Brewing Essentials
Our Brewing Theology
The Relationship Between Roasting & Brewing
A brewing method is, at its core, simply a mechanical process of extraction. Whether you choose a V60 pourover, an AeroPress, or a high-pressure espresso machine, you are utilizing a specific method to dissolve and wash away soluble flavor compounds from the ground coffee.
A common misconception in the coffee world is that a roasting profile dictates the method of brewing you must use. In reality, the roasting profile does not affect the method of brewing itself—it affects the taste notes and solubility of the coffee.
At Richman Coffee Roaster, our philosophy is to roast fairly light, yet ensure the coffee is fully developed. We roast this way to protect and preserve the pure, unmasked flavors derived from the specific cultivar, the unique soil terroir, and the micro-region where the coffee was harvested. Our goal is to step back as roasters and let the original, intrinsic characteristics of the coffee itself shine through.
We do not purposefully roast our coffees darker just to suit heavy extraction methods like espresso. We believe that an espresso made from a light-roast specialty coffee should always taste incredibly juicy, vibrant, bright, and deeply flavorful. However, to ensure a smooth user experience, we do slightly extend the Development Time Ratio (DTR) for our espresso roasts. This subtle adjustment increases the bean's solubility, allowing for a much easier, seamless extraction process on home and commercial espresso machines without altering the coffee's pure flavor profile.
Extraction Mechanics
When it comes to brewing recipes, we are not interested in sending out a strict, dogmatic message claiming there is only one "correct" time, water ratio, or exact temperature to make great coffee. Coffee extraction is dynamic, and variables constantly change based on your local water composition, grinder quality, and bean age.
Instead, our primary brewing ideology focuses on one critical rule: Avoid channeling or micro-channeling at all costs. Channeling happens when water finds a path of least resistance through your coffee bed instead of flowing through it uniformly. When a channel forms, the coffee in that path becomes intensely over-extracted (bitter and dry), while the rest of the coffee bed remains under-extracted (sour and thin).
The ideal way to get a cup of good coffee is to always start with a coarser grind size. By starting coarser, you drastically minimize the resistance in the coffee bed, allowing the water to flow uniformly and naturally avoiding the risk of channeling. Once you establish this clean, channel-free baseline, you can taste the cup and adjust your parameters accordingly—gradually moving finer or shifting your temperature throughout your tasting journey to dial in the absolute best version of the coffee for your personal palate.
The 8 Principles of Consistent Brewing (by Tim Wendelboe)
1. Use accurate measurements every time.
2. Use freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee of good quality. Coffee is at its best within 4 weeks of roasting. Invest in a quality grinder and avoid blade grinders.
3. Use correct coffee to water ratios. A reliable rule of thumb is 65g of coffee per 1 litre of water.
4. Use correct grind particle size. Adjust the grind to suit the origin, device, and volume.
5. Use correct contact time. Use a stopwatch and match contact time to grind size.
6. Use good quality water. Use filtered water when tap water has off-tastes or heavy mineral buildup.
7. Clean your brewing equipment after every brew. Coffee oils oxidize and create stale, rancid flavors.
8. Stay humble and open-minded. Taste is the final measure of a great cup.