Brewing Coffee & Tea

Coffee and tea are personal beverages. From the way you brew and steep to the way you sweeten or chill. The choice is yours. The one thing great coffee and tea have in common is quality water. We recommend fresh, filtered water for the best possible outcome. From there, we’ll provide you with some options for acquiring, brewing and storing your beans and leaves. The rest is up to you.

Coffee

We believe the best place to buy your coffee is right here at the Library. Your coffee purchase will likely be the freshest possible, will be roasted at the level you like best and supports Library operations. What could be better than that?

Tea

The Library has a growing loose tea selection. We have a variety of black & green teas and tisanes for your all-day and evening enjoyment. We sell our tea by cup and by 2 ounce increments. We even have reusable fabric and stainless tea steepers.

Brewing Coffee

The first, and most important part of your coffee-brewing process is your coffee. The source, type and freshness of the coffee all make a difference when crafting your cup. We encourage sampling different sources of coffee before committing to full pounds. Check out our [flavor profile page] to discover coffees for your palette. Selecting the right kind of beans will determine the flavor, mouth feel and even aftertaste of your cup.

No matter what method you use to brew your coffee, you want to make sure you are working with clean equipment. Start with quality cool water. When using water from a tap, let the cold water run for a few moments before filling your water source.

Each step of the brewing process determines the outcome of your cup. The grind, the amount of coffee used, the type of coffee maker and the temperature of the water during the brewing process all make a difference. Try different types of coffee and different methods to see what you like best.

Electric Drip Coffee Maker:

Start by grinding your coffee on medium. Use about 1 tablespoon of coffee for every 6 ounces of water. Always use a new disposable or clean reusable filter. Wait for your coffee maker to finish brewing before enjoying your first cup. And, once finished, remove your pot from the heat after about 15 minutes or the coffee will begin to overcook and become bitter. Make sure to discard your spent coffee grounds as soon as brewing is complete so bitter extracts don’t seep into your brew. Don’t ever reuse coffee grounds. All that’s left is the bitter residue and that’s not good coffee. Having said that, your plants might enjoy your used grounds.

French Press:

Make sure your press and all the parts, especially the filter, are good and clean. Rinse the pot with very hot water to prime your press. Heat water to just before boiling (about 205° or so). Use about 1 tablespoon of coarse ground coffee per 6 ounces of water. Put ground coffee in the pot and add water. Stir gently to ensure all grounds are wet. Place the top on with the plunger at the top position, do not press yet. Set a timer for 4:30 – 6:00 minutes depending on your preference. When the timer goes off, press the filter slowly down in the pot. With the filter down, pour coffee into your cup. Do not let your coffee sit in the pot very long as it will become bitter.

Individual K-Cup Type Brewer:

We recommend regular drip ground coffee when filling your own k-cup compatible filters. Do not overfill the filter as grounds will back up into your brewer and make things messy and hard to clean at a future time. Follow the instructions for your equipment and remember to use fresh water each time. If you can set cup size, the smaller the cup you select, the stronger your brew will be. If you like a fuller-bodied or stronger coffee, consider using a pour-over cone to make one cup at a time.

Coffee Sock or Bag:

To make great coffee when traveling, you might want to consider the coffee sock or disposable bag method. This method is very similar to brewing tea. You may select a reusable coffee sock or disposable bag for brewing. When using a coffee sock, please follow directions for care and cleaning. In general, you will use the same ratio of coffee as for other types of brewing (1 tablespoon coffee to 6 ounces water, modified to your taste) ground to regular drip. You may place the filter over your cup using a cone filter or you may submerge the bag in your cup, being careful to prevent grounds from escaping. Pour hot water over your grounds and allow to completely drip or steep for about four minutes. Remove grounds, prepare coffee to your liking and enjoy.

Brewing tea

Just like with coffee, a great cup of tea starts with high quality tea or tisane blend and good water. For tea, it’s best not to re-boil water, start with fresh water in a clean kettle each and every time.

  • Black teas: While boiling your water, prepare your cup or pot for brewing. Rinse pot or cup with very hot water to prepare to brew. If using a reusable infuser, make that hot as well. Prepare infuser or disposable filter with about 1 teaspoon of loose tea to six ounces of water. Steeping time for black tea is about 3 – 5 minutes regardless if you are using a prepared tea bag or one you build yourself.
  • White teas: White teas are a little more fragile than black teas. Heat water to just short of boiling, about 200-205°. While your water heats, rinse pot or cup with very hot water to get it ready. If you are brewing loose leaf tea with a reusable infuser, make that hot as well. Prepare infuser or disposable filter with about 1 teaspoon of loose tea to six ounces of water. Steeping time for white full-leaf tea is about 2 – 3 minutes. If you are using a prepared tea bag, plan on a quick brew of 30 – 60 seconds. As always, adjust measurements and brew time to suite your taste.
  • Green teas: Green teas are a little more fragile than black teas too. Heat water to just short of boiling, about 200-205°. While your water heats, rinse pot or cup with very hot water to get it ready. If you are brewing loose leaf tea with a reusable infuser, make that hot as well. Prepare infuser or disposable filter with about 1 teaspoon of loose tea to six ounces of water. Steeping time for green full-leaf tea is about 2 – 4 minutes. If you are using a prepared tea bag, plan on a shorter steeping time of 1 – 2 minutes. As always, adjust measurements and brew time to suite your taste.
  • Oolong: While boiling your water, prepare your cup or pot for brewing. Rinse pot or cup with very hot water to prepare to brew. If using a reusable infuser, make that hot as well. Prepare infuser or disposable filter with about 1 teaspoon of loose tea to six ounces of water. Steeping time for oolong tea from a prepared tea bag is about 3 – 5 minutes and for full-leaf, loose tea aim for 5 – 7 minutes.
  • Red and herbal tea blends: Similar to black and oolong teas, prepare water by bringing water just to boiling. While your water heats, prepare your cup or pot for brewing. Rinse pot or cup with very hot water to prepare to brew. If using a reusable infuser, make that hot as well. Prepare infuser or disposable filter with about 1 teaspoon of loose tea to six ounces of water. Steeping time for red tea or tisanes will be about 5 – 7 minutes. Adjust amount of tea, water and steep time to your preference.