Brew guides

Brew guides for better coffee at home.

Simple, tested recipes for the brewers most people actually own. Use the calculator to scale any recipe, and the timer to nail your pour-over.

Coffee-to-water calculator

One cup = 250 ml (about 8.5 fl oz). We recommend weighing coffee with a kitchen scale.

Brew method

Cups 2

Strength (ratio) 1:16

31 gCoffee

500 mlWater

5.9Tbsp (approx.)

Pour-over timer

For 20 g coffee and 340 g water at 200°F (93°C). Press start as you begin the bloom.

0:00

Pour-over (V60 / Kalita)

Our favorite way to taste a washed Yirgacheffe or a delicate natural. Clean, aromatic and endlessly tweakable.

20 gCoffee

340 gWater

Med-fineGrind

3:00–3:30Time

Heat water to 200°F (93°C). Rinse the paper filter with hot water and discard the rinse water.
Add 20 g of coffee ground like coarse sand. Shake gently to level the bed.
Bloom: pour 50 g of water, making sure all grounds are wet. Wait 45 seconds.
Pour in slow spirals to 150 g, then to 250 g at 1:15, then to 340 g at 1:45.
Give the dripper a gentle swirl. Drawdown should finish around 3:00–3:30.

Wesley's tip: if it tastes sour, grind finer; if it tastes bitter or dry, grind coarser. Change one thing at a time.

Cold brew concentrate

The Florida essential. Smooth, chocolaty and low in acidity — make a jar on Sunday and you're set for the week.

100 gCoffee

800 mlWater

Extra coarseGrind

14–18 hTime

Grind 100 g of coffee extra coarse (or use our Gulf Coast Cold Brew Blend, pre-ground).
Combine with 800 ml of cool, filtered water in a jar. Stir to wet all grounds.
Cover and steep 14–18 hours in the fridge or at room temperature.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve lined with a paper filter.
Dilute 1:1 with water or milk over ice. Keeps up to 10 days refrigerated.

Wesley's tip: a strip of orange peel in the jar while steeping is a very good idea with our Guji Honey.

Espresso

Dense, sweet and syrupy. Our Sunline Espresso and Peace River Dark were developed specifically for home and cafe machines.

18 gDose

36–40 gYield

FineGrind

26–32 sTime

Flush the group head and dry the portafilter basket.
Dose 18 g of finely ground coffee. Distribute evenly and tamp level.
Start the shot immediately after locking in.
Aim for 36–40 g in the cup in 26–32 seconds.
Taste. Too sour = grind finer. Too bitter = grind coarser or shorten the shot.

Wesley's tip: rest espresso roasts 7–10 days after the roast date before pulling shots — they get much sweeter.

French press

Heavy body, full flavor and nearly impossible to mess up. Perfect for our Arcadia Morning Blend.

30 gCoffee

450 gWater

CoarseGrind

4:00Time

Heat water to just off the boil (about 205°F / 96°C).
Add 30 g of coarsely ground coffee to the press.
Pour all 450 g of water and start a timer. Stir gently at 1:00.
At 4:00, skim the foam off the top with a spoon.
Press slowly and pour everything out right away so it doesn't over-extract.

Wesley's tip: wait an extra 4–5 minutes after skimming before pressing — the fines settle and your cup is much cleaner.

Troubleshooting

Common problems, quick fixes.

My coffee tastes sour or thin.

It's under-extracted. Grind finer, use hotter water (195–205°F) or brew a little longer.

My coffee tastes bitter or harsh.

It's over-extracted. Grind coarser, shorten brew time or check that your water isn't boiling hot.

Does water matter?

A lot — coffee is 98% water. Florida tap water is often hard and chlorinated. A simple carbon filter pitcher makes a noticeable difference.

How fresh should coffee be?

Filter coffee tastes best 5–30 days after roasting, espresso 7–40 days. Check the roast date on every Befona bag.

Taste the difference fresh makes.

Roasted on Monday and Wednesday in Arcadia, shipped within 48 hours. Free shipping on orders over $45.

Shop fresh coffee