Brew guides from BrewBean Coffee Roasters

Since 2005, BrewBean Coffee Roasters has been serving specialty coffee to Sydney from our small-batch roastery in Darlinghurst. Whether you brew at home daily or on slow Sunday mornings, this guide is here to make better coffee feel simple, reliable, and always worth the sip.

The Perfect Pour-Over

Pour-over is one of the best ways to experience the clarity and sweetness of specialty coffee. With the BrewBean Pour-Over Kit and a fresh bag of our small-batch roasted beans, you can brew café-quality coffee at home, delivered on your schedule.

What you'll need

• BrewBean Pour-Over Kit (dripper, filter papers, server)
• Freshly roasted BrewBean Yirgacheffe Ethiopia (whole beans or ground for filter)
• Burr grinder
• Gooseneck kettle
• Digital scales with a timer
• Fresh, filtered water

Brew recipe at a glance

• Coffee dose: 18 g
• Water: 288 g (1:16 ratio)
• Grind size: medium-fine (slightly finer than sand)
• Water temperature: 93°C
• Bloom: 50 g of water for 30 seconds
• Total brew time: 3–4 minutes

Step-by-step pour-over method

• 1. Heat and prep. Bring your water to 93°C. Place the paper filter in your BrewBean dripper and rinse it with hot water to remove any paper taste and warm the brewer and server. Discard the rinse water.
• 2. Weigh and grind. Weigh 18 g of Yirgacheffe Ethiopia. Grind to a medium-fine setting, aiming for a texture like fine sand. Fresh, small-batch roasted beans from BrewBean will give you a noticeably sweeter, more aromatic cup.
• 3. Set up. Place the dripper on your server or mug, put the whole setup on your scales, and tare to zero.
• 4. The bloom. Start your timer. Gently pour 50 g of water over the grounds, making sure they are evenly saturated. Give the brewer a gentle swirl to break up any dry pockets. Let it sit for 30 seconds—this “bloom” allows trapped gas to escape, helping your coffee extract more evenly.
• 5. Main pour. After 30 seconds, continue pouring in slow circles, keeping the water level just above the coffee bed. Aim to reach 288 g total by around 2:15–2:30.
• 6. Drawdown. Once you've added all the water, let the coffee drip through. Total brew time should land between 3 and 4 minutes. If it runs much faster, grind finer next time; if it's too slow, grind a touch coarser.
• 7. Serve and enjoy. Swirl the server to mix the brew, then pour into your favourite mug.

Tasting notes: Yirgacheffe Ethiopia

Our Yirgacheffe Ethiopia single-origin is small-batch roasted to highlight its delicate florals and citrus sweetness. In your cup, you can expect:

• Aromas: jasmine, bergamot, fresh stone fruit
• Flavour: bright lemon and lime, sweet peach, a touch of black tea
• Finish: clean and refreshing, with a light, tea-like body

For an even more expressive cup, let the coffee cool slightly before sipping—many of the floral and citrus notes become more pronounced as the temperature drops.

Understanding Single-Origin Coffee

Single-origin coffee comes from one specific place—usually a particular country, region, or even a single farm. Instead of blending beans from different origins, single-origins showcase the unique character of that area, much like wine does with its terroir.

Why terroir matters

Terroir is a French term that refers to how climate, altitude, soil, and local farming practices shape flavour. At BrewBean Coffee Roasters, we source specialty coffee through direct-trade relationships, including long-term partners in Ethiopia. This means we can select lots with distinct terroir and roast them in small batches to bring out their best characteristics.

• Altitude tends to produce denser beans with brighter acidity and more complex flavours.
• Soil and microclimate influence sweetness, body, and the balance of fruit, floral, and chocolate notes.
• Processing method (washed, natural, honey) affects how clean, fruity, or rich the cup feels.

How to taste origin characteristics

• Smell first. Before you sip, breathe in deeply. Note whether the aroma feels fruity, nutty, floral, or chocolatey.
• Take small sips. Let the coffee roll over your tongue. Notice acidity (brightness), sweetness, and body (light or heavy).
• Pay attention as it cools. Many single-origins, especially from Ethiopia, open up as they cool, revealing new flavours.
• Compare side by side. Tasting an Ethiopian coffee next to, say, a Brazilian or Colombian can make the differences much clearer.

Ethiopian vs other origins

Thanks to its high altitudes and heirloom varieties, Ethiopian coffee is often described as floral and citrusy. Our Yirgacheffe lots typically show jasmine, bergamot, and bright lemon or lime. In contrast:

• Brazil often leans towards chocolate, nuts, and caramel—smooth and comforting, great for everyday drinking.
• Colombia tends to balance gentle citrus with toffee and red fruit notes.
• Indonesia can be fuller-bodied and earthy, with spice and dark chocolate tones.

By choosing single-origin coffees from BrewBean Coffee Roasters, you're not just getting delicious, small-batch roasted coffee delivered on your schedule—you're tasting the story of each place in your cup.

Espresso at Home with the Darlinghurst Blend

Our Darlinghurst Blend is designed for home espresso drinkers who want a reliable, café-style cup every morning. Small-batch roasted in Sydney, it balances sweetness, body, and a gentle brightness—perfect for both black espresso and milk-based drinks.

Dialling in your espresso

Use this starting recipe, then adjust to taste:

• Dose: 18 g of ground coffee in the portafilter
• Yield: 36 g of espresso in the cup (a 1:2 ratio)
• Extraction time: 28–32 seconds from the first drip

Step-by-step espresso method

• 1. Prep your machine. Let your espresso machine fully heat up and flush a little water through the group head.
• 2. Weigh your dose. Grind 18 g of the Darlinghurst Blend fresh. Consistency matters here—use a quality burr grinder if you can.
• 3. Distribute and tamp. Even out the coffee in the basket, then tamp with firm, level pressure—think comfortable handshake strength, not brute force.
• 4. Pull the shot. Start the shot and use a timer. Aim for 36 g of espresso in 28–32 seconds.
• 5. Taste and adjust. If the shot is sour and thin, your grind is likely too coarse—grind a little finer. If it's bitter and heavy, try a slightly coarser grind or shorten the extraction time.

Milk steaming tips

• Start cold. Use cold milk and a chilled jug for more control.
• Stretch, then spin. Begin with the steam wand tip just below the milk's surface to gently introduce air (a soft paper-tearing sound), then move it slightly deeper to create a whirlpool.
• Stop at the right temp. Aim for milk that's hot but still comfortable to touch at the base of the jug—around 55–65°C. Overheating flattens sweetness.
• Polish the milk. Swirl the jug and tap it gently on the bench to remove any larger bubbles. You're looking for a glossy, paint-like texture.

Why fresh roast matters

Fresh, small-batch roasted coffee is easier to dial in and tastes noticeably better in the cup. Espresso made with recently roasted beans has more sweetness, balance, and crema. With BrewBean's flexible delivery options, you can have the Darlinghurst Blend and our other specialty coffees delivered on your schedule, so there's always fresh coffee on hand when you need it.