New to coffee? Start here
Coffee in five minutes. No jargon, just what you need to order well and buy your first good bag.
1. Know what's in the cup
Almost every café drink is espresso plus some mix of milk, foam or water. More milk means milder and creamier; less milk means you taste more coffee.
2. Roast is the biggest flavour switch
Light roasts taste bright and fruity; dark roasts taste bold, chocolatey and bitter. Drinking it with milk? Choose medium-dark. Black? Try medium.
3. Buy fresh, whole beans if you can
Look for a roast date within the last month. Whole beans stay fresh for weeks; ground coffee fades in days. No grinder yet? Ask the roaster to grind for your brewer.
4. Start with a forgiving brewer
An AeroPress or a French press makes great coffee with almost no technique. Weigh your coffee: 15 g for a 250 ml cup.
5. Taste, then tweak one thing
Sour? Grind finer. Bitter? Grind coarser. Weak? Use more coffee.