Darkstar Coffee · Brew guides
Good coffee.
Your way.
Find your blend. Pick your brew method. Start with a simple recipe, then make it your own.
Find your espresso recipe ↓01 / Your everyday espresso
Start with your blend
Our blend recipes put sweetness and balance first. Weigh your coffee in, weigh your espresso out, then adjust to taste.
Kelvin
Dark chocolate · Hazelnut · Molasses
22 g in → 44 g out
Coffee : espresso. A 1:2 ratio means 1 g of ground coffee produces 2 g of espresso. Use the ratio with your usual coffee dose.
02 / Explore something different
Single origins & V60
Suggested starting recipes. Use the recipe on your coffee bag first, then adjust to taste.
Single-origin espresso
A sweeter, more expressive shot from your espresso-roasted single origin.
- Coffee in
- 22 g
- Espresso out
- 46–48 g
- Time
- 28–34 s
- Temperature
- 94°C
View brewing steps
- Grind 22 g of coffee fine, distribute evenly and tamp level.
- Place your cup on a scale, tare it and start the timer when the pump starts.
- Stop the shot at 46–48 g of espresso. Aim for 28–34 seconds as an initial guide.
- Stir and taste. Keep dose and yield fixed while you adjust the grind to improve the shot.
Make it your own: try a little more yield if it tastes sharp or sour; a little less if it tastes bitter or drying. Change one thing at a time.
V60 pour over
A clean, balanced cup for your favourite filter-roasted coffee.
- Coffee in
- 15 g
- Water in
- 250 g
- Total time
- 2:30–3:30 min
- Temperature
- 94–96°C
View brewing steps
- Rinse your paper filter with hot water and discard the rinse water. Add medium-fine ground coffee.
- Start the timer. Pour to 50 g, gently swirl to wet all the grounds, then bloom until 0:45.
- Pour slowly in circles to 150 g total by about 1:15.
- Continue pouring to 250 g total by about 1:45. Gently swirl and let the water drain through.
Pour weights are cumulative. If the brew drains too fast and tastes sour, try a finer grind. If it stalls and tastes dry, try a coarser grind.
Espresso ratios refer to the finished drink’s weight. Filter and immersion ratios refer to the water you add; the grounds retain some water, so the finished drink will weigh less.
03 / Find your ritual
More ways to brew
Slow mornings, coffee on the go or a cold one for a warm Perth afternoon. Choose a method to see the recipe.
French press / plunger30 g coffee · 500 g water · 1:16.7
Grind: medium-coarse
Water: 94–96°C
Time: 4–5 minutes
A full-bodied brew to share. Use a plunger with enough room for the water and grounds.
Prefer a cleaner cup? Let it settle for another minute before pouring.
- Warm the plunger, empty it and add 30 g of ground coffee.
- Pour in 500 g of hot water, stir gently and rest the lid on top without plunging.
- At 4 minutes, gently break the crust with a spoon and skim any foam if you like.
- Press slowly without forcing, then pour all the coffee into your cups or a separate jug.
AeroPress15 g coffee · 200 g water · 1:13.3
Grind: medium-fine
Water: 90–94°C
Time: about 2:30 minutes
A rounded, concentrated cup using the standard upright method in an AeroPress Original.
For a lighter cup, add 40 g of hot water after brewing. This makes the total water ratio 1:16.
- Fit a paper filter in the cap, rinse it and attach it firmly. Set the brewer upright on a sturdy mug.
- Add 15 g of coffee. Start the timer and pour in 200 g of water, staying below the brewer’s capacity.
- Stir gently, then insert the plunger slightly to form a seal. Leave it to steep until 2:00.
- Press gently for about 30 seconds. Never force the plunger; stop if you feel excessive resistance.
Cold brew100 g coffee · 1,000 g water · 1:10
Grind: coarse
Water: cold, filtered
Time: 18–24 hours in the fridge
A strong cold brew to serve over ice or dilute to taste. Use a clean container larger than 1 litre.
Keep covered and refrigerated during brewing and after filtering. Make small batches and enjoy promptly.
- Add 100 g of coarse ground coffee and 1,000 g of cold filtered water to your container.
- Stir until all the grounds are wet. Cover and refrigerate for 18–24 hours.
- Strain out the grounds, then pass through a rinsed paper filter for a cleaner finish.
- Taste over ice. Add water or milk gradually if you prefer a lighter drink. Expect less than 1 litre after filtering.
Iced V6020 g coffee · 200 g hot water + 100 g ice
Grind: medium-fine, slightly finer than your hot V60
Water: 94–96°C
Time: about 2:30–3:30 minutes
A bright filter coffee brewed directly over ice. Total water plus ice is 300 g, giving a 1:15 ratio.
Rinse the filter before adding the ice to the server so you don’t melt it early.
- Rinse the paper filter and discard the rinse water. Place 100 g of ice in your server.
- Add 20 g of coffee to the V60 above the server. Tare the scale and start the timer.
- Pour 50 g of hot water and bloom for 45 seconds. Slowly pour to 125 g, then to 200 g total hot water.
- Let the brew drain onto the ice, then swirl until chilled. Serve immediately.
Not quite hitting the sweet spot?
Your grinder, water and coffee all play a part. Our interactive dial-in guide helps you decide what to adjust next.
04 / A little know-how
Better brewing starts here
Which measurement matters most?
Start with an accurate dose and yield, then use time as a guide. Measure espresso by weight rather than volume because crema changes the volume in your cup. Our espresso times start when the pump starts; long pre-infusion settings may need a different time target.
How do I make the recipe taste better?
Keep your dose consistent and make one change at a time. For espresso, a little more yield can help a sharp, sour shot; a little less can help a bitter, drying shot. Uneven extraction can cause both, so check distribution and tamping too. For filter, adjust grind gradually and use taste alongside brew time.
What should I use for water and freshness?
Start with fresh coffee, clean brewing equipment and filtered water that tastes good. Follow your espresso machine manufacturer’s water requirements. If very fresh coffee is difficult to dial in, allow it a little more rest after roasting. Grind just before brewing where possible.
