Choose Your Coffee
Start by discovering your taste preferences. Use our interactive coffee flavor wheel to identify the flavors that appeal to you most.
Once you know your preferences, Google your local area to find specialty coffee shops and roasters that carry those flavor profiles. Look for shops that source beans from specific regions and offer tasting notes. In Cusco, start with the coffees we roast and the bean atlas.
Use the flavor wheel to identify your taste preferences
Discover Your Taste Profile
Explore the spectrum of coffee flavors - from fruity to earthy
Understanding Brew Methods
Different brewing methods extract different compounds from coffee beans, creating distinct flavor profiles. Choose your method based on the flavors you want to highlight.
Roast Level & Brewer Pairing
Light roasts highlight fruity and bright flavors and pair well with pour-over and drip brewers.
Medium roasts offer balanced profiles and are versatile enough for almost any brewing method.
Dark roasts with bold, smoky notes are excellent for espresso, French press, and cold brew.
Conical Drippers
These brewers have a cone shape, allowing for a deeper bed of grounds and more controlled flow rate, often leading to complex and clean cups.
Hario V60 Light
A widely used, iconic conical brewer known for its large drainage hole and ribbed interior walls.
Allows for fast flow rate and produces bright, clean cups. Available in ceramic, glass, plastic, and metal.
Why Light Roasts: The fast flow rate and clean extraction highlight the nuanced, fruity flavors and acidity of light roasts.
Chemex Light
This elegant, carafe-style brewer combines the filter holder and carafe into one unit.
Uses proprietary, extra-thick paper filters to produce very clean, sediment-free, and smooth cups.
Ideal for brewing larger batches.
Why Light Roasts: The thick filters and clean extraction method showcase the delicate flavors and bright acidity of light roasts.
Chemex Funnex Light
A smaller, more portable version of the classic Chemex that sits directly on top of your mug.
Perfect for single servings while maintaining the clean extraction characteristics of the original.
Why Light Roasts: Same clean extraction as the full Chemex, ideal for highlighting light roast nuances in smaller batches.
Flat-bottom Drippers
These brewers have a flat-bottomed filter basket with several small drainage holes, promoting more consistent and even extraction. Often more forgiving for beginners.
Kalita Wave All
Recognized for its consistent and reliable results, the Kalita Wave's flat-bottomed design and signature wavy filters
create consistent brews by minimizing water contact with the filter. Great for beginners.
Why Versatile: The even extraction and forgiving nature make it excellent for all roast levels.
Immersion and Hybrid Brewers
These devices combine immersion and pour-over techniques, allowing grounds to steep in water before draining.
AeroPress All
Though not a traditional pour-over, this brewer often falls into the manual brewing category.
Uses immersion and pressure to create clean, robust cups. Extremely versatile for experimentation.
Why Versatile: Can produce everything from clean filter coffee to espresso-like shots, working well with all roast levels.
Travel Brewers
These are designed for portability and durability, perfect for coffee on the go.
MiiR Pourigami Light
A collapsible, lightweight travel dripper made from stainless steel.
Perfect for backpacking and travel while maintaining pour-over quality.
Why Light Roasts: The clean pour-over method highlights the bright, fruity characteristics of light roasts.
Yeti Rambler Pour-Over All
A durable, stainless-steel dripper designed to fit securely on top of most travel mugs.
Built to last with Yeti's signature durability.
Why Versatile: Robust construction and reliable design work well with all roast levels.
Stanley Perfect Brew Pour-Over Dark
A rugged, reusable stainless-steel filter system suitable for camping and outdoor adventures.
Built for extreme conditions and durability.
Why Dark Roasts: The robust extraction method and durability make it ideal for bold, dark roast flavors.
Other Unique Brewers
Specialty brewers that offer unique brewing experiences and methods.
Hario Woodneck Drip Pot All
A classic device that uses a reusable flannel filter, which provides a clean and smooth cup with heavier body.
Traditional Japanese brewing method.
Why Versatile: The flannel filter adds body while maintaining clean extraction, working well with all roast levels.
Brew time and coffee ratio guide for different methods
Brewing Methods & Grind Sizes
Visual guide to matching grind size with brewing method
Choose Your Grind Size
Grind size dramatically affects extraction and flavor. Match your grind to your brewing method for optimal results.
Grind size guide for different brewing methods
- Coarse (French Press, Cold Brew): Like sea salt - allows long extraction without over-extraction
- Medium-Coarse (Chemex): Like coarse sand - balanced extraction for pour over
- Medium (Drip Coffee): Like table salt - standard for most drip machines
- Medium-Fine (V60, AeroPress): Like fine sand - faster extraction for pour over
- Fine (Espresso): Like powdered sugar - quick extraction under pressure
- Extra Fine (Turkish): Like flour - ultra-fine for traditional brewing
Understanding Coffee Roasts
The same green coffee bean can taste completely different depending on how it's roasted. Roasting transforms the bean's chemical composition, creating different flavor profiles.
Light Roast
Preserves origin characteristics with bright acidity and fruity flavors. Beans are light brown with no oil on surface. Best for single-origin coffees.
Medium Roast
Balanced acidity and body with caramelized sweetness. Beans are medium brown with slight oil sheen. Most versatile roast level.
Dark Roast
Bold, smoky flavors with reduced acidity. Beans are dark brown with oily surface. Roast characteristics dominate over origin flavors.
French Roast
Very dark with intense smoky, charred flavors. Beans are nearly black and very oily. Origin flavors are completely masked by roast characteristics.
How roasting transforms coffee beans at different stages
From Green Bean to Coffee
Green coffee beans before roasting - the starting point of your coffee journey
Master the Brewing Process
Follow these fundamental steps for consistent, great-tasting coffee every time.
- Use fresh, filtered water heated to 195-205°F (90-96°C)
- Grind your beans immediately before brewing for maximum freshness
- Use the right coffee-to-water ratio: Start with 1:16 (1g coffee to 16g water)
- Pre-wet your filter to remove paper taste and preheat your equipment
- Bloom your coffee with 2x the coffee weight in water, wait 30-45 seconds
- Pour slowly and evenly in a circular motion for consistent extraction
- Adjust variables based on taste: grind finer for more extraction, coarser for less
Proper V60 pour over setup and technique
You're Ready to Brew!
Now that you understand the basics, it's time to experiment and find your perfect cup. Remember: great coffee is about finding what you enjoy most.