How to Brew the Perfect Cup at Home: A Guide from the Aromas Roastery

At Aromas Coffee Roasters, we've been roasting fresh beans in Brisbane since 1982. Over four decades, one thing has stayed constant: a great cup is only as good as the person making it. That's actually something we say here at the roastery, all our effort to produce exceptional beans counts for 50% of what reaches your cup. The other 50% is you.

So let's make sure your half is as good as ours.

Espresso

Espresso is the foundation of most café drinks — flat whites, lattes, cappuccinos — and it rewards precision.

What you need: An espresso machine, a burr grinder, fresh beans, a scale.

The grind: Fine, like coarse sand. This is the single biggest variable in espresso. Too coarse and your shot will run fast and taste thin; too fine and it'll choke the machine and taste bitter.

The dose: 18–20g of ground coffee for a double shot is a good starting point.

The pull: Aim for 36–40g of liquid espresso in 25–30 seconds. If it runs faster, grind finer. If it's slower, grind coarser.

Which Aromas bean? Our espresso blends are roasted to a medium-dark level — traditional, strong, and full of flavour without any burnt or oily bitterness. The Heritage Blend (Black Label) is our most popular with milk, with rich chocolatey notes that shine through a flat white. If you take it black, the Supreme's dark chocolate character holds up beautifully as a straight shot. For something bolder, Satine brings a peppery, intense character that serious espresso drinkers tend to love.

Pour Over

Pour over is all about clarity and control. It's the ideal method for showcasing delicate, nuanced beans; think fruity, floral, or tea-like notes.

What you need: A pour over dripper (V60, Chemex, or similar), paper filters, a gooseneck kettle, a scale, and a timer.

The grind: Medium-fine — similar to coarse sugar. More consistent grind = cleaner cup.

The recipe: 15g of coffee to 250ml of water, heated to around 93°C (just off the boil).

The method:

1. Pre-wet your filter paper to remove any papery taste, then discard that water.
2. Add your grounds and make a small well in the centre.
3. Start your timer and pour 30–40ml of water over the grounds. Let it bloom for 30–45 seconds — you'll see the grounds swell and bubble as CO₂ releases. This is a sign of fresh coffee.
4. Pour the remaining water in slow, steady spirals over 2.5–3 minutes total.

Which Aromas bean? This is where our Single Origin range comes into its own. Single origin coffees are roasted lighter than espresso blends so the characteristics of each farm or region can shine through, making for a more distinctive experience for black coffee drinkers. Pour over is the perfect vehicle for exploring those flavours.

French Press

French press is forgiving, full-bodied, and wonderfully low-tech. No paper filters means all the natural oils from the bean end up in your cup, giving it a rich, heavy mouthfeel.

What you need: A French press, a kettle, a scale, coarsely ground coffee.

The grind: Coarse — like rough breadcrumbs. Fine grinds will slip through the mesh and make your cup muddy and over-extracted.

The recipe: 1:15 ratio — roughly 30g of coffee to 450ml of water at 93°C.

The method:

1. Add grounds to the press and pour all the water in at once. Give it a gentle stir.
2. Place the lid on (plunger up) and let it steep for 4 minutes.
3. Press the plunger down slowly and steadily — don't force it.
4. Pour immediately. Leaving coffee to sit on the grounds after brewing will turn it bitter.

Which Aromas bean? The fuller body of French press suits our espresso blends well. Roasters Reserve (Caramel 4) with its rich chocolate and hazelnut notes is particularly good here; those flavours deepen when the bean's natural oils are preserved. Samora Dark is another great pick if you like something bold and buttery.

One Last Thing: Start Fresh

Whichever method you choose, the biggest upgrade you can make is brewing with freshly roasted beans. Aromas has been specialising in small batch roasting for almost 40 years — which means when your order arrives, it hasn't been sitting in a warehouse for months.

Store your beans in an airtight container away from light and heat, and grind just before brewing. It makes a bigger difference than any equipment upgrade.

Browse our full range at aromas.com.au — and if you're not sure where to start, take our Coffee Quiz to find your perfect match.