Fondo Paez is a versatile and approachable coffee that blends tartness, sweetness, full body, and balance. It makes for the perfect morning brew, helping you start the day with an enlivening cup that represents the quality and strength of our oldest direct-producer partnership.
Today, we're brewing it two different ways. Both recipes are for the people who get up early, like us, and want to make a simple, delicious cup of coffee to start their day off right.
One of the things we love about Fondo Paez here in the lab is its versatility. It's able to shine in a multitude of brew methods, making it even easier to get a great cup while getting the kids out the door or just taking an early dawn moment for yourself.
Aeropress, Simplified.
The first recipe is with an Aeropress. Of all the brewing devices available, the Aeropress is somehow the easiest and most difficult. There's a whole world of techniques for this brewer, but today we're going to dial it back to a more streamlined approach. You just need a timer, coffee, a grinder, and your trusty Aeropress.
1. Bring water to a boil, and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes.
2. During this time, use the scoop provided with the Aeropress to dose 1.5 scoop-fulls of beans (between 17-19 grams).
3. Grind the beans to a table salt fineness, just finer than the typical drip grind.
4. (Optional) Place an Aeropress filter into the cap and rinse with water before brewing to remove any paper taste. If you're in a rush, this can be skipped.
5. Put the cap and filter on the brewer and place it cap down on your favorite mug. Toss in the ground coffee.
6. Begin your time and start pouring slowly over the coffee until the water in the Aeropress reaches #4 on the side. At this point, allow the coffee to sit and steep for about 1 minute.
7. At 1 minute, use a spoon to stir up the coffee and pour more water into the brewer until you reach the top of the #4 again.
8. Once you finish pouring, place the plunger on top of the tube, and begin pressing slowly and evenly. The total brew time should be around 2-2:15.
This is one of the easiest approaches to Aeropress brewing. From our own tests, this yields a simple and an exceptionally balanced cup.
Even Easier, The French Press.
Our second method is the French Press, which is one of the most overlooked brewing devices in coffee. It's great for hands-off brewing during a busy morning. Here's how you can do it:
1. Bring water to a boil, and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes.
2. Fill your French Press 1/4 to 1/5 the way full with coffee beans. This will be about how much coffee you need to brew a strong and balanced cup.
3. Grind slightly coarser than table salt, similar to kosher salt size. Load this into the French Press.
4. Pour your water slowly and evenly over the grounds, filling the French Press 80-90% If you're using a scale, start with 35 grams of coffee and 600 grams of water.
5. Allow the French Press to brew for 5-8 minutes.
6. Plunge the filter, stopping about 2/3 of the way, which prevents fine grounds from getting around the mesh filter.
7. Slowly pour the coffee into your favorite mug and enjoy!