Coffee with Four Kitchens: brewing tips from the Web Chefs

Imagine coming into the office. It’s early, and you’re longing for that first cup of Joe to get your morning ready. Picture our dismay when we came in one morning to find that our beloved coffee maker was broken.

We found ourselves in the market for a new coffee maker, and this time, we wanted to really take the time to research and splurge. We reached out to our friends at Prima Coffee and they were nice enough not only to provide recommendations, but also give us a pretty sweet deal on a coffee maker and grinder combo. We are now forever grateful.

With our fancy new coffee maker in hand, we were inspired to share some of our brewing tips and tricks for making the best cup of coffee.

“Favorite brew method is the inverted Aeropress. For two cups, I use about 5 heaping scoops of finely ground beans (I prefer a bold roast, such as Anderson’s Coffee’s African blends), usually filling the press to just under the #3 mark. Pre-wash the paper filter within the black cap with cool tap water, which allows the filter to adhere to the cap. Add 190 degree water to the coffee in the press (all the way to the top), stirring for about 5 seconds. Top with the filtered cap and wait 30 seconds. Invert over mug #1 and wait an additional 30 seconds before slowly applying pressure to begin the press. Halfway through, transfer press to mug #2 until only grounds remain. Add boiling water to each mug until full (or to taste).”
—Chris Devidal

“I am probably a coffee connoisseur’s nightmare. I like to get Snickerdoodle flavored coffee, then put French Vanilla creamer in it. It tastes like a liquid cookie and makes my kitchen smell great.”
—Cecy Correa

“I love Anderson’s, am I a fanderson? I don’t know. I swear by their Indonesian beans, the acid in South American beans got a little too much for me, even though I loved the taste. A friend of mine at the University of Texas at Austin, Lewis Phillips had a lot to say about grinding and brewing and I learned a lot from him. As such I learned to prefer burr ground. Also coffee should be black like the River Styx, a deep dark, through which no light can penetrate. Cold water, gold filters, good beans — it can get complicated, but mostly I just want to wake up and enjoy a warm cup of joe.”
—David Diers

“Another vote for the aeropress here! I prefer to brew Flat Track Coffee, it’s local, delicious, and they have a sweet van. It’s even better when you’ve transported it home in the bottle cage of your fixed gear bicycle! [hipster nonsense]

—Elliott Foster

“That beautiful AeroPress is not a toy. A few years ago, I did some work for a company in Toronto (Hi, MPD!) and they had an AeroPress. It looked like a gimmick. I scoffed and stuck with my French Press. Then I moved to the West Coast and the next office I was in (Hi, Pantheors!) had an AeroPress and advocates again. Fine, I’ll give it a try. Holy dogs and cats, I was a fool! I now have one that gets daily use. The French Press only comes out when guests are over. Shout out to Bicycle Coffee in Oakland!”
—Jon Peck

“My favorite cup of coffee is hand poured using a Hario V60 Dripper and Buono Kettle. I love how the ritual of hand pouring each individual cup gives me a moment to reflect on the day to come.”
—Mike Minecki

“There is a subtle art to enjoying a cup of coffee. Mainly, do not be in the room that contains coffee, do not attempt to brew it, in fact, one should remove all coffee from one’s home. Then you can start with some full leaf black tea, pouring just-under boiling water on top. Letting sit for at least 3 minutes, then enjoying the fact that tea is clearly superior.”
—Ian Carrico

“My favorite cup of coffee has to be Dogwood’s Ethiopia Limu Inara roast, combined with a Chemex coffeemaker and the pour-over technique. I, too, prefer a nice burr grind. This is a life changing coffee experience.”
—Joe Tower