Guides
Yes, Freeze Your Coffee Beans (Here's How to Do It Right)
The old advice against freezing coffee beans got it backwards. Done properly, the freezer is the best freshness tool you own.
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Guides
Steaming Milk for Microfoam: The Two Sounds That Matter
A practical guide to steaming silky microfoam at home, from the stretch to the whirlpool, with notes from my Breville Barista Pro.
Guides
Pre-Infusion: The Gentle Soak That Settles Your Espresso
What pre-infusion does, why a few seconds of low pressure tames channeling, and how to try it on a home machine.
Guides
Coffee Brewing Methods Compared: Which One Suits You
A plain guide to the main coffee brewing methods, from espresso to cold brew: how each one works, its pros and cons, and why the cup tastes the way it does.
Guides
Affogato: Hot Espresso Meets Cold Gelato in a Glass
An affogato is Italy's two-ingredient treat: a shot of hot espresso poured over cold gelato. Here's the ratio, why the contrast works, and how to get it right.
Guides
Pour-Over Coffee: A Complete Guide to a Better Cup
A complete pour over coffee guide: the gear, the ratios, water temperature, and a step-by-step recipe, plus fixes for sour, bitter, and stalled brews.
Guides
WDT Puck Prep: The Needle Tool That Fixed My Espresso
How the WDT puck-prep technique stops channeling, why needle thickness matters, and the simple routine that makes shots more consistent.
Guides
Dialing In the Breville Barista Pro: My Working Method
A repeatable way to dial in the Breville Barista Pro 878 that fits the Barista Express, Touch, and Impress too: grind, dose, yield, and shot time.
Guides
Sour or Bitter? Reading What Your Espresso Is Telling You
Sour espresso usually means under-extraction; bitter usually means over-extraction. Here's how to taste the difference and what to change.
Reviews
Baratza Encore ESP: The First Espresso Grinder I'd Actually Recommend
A close look at the Baratza Encore ESP, the under-$200 grinder that finally makes home espresso dialing approachable for beginners.
Guides
Your Water Is Most of Your Coffee
A brewed cup is about 98% water, and its minerals shape extraction. Here's how calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate work, plus the SCA target numbers.
Guides
Coffee Grind Size, From Espresso to French Press
A plain-language map of grind size across brewing methods, why it matters more than almost any other variable, and how to dial it by taste.
Guides
Why Coffee Puffs Up: The Bloom, Explained
What the bloom actually is, why fresh coffee releases CO2, and how a 30 to 45 second pause makes your pour-over taste better.
Reviews
Clever Dripper Review: The Immersion Brewer I Reach For Most
A long-term, first-person review of the Clever Dripper: how the valve works, my everyday recipe, where it beats the French press, V60, and AeroPress, and who should skip it.
Guides
Why I Brew My Iced Coffee Hot
Flash brew makes bright, aromatic iced coffee in about four minutes by brewing hot straight onto ice. Here is how to do it on a Clever Dripper.
Notes
The Afternoon Switch: Why I Trade Coffee for Tea After Two
Caffeine has a long half-life, which is why the afternoon cup can cost you sleep. A look at the science, and the case for an afternoon tea break.