Water Quality Water Temperature Coffee Storage Brewed Coffee Lifespan

There are many different methods for brewing coffee. From the auto drip method to the French press method to the siphon method and everything in between, each method requires different equipment and different grinds. Regardless of the method chosen, however, the basics stay the same.

Water Quality

Since coffee is 98.6% water, the quality of your coffee is highly dependent on the quality of the water used. Hard water or water with a lot of minerals or chemicals in them is over saturated with particles and is not "thirsty" enough to absorb the proper amount of coffee particles. Other particles such as fluoride may also affect the taste of the coffee. In areas with hard water or heavily fluoridated water, using bottled or some other filtered and softened water is generally a good idea.

Water Temperature

Generally, for all hot water brewing methods, the water temperature should be between 190-200 degrees Fahrenheit (boil water and let it cool slightly to get this temperature) when the water comes in contact with the coffee grounds.

Coffee Storage

Roasted coffee will keep its freshness for about a month in a non-vacuum sealed package as long as the bag is not opened. Vacuum packaging (all of UCC Hawaii's Kona Coffee is vacuum packaged) will extend the freshness of the coffee to about 3 months. Once the bag is opened the coffee should be stored in an airtight, non-transparent container. Placing the container in the freezer should also help to preserve freshness. Air, light, and heat will all cause coffee quality to deteriorate much quicker. Even with these storage practices, we recommend using all the coffee within two weeks of it being opened in order to ensure optimal coffee taste and quality.

Brewed Coffee Lifespan

Serve the coffee as soon as possible to preserve its aroma and flavor. Coffee can be kept warm only for about 20 minutes before the flavor starts to deteriorate. If brewing a pot at a time, pour unused coffee into a thermal container rather than keeping it on a heating element. The thermal container can be preheated by pouring hot water into it and then emptying it before pouring the brewed coffee in. This should keep the coffee hotter longer.