Coffee Brewing Guide

At Artisanté, we approach coffee the way we approach chocolate — with reverence for origin, respect for craft, and the belief that a well-made cup is a small, daily indulgence worth getting right.

This guide covers the essentials and six brewing methods. Whether you use a V60, a French press, or your grandmother's South Indian filter, the fundamentals are the same.

The Fundamentals

Grind

Grind size changes everything. The right grind for your method is the single biggest factor between a cup you love and one you tolerate.

  • Coarse — sea salt — French press, cold brew
  • Medium — coarse sand — pour-over, filter coffee
  • Fine — table salt — moka pot, AeroPress
  • Extra fine — powdered sugar — espresso, Turkish

Grind just before brewing. Pre-ground coffee loses its aromatics within minutes.

Water

Coffee is 98% water. Use filtered water, never distilled. The ideal brewing temperature is 90–96°C — just off the boil. Water that's too hot scorches; too cool and the coffee tastes flat and sour.

Ratio

Start with a 1:15 to 1:17 ratio by weight — one gram of coffee for every 15 to 17 grams (ml) of water. A kitchen scale changes everything. If you take one piece of advice from this guide, let it be this.

Six Ways to Brew

Pour-Over (V60, Chemex, Kalita)

Clean, bright, and expressive of origin. Our preferred method for single-origin coffees where you want the fruit, florals, and acidity to sing.

  • Ratio: 1:16 (e.g. 20g coffee to 320g water)
  • Grind: Medium, like coarse sand
  • Time: 3 to 4 minutes total

Method: Rinse the paper filter with hot water and discard. Add coffee, level the bed. Start a timer and pour 40g of water to bloom — wait 30 seconds. Pour the remaining water in slow, concentric circles, finishing by the 2:30 mark. Let it drain. Swirl, serve, drink while hot.

French Press

Full-bodied, rich, and forgiving. The method we reach for in the morning when we want something indulgent rather than analytical.

  • Ratio: 1:15 (e.g. 30g coffee to 450g water)
  • Grind: Coarse, like sea salt
  • Time: 4 minutes exactly

Method: Add coffee to the press. Pour hot water over it, saturating the grounds. At 4 minutes, break the crust gently with a spoon and skim off the floating foam and grounds. Press the plunger down slowly — stop just below the surface. Decant immediately to prevent over-extraction.

Moka Pot

The Italian stovetop classic. Not quite espresso, but intensely concentrated, bittersweet, and perfect for pairing with milk or chocolate.

  • Grind: Fine, like table salt (slightly coarser than espresso)
  • Water: Fill the base to just below the valve
  • Time: 4 to 5 minutes on medium-low heat

Method: Fill the base with hot (not boiling) water. Add coffee to the funnel — level, don't tamp. Assemble, place on medium-low heat with the lid open. When the chamber fills about two-thirds, remove from heat — a dishcloth under the base helps stop the extraction. Serve at once.

South Indian Filter Coffee

A ritual as much as a brew. Slow, deliberate, aromatic — the heart of South Indian hospitality. Traditionally made with a blend of coffee and roasted chicory.

  • Ratio: 1:4 for the decoction (e.g. 25g coffee to 100ml water)
  • Grind: Fine
  • Time: 15 to 20 minutes drip

Method: Place the coffee in the upper chamber of the filter. Press the perforated disc down gently. Pour just-off-the-boil water over it. Cover and let the decoction drip into the lower chamber — this takes patience. To serve: combine 2–3 tablespoons of decoction with hot milk and sugar in a dabarah and tumbler, and pour between them to aerate. Drink while frothy.

AeroPress

Versatile, forgiving, nearly impossible to ruin. Our choice for travel and for small, careful cups.

  • Ratio: 1:15 (e.g. 15g coffee to 225g water)
  • Grind: Fine to medium-fine
  • Time: 2 minutes total

Method (inverted): Assemble the AeroPress inverted. Add coffee, then water. Stir gently, cap with a rinsed filter, and wait 90 seconds. Flip onto your cup and press slowly — the plunge should take about 30 seconds. Stop when you hear the hiss.

Cold Brew

Smooth, low-acid, naturally sweet. Essential in Mumbai summers. Keep a jar going in the fridge all season.

  • Ratio: 1:8 for concentrate (e.g. 100g coffee to 800g water)
  • Grind: Coarse
  • Time: 12 to 18 hours in the refrigerator

Method: Combine coffee and cold filtered water in a jar. Stir once to saturate. Cover and refrigerate overnight (12 hours for lighter, 18 for stronger). Strain through a fine mesh and then a paper filter. Dilute 1:1 with water or milk when serving over ice. Keeps for two weeks.

Storing Your Coffee

Coffee's three enemies are oxygen, light, and heat. Store beans in an opaque, airtight container at room temperature — not the refrigerator or freezer. Use within three weeks of the roast date for peak flavour. After that it's still good; it just isn't singing.

A Final Note on Pairing

A pour-over with floral notes alongside a Madagascar or São Thomé bar. A deep French press with our Dominican 70%. A moka pot with a square of Cold Brew, Dark 65%, Coffee, Hazelnuts. The right coffee makes the chocolate taste more like itself, and vice versa.

However you brew, brew with care. The cup rewards it.