Brewing Quide
What's the best way to brew coffee at home?
It depends on what you're working with. Pourover gives you the most control and the cleanest cup. French-press is forgiving and full-bodied. Drip is consistent and easy. Espresso takes the most equipment but delivers the most intensity.
What's the right coffee-to-water ratio?
Start with 1-2 tablespoons of freshly ground coffee (about 10g) per 6oz of water and adjust from there. Grind size matters too: finer for espresso, coarser for french press.
From Farm to Cup
Where does coffee actually come from?
A coffee shrub, grown at altitude (usually above 5,000 feet) in places like Nicaragua, Columbia, Ethiopia, and Mexico. The best coffee comes from cooler temperatures and slower development. Each cherry is picked by hand, processed to remove the fruit, dried, sorted, and exported as green beans before we ever touch them.
How long does it take from harvest to my cup?
A coffee shrub takes 3-5 years to produce its first harvest. After picking, processing and drying add weeks. Shipping, importing, roasting, and delivery add more. By the time it reaches you, it’s gone through many hands, which is why we think it's worth knowing whose.
 Storing Coffee
How should I store my coffee at home?
Airtight, opaque container & away from light, heat, and moisture. Those are the three things that kill freshness fastest. Avoid the freezer and don't buy more than you'll drink in two to three weeks.
How fresh is the coffee I'm buying from JHR?
Very. We roast to order, which means your bag goes from roaster to packaging to your door, not from a warehouse shelf. Our bags also have one-way valves that let CO2 escape without letting oxygen in.
Coffee Terminology
What's the difference between single origin and a blend?
Single origin means the coffee comes from one source: one country, one farm, one lot. A blend combines two or more coffees to create a flavor profile neither achieves alone. Neither is inherently better, they're just different tools.
What does roast level actually mean?
It refers to how long and how hot the beans are roasted. Light roasts preserve more of the bean's original flavor: brighter, fruitier, more complex. Dark roasts develop deeper, smokier, more bitter notes. Medium sits in between. Roast level doesn't determine caffeine content as much as people think.
What's the difference between washed and natural process?
Washed (or wet process) coffees have the fruit removed before drying, resulting in a cleaner, brighter cup. Natural (or dry process) coffees are dried with the fruit still on, resulting in heavier body and more fruity, wine-like flavors.
What is Arabica?
One of the two main commercially grown species of coffee. Arabica grows at higher altitudes, has lower caffeine, and generally produces a higher quality, more complex cup than its cousin Robusta. It's also more susceptible to disease and pests, which is part of why good Arabica costs more.