There's real joy in brewing coffee at home. The smell alone can shift your whole mood. But getting that perfect cup? That's a mix of methods, beans and a few little important tips that make all the difference.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your daily brew, this guide will help you get the most from your beans.

Start with fresh, good-quality beans

Great coffee begins with great beans. You want something fresh, ideally roasted within one week and will last when stored correctly for another three weeks before becoming stale and losing some of its magic. Make sure to check the roast date.

If you're not sure where to get the best coffee beans in Sydney (or anywhere else), look for roasters that focus on small-batch, fresh coffee and tend to bring out the best in each blend. We highly recommend buying beans from your local coffee shop. They'll be fresh, and the baristas can normally guide you on the best type of beans for your home setup. This sets the stage for truly customised coffee — tailored to your taste, brewing method and daily ritual.

Once you've got your beans, store them in an airtight container somewhere cool and dark (not the fridge — that can mess with the oils and flavour).

Dial in the grind

The grind size matters more than most people think. Too fine, and your coffee can taste bitter. Too coarse, and it ends up weak or sour. Here's a rough guide:

• Coarse grind — Gritty and rough, similar to sea salt. Ideal for French Press and other immersion methods.
  
• Medium-coarse grind — Still a bit gritty but more consistent, like coarse sand. Great for pour-over brewers.
  
• Medium grind — Feels like regular sand. A versatile choice for drip coffee makers.
  
• Medium-fine grind — Smooth like silky sand but doesn’t clump. Also perfect for pour-over brewers.
  
• Fine grind — Very smooth and powdery, similar to table salt. Best for espresso machines.

Always grind just before brewing if you can — it preserves the aroma and complexity of the coffee. A simple hand grinder does the job nicely for smaller batches.

How to brew with different coffee makers

Each coffee maker brings out different flavours, textures and strengths, so knowing the basics of your gear makes all the difference.

Moka pot

The Moka pot brews by forcing steam-pressurised water through ground coffee to create a strong, espresso-like cup. Here are a couple of tips to get the best brew for this pot:

• Use a medium-fine grind.
  
• Fill the pot with hot water. This speeds up the brewing process and will result in a sweeter brew.
  
• Fill it just below the valve.
  
• Don't tamp the coffee. Just level it off.
  
• Use medium heat and leave the lid open. Listen to the sound the Moka Pot makes, and once you see coffee emerge, slide it halfway off the heat and reduce to low. You should see a slow pour of golden espresso. 
  
• Kill the heat completely and close the lid as soon as the espresso starts bubbling to avoid bitterness.

Espresso machine

Espresso machines push hot water through finely ground coffee at high pressure to produce a concentrated, crema-topped shot. If you're using one, be sure to:

• Use a fine grind, but not too powdery.
  
• Warm your machine and your cup before brewing.
  
• Tamp your grounds evenly — not too hard.
  
• Aim for a 25–30 second shot time for best results.

Pro tip: Use a set of scales to weigh both your ground coffee before brewing and how much the shot of extracted espresso weighs once it’s brewed. Compare this to the roasters’ recipe and make adjustments to your grinder — finer, coarser, more, less, etc.

French press

The French press uses immersion brewing, where coffee grounds steep in hot water before being filtered by a metal mesh plunger. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Make sure your grind is coarse.
  
• Use water just off the boil — around 94°C is ideal.
  
• Let it steep for four minutes, then press slowly. Don't let the filter come in contact
• with the sunken grounds.
  
• If your brew tastes a bit muddy, try stirring the top layer (the "crust") and scooping it out before plunging.

V60

The V60 is a pour-over brewer that uses gravity and a paper filter to extract clean, nuanced flavours. Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Aim for a medium-coarse grind.
  
• Weigh your water and coffee. A common ratio is 15g of coffee to 250ml of water, but you can tweak it to suit your taste.
  
• Rinse your paper filter first to get rid of any papery taste.
  
• Use a gooseneck kettle for more control over your pour.
  
• Pour in slow circles, starting from the centre, to bloom and extract evenly.

Brew better with Little Italy Coffee Roasters

Ready to experiment or upgrade your setup? At Little Italy Coffee Roasters, we're here for your coffee journey — whether you're searching for the best brew accessories, looking to try new pods for your Smeg coffee machine, hunting for the best coffee blends or giving the gift of customised coffee for someone special.