COFFEE GUIDE

They are the two main coffee species, and they taste different on purpose. Arabica grows at higher altitudes, has more sugars and a brighter, more aromatic profile: floral, fruity, with a clean, sweet finish and gentler bitterness.

Robustais hardier, has roughly twice the caffeine, more body and a thicker crema. The flavour is bolder, with notes of dark chocolate and nuts. Neither is "better", they suit different moments, and a good blend gives you both at once.

• Keep it in an airtight container, away from light, heat and humidity.
• The pantry is fine. Avoid the fridge and freezer for daily beans, they cause condensation.
• Buy what you'll drink in 3–4 weeks. Coffee is freshest soon after roasting, which is why we roast to order.
• Grind just before brewing whenever you can. Ground coffee goes stale far faster than whole beans.

• Water too hot. Boiling water scorches the coffee. Aim for about 92–96°C (just off the boil).
• Wrong grind. Too fine clogs and over-extracts (bitter); too coarse under-extracts (sour, watery).
• Eyeballing doses. Use a ratio (see below) instead of guessing.
• Old or pre-ground coffee. Freshness beats almost everything else.
• Dirty equipment. Coffee oils go rancid. Rinse your moka, brewer and grinder.

You don't need a sommelier's palate. Slow down and notice three things:

• Aroma: smell it before you sip.
• Body: how light or full it feels in the mouth.
• Finish: what flavour stays after you swallow (chocolate? fruit? clean? sweet?).

Try the same coffee on different methods and you'll taste how much brewing changes the cup.