Seta della Cina

Start with a 1:16 ratio — 60g of coffee per litre of water — and adjust from there. Water just off the boil, around 92–96°C, gives the cleanest extraction.

For filter and pour-over, grind medium and aim for a total brew time of 2:30–3:30. For espresso, grind fine and pull roughly double the dose in weight over 25–30 seconds. If the cup tastes sharp or sour, grind finer; if it tastes hollow or bitter, grind coarser.

Coffee starts losing aroma within minutes of grinding, so whole bean will always taste fuller. If you have a grinder, buy whole bean and grind right before you brew.

Where a grind option is offered on this page, choose the one that matches your brewer — fine for espresso, medium for filter and pour-over, coarse for French press and cold brew.

Keep the bag sealed in a cool, dark cupboard. Oxygen, light, heat and moisture are what stale coffee — not time alone.

Avoid the fridge: coffee absorbs odours and condensation forms every time you open the bag. Freezing works only for unopened bags you do not plan to touch for months; once opened, keep it at room temperature.

Freshly roasted coffee releases CO₂ for several days after roasting. Let the beans rest 7–10 days before pulling espresso, or 3–5 days for filter — too fresh and the bed will bloom violently and extract unevenly.

From there, specialty coffee is at its best for roughly four to six weeks. It stays safe to drink well beyond that; it simply loses the aromatics you paid for.