.
Instant coffee. Spoon it into a mug, add hot water, stir. That is the whole process. Our instant coffee is real coffee — it simply skips the brewing step. Perfect for the mornings that do not allow a slower ritual.
Coffee pods. If you have a single-serve machine, pods give you a fresh cup with one button.
A pour-over cone. This is the smallest step up and the biggest jump in quality. A simple plastic or ceramic cone costs a few dollars, sits on top of your mug, and takes about three minutes. Put in a filter, add ground coffee, pour hot water slowly, and you are done.
Brewing coffee
Choose your grind. The grind should match your brewing method:
- Standard — the safe, all-purpose choice. Works in drip machines, pour-over cones, and most home setups. If you are unsure, choose this.
- Coarse — for French press, where the coffee steeps in water before you press it down.
- Espresso — a very fine grind, only for espresso machines. Do not use this in a drip machine or pour-over; it will over-extract and taste bitter.
A simple ratio to start. About two tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water. Adjust from there — more coffee for a stronger cup, less for a lighter one. There is no wrong answer, only your preference.
Water temperature. Just off the boil is ideal. If you have poured boiling water, wait about thirty seconds before it hits the grounds.
By method:
- Drip machine. Add a filter, add ground coffee, add water, press start.
- Pour-over. Wet the filter, add coffee, pour a little water to let it bloom for thirty seconds, then pour the rest slowly in circles. Total time about three minutes.
- French press. Add coarse ground coffee and hot water, stir, let it steep four minutes, then press the plunger down slowly.
Steeping tea
Tea is more forgiving than most people expect. The two things that matter are water temperature and time.
Loose leaf tea needs something to hold it — an infuser, a tea ball, or a filter bag. Add about one teaspoon per cup, pour hot water over it, and let it steep.
By type:
- Green tea (including matcha and hojicha) — use water that is hot but not boiling, and steep two to three minutes. Boiling water makes green tea bitter.
- Black tea (English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Masala Chai) — use water just off the boil, and steep three to five minutes.
- Herbal and mint (Moroccan Mint, rooibos, fruit blends) — use boiling water, and steep five minutes or longer. These are hard to over-steep.
Matcha is a little different. Rather than steeping, whisk the powder into hot water until it is smooth and frothy. A small whisk helps, but a spoon and vigorous stirring will do.
A few things worth knowing
Storage. Keep coffee and tea in a cool, dark place with the bag sealed. Avoid the refrigerator — moisture is the enemy of freshness.
Freshness. Our coffee and tea are prepared in small batches, so what arrives is fresh. Use coffee within a few weeks of opening for the best flavor. Tea keeps considerably longer.
Experiment. These are starting points, not rules. Adjust the strength, the steep time, and the ratio until the cup tastes right to you. That is the whole point.
Not sure where to start?
Choose based on what you need the cup to do. Restore for slowing down, Activate for clarity and momentum, Reflect for a moment of gratitude. Then brew it however fits your day.