Tico's Coffee
One of life's simple pleasures!
We are a small family owned coffee micro-roaster located in Stayton, Oregon, just west of the Cascade Mountain range in the heart of the beautiful Willamette Valley.
We love coffee and want to provide you the absolute best coffees available. We take a hands-on approach in every step possible, no matter how inconvenient or time consuming. Great care and pride is put into every batch of your premium micro-roasted coffees.
We are serious about providing you fresh coffee, even when not considered practical elsewhere in the coffee industry. Our freshness policy is very simple. We roast to order and ship your coffee in 24 hours or less after roasting.
How to Brew Coffee
| There are
many methods for brewing a fine cup of coffee -- no single technique is
right for everyone. The method you choose for brewing your coffee
should be based on your needs and your unique coffee preferences. Do
you want a hearty mug of coffee for breakfast? An afternoon cappucino?
Or a dessert espresso? Do you prefer a milder coffee or a more robust
coffee flavor?
The
quality and flavor of your coffee is not only determined by the brewing
process you prefer but also by the type of coffee you select. For
example, what country is the coffee from, what region and what variety
of coffee tree? Or is it a blend from several countries, regions or
varieties? Do you favor a dark roast coffee, a light blend or
something in between? What kind of grind have you selected? Remember
to be creative -- you can choose a dark espresso roast coffee and still
have it ground to be brewed in a drip system.
But no
matter how you choose to brew your coffee, there are guidelines to
follow which will give you the best cup of coffee possible. To
optimize the quality of every cup of coffee you prepare, fine-tune your
brewing routine by incorporating these suggestions.
|
 |
|
|
Make sure that your equipment is thoroughly cleaned
after each use by rinsing it with clear, hot water and drying it with
an absorbant towel. Check that no grounds have been left to collect on
any part of the equipment and that there is no build-up of coffee oil.
Such residue can impart a bitter, rancid flavor to future cups of
coffee.
|
|
|
|
The Coffee
|
|
|
|
Purchase coffee as soon after it has been roasted as possible. Fresh roasted coffee is essential
to a superb cup of coffee. And purchase your coffee in small amounts --
only as much as you can use in a given period of time. Ideally you
should purchase your coffee fresh every 1-2 weeks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you purchase whole bean coffee, always grind your beans as close to the brew time as possible.
A burr or mill grinder is preferable because all of the coffee is
ground to a consistent size. A blade grinder is less preferable
because some coffee will be ground more finely than the rest. If you
normally grind your coffee at home with a blade grinder, try having it
ground at the store with a burr grinder. You may be surprised at the
difference!
Do not underestimate the importance of the size of the grind to the taste of your coffee.
If your coffee tastes bitter, it may be overextracted, or ground too
fine. On the other hand, if your coffee tastes flat, it may be
underextracted, meaning that your grind is too coarse. Tell the
professionals where you purchase your coffee exactly how you will be
brewing it. For example, will you be using a plunger pot? A flat drip
filter? A cone drip filter? A gold mesh filter? They will grind it
specifically for the preparation method you have chosen and the
equipment you use.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Before
using the coffee, try rubbing some of the grounds between your fingers
so that you can 'feel' the grind and become acquainted with the
differences in size.
Never reuse your coffee grounds. Once brewed, the desirable coffee flavors have been extracted and only the bitter undesirable ones are left.
|
|
|
|
|
Ratio of Coffee to Water
|
|
|
|
Use
the proper amount of coffee for every six ounces of water that is
actually brewed, remembering that some water is lost to evaporation in
certain brewing methods. A general guideline is 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water.
This can be adjusted to suit individual taste preferences. Be sure to
check the 'cup' lines on your brewer to see how they actually measure.
|
|
|
|
Water Temperature During Brewing
|
|
|
|
Your brewer should maintain a water temperature between 195 - 205 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal extraction.
Colder water will result in flat, underextracted coffee while water
that is too hot will also cause a loss of quality in the taste of the
coffee. If you are brewing the coffee manually, let the water come to
a full boil, but do not overboil. Turn off the heat source and allow
the water to rest a minute before pouring it over the grounds.
|
|
|
|
After Your Coffee had been Brewed
|
|
|
|
Brewed coffee should be enjoyed immediately!
Pour
it into a warmed mug or coffee cup so that it will maintain its
temperature as long as possible. Brewed coffee begins to lose its
optimal taste moments after brewing so only brew as much coffee as will
be consumed immediately. If it will be a few minutes before it will be
served, the temperature should be maintained at 180 - 185 degrees
Fahrenheit. It should never be left on an electric burner for longer
than 15 minutes because it will begin to develop a burned taste. If the
coffee is not to be served immediately after brewing, it should be
poured into a warmed, insulated thermos and used within the next 45
minutes.
Never reheat your coffee.
|
|
