BeanLabCoffee, tested
Tested guides to espresso, pour-over, cold brew and gear.
- Cold Brew
Flavoured Cold Brew: Spices, Citrus and Homemade Syrups
Simple ways to flavour cold brew at home, from cinnamon and vanilla to orange peel and brown sugar syrup.
- Cold Brew
Cold Brew Storage: How Long It Lasts and How to Keep It Fresh
How long cold brew keeps in the fridge, the best containers to use, and the signs that a batch is past its best.
- Cold Brew
Cold Brew Concentrate vs Ready-to-Drink: Which to Make
The difference between cold brew concentrate and ready-to-drink cold brew, how to dilute, and which one suits your routine.
- Cold Brew
Cold Brew Steep Time: How Long Is Long Enough?
How long to steep cold brew, what happens at 12, 18 and 24 hours, and how fridge vs counter brewing changes the timing.
- Cold Brew
Cold Brew Ratio: How Much Coffee Per Litre of Water
The best coffee to water ratio for cold brew, the difference between concentrate and drinking strength, and how to adjust.
- Cold Brew
Best Beans for Cold Brew: Roast, Origin and Grind
Which coffee beans work best for cold brew, how roast level changes the flavour, and how coarse to grind them.
- Cold Brew
The Complete Cold Brew Guide
How to make smooth cold brew at home: choosing beans, getting the ratio and steep time right, and storing it well.
- Gear
Coffee Scales: What to Look For and Why They Help
Why weighing coffee beats scoops, the features that matter in a coffee scale, and how to use one for every brew method.
- Gear
Gooseneck Kettles: Do You Really Need One?
What a gooseneck kettle does, stovetop vs electric models, and the features worth paying for if you brew pour-over.
- Pour-Over
V60 vs Chemex: Which Pour-Over Brewer Should You Buy?
A side-by-side look at the Hario V60 and the Chemex: filters, flavour, ease of use and which one suits your routine.
- Pour-Over
Pour-Over Technique: Single Pour vs Pulse Pouring
How to pour for an even extraction, the pros and cons of single and pulse pours, and the swirl that finishes the brew.
- Pour-Over
Pour-Over Bloom: Why the First 45 Seconds Matter
What the bloom does in pour-over coffee, how much water to use, how long to wait and what it tells you about your beans.
- Pour-Over
Pour-Over Water Temperature: How Hot Is Too Hot?
The ideal water temperature for pour-over coffee, how to adjust it for different roasts, and what to do without a thermometer.
- Pour-Over
Pour-Over Ratio: How Much Coffee to Water
The best coffee to water ratio for pour-over, how to adjust strength, and how to scale a recipe up or down.
- Pour-Over
Pour-Over Grind Size: Finding the Right Setting
How fine to grind for pour-over, how to use brew time to adjust, and why your brewer and dose change the answer.
- Pour-Over
The Complete Pour-Over Guide
A practical guide to brewing pour-over coffee at home: grind, ratio, water, bloom, pouring and choosing a brewer.
- Gear
Burr Grinders: Why They Matter and How to Choose One
Flat vs conical burrs, manual vs electric, and what to look for in a burr grinder for espresso, pour-over and cold brew.
- Espresso
Descaling an Espresso Machine: How Often and How To
Why scale ruins espresso, how often to descale your machine, and a simple step-by-step routine that keeps it running.
- Espresso
Bitter vs Sour Espresso: How to Fix Each One
How to tell a bitter shot from a sour one, what causes each, and which change to make first.
- Espresso
Espresso Shot Timing: What the Clock Really Tells You
Why 25 to 30 seconds is a starting point, not a rule, and how to use shot time to diagnose your espresso.
- Espresso
Espresso Brew Ratio: Dose, Yield and Strength Explained
What the espresso brew ratio means, the classic ristretto, normale and lungo ratios, and how to adjust for your beans.
- Espresso
Espresso Tamping: Pressure, Level and Common Mistakes
How to tamp espresso evenly, how much pressure you really need, and the small habits that stop channelling.
- Espresso
Espresso Grind Size: How to Dial In Your Grinder
Why espresso needs such a fine grind, how to find the right setting, and how to adjust it as your beans age.
- Espresso
The Complete Espresso Guide
Everything that goes into a good shot of espresso at home, from grind and dose to timing, taste and machine care.