Coffee Brewing Guides
Unlock the secrets of exceptional coffee brewing with our comprehensive Coffee Brewing Guide. Learn from our expert coffee roasters and discover the art of brewing specialty coffee at its finest. Elevate your coffee experience with the best coffee brewing techniques and tips.
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We approach each coffee with the terroir and flavor profile in mind. These recipes are not meant to be taken as a gold standard, but rather as a starting point. We are still experimenting, trying new tools and techniques in an effort to extract the best of each coffee and maintain consistency in our quality control and brewing practices. All our recipes on brewing suggestions per coffee are great, these brew guides below aim to get a simple recipe.
Great coffee starts with a great roast first and I suggest lighter roasted coffee to have more room to play with clean and in-spec water for coffee.
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Compound Chilling Extraction (CCE)
Iced Coffee
V60 recipe
Grinder | Baratza Encore/Commandante/Ditting Lab Sweet/EK43/1Zpresso
Filter | Abaca by CAFEC
Water | 125 ppm as CaCO3 (Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium - 50/50/25)
Dose | 12g
Water | 200g at 90C (naturals)-92C
Grind sizes
Baratza| 16-20
Commandante | 25-27
Ditting Lab Sweet | 7.5-8
EK43 | 11-14
1Zpresso | 7-8
Bloom (Pre-infusion) | 50g / 40 sec
Pours | 3x50g
Target End Time | 2'30-3'30
This recipe aims to prioritize the clarity of flavor and complexity of each coffee while maintaining a decent balance. The idea behind is to fix as many parameters as possible and only adjust the grind size.
By using a smaller dose, I am reducing the risk of by-pass, along with more medium grind size, which highlights the clarity of flavor and avoids any clogging issue.
My pouring structure is intended to deliver the same amount of water (or energy) at each pour. Starting each pour aggressively with a circular pour from a normal height, ending it slowly in the center, about 30g circular and 20g center. The circular pour aims to agitate the grounds while the center pours just adds weight and flow to the extraction.
I call the end when the top layer of the slurry is dry and place the brewer onto another cup.
Anywhere between 2'30 and 3'30 will give you a great cup of coffee, it's then up to your preference to adjust the grind size for more or less brightness.
For the best experience, wait another 2 minutes before serving. Smell directly from the carafe and enjoy within 10-15 minute
Compound Chilling Extraction (CCE) recipe
Grinder | Baratza Encore/Commandante/Ditting Lab Sweet/EK43/1Zpresso
Filter | Sibarist Hybrid B3
Water | 100 ppm as CaCO3 (Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium - 25/50/25)
Dose | 12g
Water | 200g at 92C (Cold Bloom at 72C)
Grind sizes
Baratza| 14-16
Commandante | 22-25
Ditting Lab Sweet | 7-8
EK43 | 8-12
1Zpresso | 6-7
Bloom (Pre-infusion) | 50g / 45 sec (Cold Bloom or Paragon)
Pours | 3x50g
Target End Time | 2'30-3'30
This recipe is designed for rare/competition-level coffee using the advanced CCE method, first used by Ruben Gardelli in 2014, then popularized by Nucleus with the Paragon chilling stand. The goal is to capture the volatile aromatic compounds that are lost at the beginning of the extraction by either using a colder temperature or chilling the first part of the extraction. This method works wonderfully with advanced/experimental processed coffee, showcasing another flavor dimension.
By using a smaller dose with the new Sibarist B3 filters, I am reducing the risk of by-pass, along with a finer grind size for better grind consistency, which highlights the clarity of flavor and avoids any clogging issue.
My pouring structure is similar to the classic V60 except that the bloom is either cold using a second kettle or a pitcher to cool down the water to 72C or the Paragon stand.
I call the end when the top layer of the slurry is dry and place the brewer onto another cup.
Anywhere between 2'30 and 3'30 will give you a great cup of coffee, it's then up to your preference to adjust the grind size for more or less brightness.
For the best experience, wait another 2 minutes before serving. Smell directly from the carafe and enjoy within 10-15 minute
Hario Switch recipe
Grinder | Baratza Encore/Commandante/Ditting Lab Sweet/EK43/1Zpresso
Filter | Abaca by CAFEC
Water | 125 ppm as CaCO3 (Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium - 50/50/25)
Dose | 15g
Water | 230g at 96C
Grind sizes
Baratza| 16-20
Commandante | 25-27
Ditting Lab Sweet | 7.5-8
EK43 | 11-14
1Zpresso | 7-8
Bloom | 100g / 60 sec
Close the valve and open the kettle to cool down the temperature
Immersion | 130g / 60 sec
Open valve
Target End Time | 3'00
For the best experience, wait another 2 minutes before serving. Smell directly from the carafe and enjoy within 10-15 minute
Kalita recipe
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Grinder | Baratza Encore/Commandante/Ditting Lab Sweet
Filter | Abaca by CAFEC
Water | 125 ppm as CaCO3 (Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium - 50/50/25)
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Dose | 12g for Kalita 155 or 20g for Kalita 185
Water | 180g at 92C or 300g
Grind size (Baratza) | 14-20
Commandante | 23-28
Ditting Lab Sweet | 7-8
EK43 | 9-13
1Zpresso | 6-7
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Bloom (Pre-infusion) | 60g (or 100g) / 40 sec
Pours | 2x60 (or 2x 100g)
Target End Time | 3'00-3'30
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Flat-bottom brewers often highlight more sweetness, therefore, I increase the strength of the brew by pouring less water than usual. This will allow more clarity and brightness to balance out the sweetness.
This recipe aims to prioritize the clarity of flavor and complexity of each coffee while maintaining a decent balance. The idea behind is to fix as many parameters as possible and only adjust the grind size.
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By using a smaller dose, I am reducing the risk of by-pass. The choice of grinding the coffee a bit finer than V60 is to increase the extraction.
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My pouring structure is intended to deliver the same amount of water (or energy) at each pour. Starting each pours aggressively with a circular pour from a normal height, ending it slowly in the center, about 30g circular and 30g center. The circular pour aims to agitate the grounds while the center pours just adds weight and flow to the extraction.
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I call the end when the top layer of the slurry is dry and place the brewer onto another cup.
Anywhere between 3 and 3'30 will give you a great cup of coffee, it's then up to your preference to adjust the grind size for more or less brightness.
For the best experience, wait another 2 minutes before serving. Smell directly from the carafe and enjoy within 10-15 minute
Espresso recipe
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Grinder | Eureka Zenith/Ditting Lab Sweet
Espresso Machine | La Marzocco
Water | 175 ppm as CaCO3 (Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium - 100/50/25)
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Basket | 18g VST
Dose | 16g
Yield | 38-40
Water temperature | 93C / 200f
Pre-infusion (if possible) | 5 sec
Brew time | 27-30sec
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When it comes to espresso, one can't deny the importance of the machine and the grinder. A dual boiler helps to maintain better thermal stability and a high-performance grinder is primordial for this type of extraction. Also, we do have a specific profile for espresso roast. Typically, I extend my development for just over 10-15sec to make extraction easier at home. It goes without saying that you can still use our light roasted filter roast on espresso, but to get the most out of them, a commercial-grade grinder should be used.
For the water, I make sure to have enough alkalinity. Since we are using light to medium coffee, you want a decent amount of buffer to balance out the acidity.
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I often consider espresso as a filter concentrate that should still showcase the clarity, sweetness, and complexity of flavor like a filter coffee. Therefore, I chose a ratio of 1:2.5 instead of the classic 1:2. This helps to reduce the intensity and counterbalance the flavor and sweetness by pushing more water through the coffee puck. Also, I purposely underdose the basket in order to allow enough room for the coffee swelling and avoid the obstruction of the shower screen. This happens often with fresher and lighter roasted coffee.
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For the puck preparation, I keep it quite simple, a dosing cup that fits into the portafilter, a WDT tool to break any clumps, a tamper from Barista Hustle, and a puck screen for even diffusion. The most important things about puck prep are uniformity and consistency.
Option: a paper filter at the bottom can help increase the extraction.
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Like in pour-over, if you can perform a pre-infusion, that's better, but not necessary, it will help the main extraction to be more uniform.
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Finally, adjust your grind size to stay around the 25-30sec mark and adjust based on your taste only.
Ibrik/Cezve recipe
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Grinder | Commandante
Ibrik/Cezve | STC Pro 1
Cups | Sufi
Water | 125 ppm as CaCO3 (Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium - 50/25/50)
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Dose | 8g
Water | 70g at 70C
Grind size (Commandante) | 2-4
Burner settings | high to low
Target End Time | 1'30-2'30
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1. Grind coffee and place into ibrik/cezve
2. Put hot water in ibrik/cezve
3. Stir to break clumps
4. Start with the highest heat
5. Around 1 min start lowering the heat
6. When the brew starts rising, lower the heat to the minimum
7. Stop by lifting the ibrik/cezve when the brew rises to 1/4 inch below the rim.
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The ibrik/cezve is the oldest method of extraction. It is included in the decoction brewing type which is characterized by an external source of heat to extract the coffee. Hence, a steady, consistent flame is the first step, that's why I suggest a classic butane gas burner. What makes ibrik/cezve unique is the fact that there is no filtration so technically, the coffee is always getting extracted, hence, it is important to avoid over-extraction and overpowering bitterness.
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For the water, I like to keep a relatively low concentration of alkalinity and more magnesium than calcium to reduce the risk of bitterness.
I use a ratio of 1:8.75 to bring more intensity of flavor and acidity that usually fade out in traditional ibrik/cezve.
Stirring to break clumps should be minimal to avoid over-extraction, just enough to break clumps of coffee.
I start with high heat and reduce it at the 1 min mark until the brew starts rising. Then I lower it to the minimum to allow a slow and steady rise to the top.
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I call the end when the brew rises up to 1/4in from the rim of the ibrik/cezve. Anywhere between 1'30 and 2'30 will give you a great cup of coffee, it's then up to your preference to adjust the grind size for more or less brightness.
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Serve directly into the cup. Wait 5 minutes before drinking. Smell directly from the cup and enjoy within 15 minutes. Pair well with dried fruits, nuts, and chocolate for the best experience.
French Press recipe
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Material | Double wall Stainless steel
Grinder | Baratza Encore/Commandante/Ditting Lab Sweet
Filter | Syphon by Hario
Water | 125 ppm as CaCO3 (Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium - 50/50/25)
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Dose | 40g
Water | 500g at 90C
Grind size (Baratza) | 20
Commandante | 30
Ditting Lab Sweet | 900 microns
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1. Prepare the filter by sandwiching the metal mesh with 2 siphon paper filter
2. Pour the water first
3. Put the coffee and stir
4. At 1min30, break the crust and stir
5. At 2'45, scoop out floating grounds
6. At 3'15, plunge/press slowly
7. Decant
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As you can see, this recipe is a little bit different from usual recipes.
First, we use a paper filter to clean out the grittiness and cloudiness of a typical french press coffee. The result is much closer to the Aeropress with cleaner notes and a more balanced flavor profile.
Secondly, we add water first. Why? To saturate the grounds even faster. Often, when you add coffee first, the first contact between water and coffee is very uneven as the water tries to reach out to every single coffee ground. By pouring the water first and stirring the coffee, the grounds don't have the choice but to let themselves being saturated.
Finally, by using a double-wall stainless steel french press, I can reduce my water temperature and still extract my coffee effectively without creating over-extraction and astringency.
Aeropress recipe​
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Method | Inverted
Grinder | Baratza Encore/Commandante/Ditting Lab Sweet
Filter | Aeropress x2
Water | 125 ppm as CaCO3 (Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium - 50/50/25)
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Dose | 24g
Water | 175g at 89C
Grind size (Baratza) | 18
Commandante | 27
Ditting Lab Sweet | 850 microns
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1. Put coffee & water
2. Stir 3 times
3. Steep for 1 min after the last stir
4. Flip and press for 30-45sec
5. Measure the brewed coffee
6. By-pass using 50% of the brewed weight as water to add on top of the coffee
7. Decant
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I developed this recipe from my previous aeropress championship recipe back in 2018. The previous one was delicious like many other recipes but hard to reproduce. Therefore, I started to brainstorm a recipe for consistency while keeping the quality.
First, the inverted method allows me to have an efficient full immersion with 3 simple stir to make sure all the grounds are saturated but not too much agitation that might result in astringency.
Secondly, we use a strong ratio using 24g of coffee for 175 mL of water. The idea is to create a concentrate that we will dilute at our desired strength. By-passing helps creates a more consistent brew.
Third, we steep for only 1 minute + 30-45 sec of pressing to preserve only the sweetness and clarity of the coffee.
Iced Coffee recipe​
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Method | Hario Switch
Grinder | Baratza Encore/Commandante/Ditting Lab Sweet
Filter | Cafec
Water | 125 ppm as CaCO3 (Alkalinity/Calcium/Magnesium - 50/50/25)
Ice-cubes | medium
Coffee | naturally processed single-origin coffee beans
Dose | 16g
Water | 160g at 92C
Grind size (Baratza) | 20
Commandante | 28-30
Ditting Lab Sweet | 8.75-9
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1. Rinse filter and discard
2. Put coffee
3. At 0'00 pour 50mL - Hario switch Drip Mode
4. At 0'40s, close the valve and add 100mL
5. Wait until 2min30
6. Open the valve
7. Finish at about 3'20-3'30
8. Add 70-75g of ice cubes and mix
9. Add 20-40 mL of room-temperature water
10. Mix and Serve
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At Memli Coffee Lab, we believe in extracting the complex and sweet aromatics of coffee by using hot water for brewing, followed by chilling. This recipe is merging the principles of Japanese iced coffee with the flash chill technique, resulting in the best-iced filter coffee we've ever created. Prepare to be amazed by the harmonious balance of flavors and the invigorating experience of our carefully crafted iced filter coffee.