Preparing Kona Coffee

Mountain Thunder Coffee

Preparing Kona Coffee

Your step-by-step guide to brewing the perfect cup—from
grind to pour, the Kona way.

Master the Art of Kona Coffee

Explore expert tips on freshness, grinding, and brewing—your complete guide to the perfect cup.

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About Brewing

How to Keep Your Coffee Fresh

How to Grind Coffee

How to Make Pour Over Coffee

How to Make a Drip Coffee

How to Make Espresso

How to Make Cold Brew

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About Brewing

1. What’s the best grind for a French press?

A coarse grind is preferred to ensure that the extraction of flavor maintains a smooth finish without an overwhelming aftertaste which may occur with a finer grind when doing a French press brewing process.

2. What’s the best grind for cold brew coffee?

Similar to the reasoning for making a coarse grind choice for a French press method, it is also recommended that a coarse grind is selected for cold brewing.

3. What temperature is best for brewing coffee?

Around 195*F-205*F is ideal. Any hotter will result in scorching the coffee.

4. What is the difference between a cold brew and a regularly brewed coffee?

Cold brew coffee is steeped in cold water typically for 24 hours. While a regularly brewed cup is made with hot water, this will pull out more of the caffeine than the cold water does, yet the cold brew is known to have more body and flavor.

5. What brews a better cup of coffee, and auto drip or a French press?

It is up to the preference of the coffee drinker and which brewing technique accommodates their lifestyle and taste best. Some methods of brewing can be more time consuming, like that of a French press.

Stainless steel canister with 'Mountain Thunder' branding on a kitchen counter.

How to Keep Your Coffee Fresh

When coffee, like many other agricultural products, oxidizes the quality degrades. There are four main elements that degrade the aroma, flavor and quality of coffee over time. By minimizing these, coffee will stay fresher for longer:

Oxygen
Heat
Light
Moisture

Once the coffee bag is opened, whole bean coffee will last longer than ground coffee. While still whole, the coffee will last for about 6 months while the ground coffee beans may last for about 3 months. If you’re going to use the coffee in just a few weeks, folding the bag over, clipping it, and storing in a cool, dry place will suffice. Storing in a refrigerator or freezer is NOT recommended. The coffee will extract moisture and absorb flavors of the other food stored inside.

To prolong the storage of your coffee, you can use one of our Airscape Canisters available in our gift shop and online. These containers help minimize all of the elements that will deteriorate the flavor and quality of coffee. The metal canister prevents light from contacting the coffee and dissipates heat quickly. The double seal formed by the lid and plunger prevent oxygen and moisture from contacting the coffee. Resulting in coffee beans that stay fresh for as long as possible.

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How to Grind Coffee

We recommend having a personal grinder at home, if not a mortar and pestle can be used. There are four commonly used home grinders:

Blade grinders: Are a handy option that is not too pricey.
Burr grinders: Their precision is well known, however, the motor can tend to get rather hot and may scorch the coffee beans while grinding.
Conical Burr grinders: Have the precision to even grind Turkish coffee and have a slow, cool motor. These are more expensive but are worth it if you are looking for the grinder with the best capability.
Hand grinders: Tend to be very time-consuming.

There are different grinds required for the different methods of brewing.

Coarse: Are the largest granules of coffee are preferred for a french press or for cold brewing.
Medium: This consistency is like granulated sugar and is used for most types of drip coffee and coffee makers.
Fine: This powdery, mealy consistency is used for espresso machines.
Pulverized: Like a fine flour, is used to produce a Turkish coffee and a special grinder is required to achieve this fine of a grind.

Person making coffee using a pour-over method on a wooden surface

How to Make Pour Over Coffee

Boil water up to 205*F (recommended)
Using a pour over coffee pot use 1 tablespoon of mediumly ground coffee beans and place inside a filter.
Pour a cup of hot water for each tablespoon of coffee you plan to use on top of the grinds in a slow and steady motion.
Remove filter and enjoy your cup.

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How to Make a Drip Coffee

We suggest the best ratio for making a well-balanced cup of drip coffee is 1 tablespoon of medium ground coffee per 6 oz. of water.

Two espresso cups on dark plates with coffee beans scattered around on a wooden surface.

How to Make Espresso

To brew espresso without a machine:

Using a dark roasted coffee, grind to a very fine powder. 2 tablespoons or about 1 oz. per cup of water.
Heat kettle. Using a French press, place ground coffee and add hot water that does not exceed 200*F in temperature.
Steep for about a minute and press plunger to separate the grounds from the now brewed coffee.

Brewing with a machine:

Use filtered water.
Using a dark of Espresso roast of coffee, finely ground into a powder.

Tamp:

Compact ground coffee with a tamper, this restricts the flow of water. Start with a 30 lbs. Press to make a firm level tamp, this is essential to have an even extraction.

Tamp:

Water should be heated to 195*F-205*F.

Time:

Our recommended dose of a ‘double shot’ should be completed in 25-30 seconds.

Coffee beans spelling out 'COLD BREW' on a light background

How to Make Cold Brew

There are three main ways of making cold brew coffee.

Using a reusable or disposable filter pouch.
Choosing a brewing container with a built-in screen.
Adding coffee grounds directly into the water and straining afterward with a cheesecloth.

Whatever your preferred method, start with Mountain Thunder 100% Kona Coffee. Take 16 tablespoons of the coarsely ground coffee and combine with 32 oz. of filtered water. After steeping in the refrigerator for 24 hours, remove the grounds and you will be left with a cold brew concentrate to enjoy for up to 4 days.