"Rhodos coffee has been a daily event since I moved to the Valley 4 years ago. During a recent 9 week circumnavigation of Vancouver Island in my kayak I ran out of my Milano Blend two days before a re-supply stop. I considered calling the coast guard on channel 16 but was discouraged by my paddling partner.

I did manage to make it to the re-supply stop (I think I was reusing grounds for the last day). Needless to say, I made sure that I had an emergency supply for the balance of the trip."
Doug Taylor
"Powered by Rhodos"

Coffee Basics

Brewing the Best -
Rhodos' time-honoured tips for brewing perfect coffee

What roast should I use?

The roasting of coffee beans is essential in bringing out the beans' complex flavours. A lighter roasted bean will generally maintain more flavours characteristic of the soil in which it was grown, while darker roasts will exhibit bolder flavours created by the roasting process itself. As beans are roasted they also lose caffeine, so a darker roast will generally contain less than a lighter one. Which roast to choose depends solely on your own tastes, and how important it is that you stay awake.

Whatever roast you decide on, brewing your coffee with beans that have been freshly roasted in small batches will ensure that your cup will start off on the best, and freshest, footing.

How should my beans be ground?

Whenever possible, buy your beans whole and grind them as needed, as a coffee bean will begin to lose its fragile aromas within hours once its outer shell is broken. The grind you choose, from coarse to fine, depends upon the brewing method. Generally speaking, the longer the brewing method, the coarser the grind - so use a fine grind for an espresso machine but a coarse grind if you're using a French press. Whatever grind you choose, please be careful when grinding - ground fingernails add nothing to a cup of coffee.

How should I store my coffee?

To retain the fullest flavour of your beans, buy just enough coffee to get you through the week, or two at most. Store your beans, or ground coffee, in an airtight container at room temperature. Freezing can cause the beans' delicate oils to break down or leach out, and refrigerating can cause your beans to pick up flavours from that casserole on the top shelf.

If your coffee has already been brewed, by all means drink it immediately or store it in a thermal carafe to preserve its freshness. Brewing coffee and then reheating it, or leaving it on an element, will turn a great cup of coffee into a mediocre one, and will elicit the scorn of the coffee gods.

How much ground coffee should I use?

The flavours contained in ground coffee are very strong, and it therefore takes relatively little to produce a robust brew. The generally accepted ratio for brewing coffee, recommended by the Specialty Coffee Association of America, is about 1.5% coffee to 98.5% water.

If this all sounds a bit too complicated before you've had your morning joe, just use about two level tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 ounces (170 mL) of water. If you like your brew stronger or weaker, adjust accordingly.

How hot should my coffee be?

Hotter than that blind date in high school, but not as hot as the cast of Lost. If you boil your water for coffee, give it a moment to cool down a few degrees before brewing. Optimal temperature is between 90° and 96° Celsius (195° - 205° Fahrenheit).

How can I best enjoy my cup of coffee?

Just as great coffee should not be brewed through a sock, neither should it be sipped from a boot. We recommend enjoying your coffee in a favourite mug, preferably curled up with a good book or among friends at our cozy Rhodo's Roasting House & Cafe.