brewing methods & tips

The Basics

• Use only Monk’s fresh, Micro-Roasted beans. Grind beans immediately before the brewing.
• Use only “worthy” water. (It’s the upright thing to do).
• Measure two tablespoons of grounds for every 8 oz. of water. Be bold. Experiment for taste.
• Go with your favored brewing method: plunger, drip, percolator, or French press. Follow the instructions for each and allow yourself enough time to brew it right.
• Warm your cup or mug before filling it with coffee (Okay, this suggestion is only for the coffee zealots out there).
• Enjoy your freshly brewed Monk’s Groovy Beans cup of coffee, pronto.

Keep your Groove

Store your beans and ground coffee in an airtight container at an average room temperature. Our Monk’s bags are space-age tight and tidy.

Grind Refined

Sure, we'll grind your beans. Happy to do it. But truth be told – your coffee will taste better if you grind the beans with your own magic touch. Whole beans hold the flavor more efficiently. It’s best if you decide when the best time to release the robust power is; one potent pot at a time. Burr grinders offer top-notch quality in comparison to metal bladed grinders because they produce a more consistent, refined texture. The shorter the brew time, the finer the grind: Espresso – very fine. Drip – medium grind. French press – coarse grind. Percolator – extra coarse grind.

What type of grinder should you use?

The blade grinders weren’t even designed to grind coffee. Instead, they were used as herb choppers for years. These bogus blades whack your precious beans to little bits, without much consideration for consistency of grain size. They make a mess, are difficult to clean, and the blades are irreplaceable. Monk’s though, stumbled upon the Bodum C Mill. Bodum products are well crafted and simple, and the C Mill is no exception. It doesn’t whack away, instead milling a consistent grind with its top notch blade. The motor is strong and does NOT heat up when all you're trying to do is grinding only a few beans for a pot of coffee. Its standout feature is its blade, which is positioned to make cleaning a cinch. Without proper cleaning of your grinder, oils will gather and become rancid.

Burr grinders propel each individual bean through burrs that uniformly cut each bean to perfection. Burr grinders are also less messy and the burrs are replaceable. Pricewise, the Burr grinder’s downfall is their expense. Ranging between $60 and $120, they can hit your pocketbook hard. Yet, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Hence, Burr grinders are definitely worth the investment, especially if you plan on drinking coffee for the rest of your life, as they last much longer.

No matter which grinder you choose, grinding your own coffee creates fresh coffee with much greater substance.

The Flow

Filters are essential to prime tasting coffee. Gold filters are the epitome of excellence. Consider an investment in this precious metal filter. On the flip side, we recommend oxygenated paper filters for their environmental devotion. However, keep in mind that most white filters are chemically pumped, which can alter the coffee's flavor. Natural brown filters tend to add a woody taste.