Get Your (Coffee) Grind On

How To Properly Grind Your Coffee

Let's face it, it's hard to know how to grind coffee. Sure you can just throw some beans in a grinder and let it rip, but it's all about quality and precision. Thats precisely why at Day And Night Brewery we value the concept of being committed to top notch products, which means understanding the best ways to grind coffee. We thought we'd pass on that information, so here you go. Read and enjoy!

For more information, visit dayandnightbrewery.com.

Think fresh.
Freshly ground coffee is unparalleled. The minute you grind your coffee it starts to oxidize and accelerate the aging process. Grind it within 15 minutes before you brew for the best results.

Burr is better.
In general, burr grinders are better than blade grinders. Blade grinders unevenly chop and shatter coffee beans, while burr grinders give you a more even grind which allows, in turn, for a better, more balanced brew. Having a larger range of particle sizes will lead to flavor of both under- AND over-extraction. In a pinch, blade grinders work best if you give them a little cocktail shaker shimmy when grinding. But burr is best.

Dial it in.
Grind size affects the surface area of coffee that is exposed to water – we use the term “extraction” to describe this. Smaller particles will have more contact with water, and thus extract more quickly. The reverse is true, too. Basically, if you extract too much from the coffee (grind too fine or brew too long), the coffee may taste bitter and chalky, like aspirin. Extract too little (grind too coarse or too little brew time) and you’ll get sour flavors of vinegar with a lack of depth.

Not blowing your mind? Adjust your grind!
We offer grind suggestions in our brew guides as a starting point – so when we say, the grind for your Chemex should be about as coarse as Kosher salt, that’s a good guide but may need some adjusting in grind and/or dose. If you find your coffee is tasting too strong or bitter you may need to coarsen your grind or lower your dose. If it’s too weak, or watery, you might tighten your grind or increase your dose. Experiment away, and find what suits you best.

Man vs. Machine.
To start, we stand behind all of the equipment we sell in our shop and we’ve tried, tested and approved all of our grinders. That being said, there are pros and cons to both manual and electric grinders.

Hand grinders are a favorite around here because we are a bunch of rambling men and women. They are compact, durable and portable – great for camping or travel. But these babies are not for the feint of heart. They are a bit cheaper but what you save in money you spend in muscle and time. If you’re making coffee for a crowd or are a morning grump, do yourself a favor and go electric.

Start sippin' as soon as you get your (coffee) grind on!

Thanks for reading!

*Information taken from  https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/blog/grind-101

So You Think You Can Home Brew

It's time to brew!

The time has come! You have decided to become the craftsmen you've always wanted to be, but didn't know how to get there. With this new home brew kit that you got (or are about to get), you will become not only a beer brewing master, but will be the envy of all of your neighbors. 

In this post, I'm going to lay out some helpful links and sources for you to check out that I've found to be helpful in my brewing experience. For more information contact dayandnightbrewery@gmail.com or to purchase your very own brew kit then check out dayandnightbrewery.com. 

• Just starting out check out this beginner's guide to making home brew.
• Need a detailed list of the supplies you'll need. Check this out.
• Feeling crazy and want to try different recipes. Here you go.
• Need a home brew kit. We got you covered.

I hope that you've found these resources to be helpful as you continue on in your brewing journey. Brew on and thanks for reading!

4 Reasons Why You Should Drink Craft Beer

So what's the big deal with craft beer?

It's no secret that craft beer tastes much better than regular, cheap beer. Yet still we find that there are so many people who are opposed to drinking craft beer because of the price. Now I'm all for being on a budget and watching how much I spend, but when it comes to what you drink, there should definitely be standards. Here's my theory and it hasn't failed me yet, Once you try something of high quality, you won't want to go back to the cheaper item that you had before.....same goes for craft beer.

So here are 4 reasons as to why you should drink craft beer, and craft beer only. 

1) It tastes better. I know this seems obviously, but if you haven't had a really high quality craft beer then do yourself a favor and go buy one right now. I recommend Monday Night Brewery, Terrapin, or even Sweetwater 420 as some great beers to try. Regardless of what craft beer you have first, you can surely appreciate the detail that went into making it.

2) You get more for your money...Yes, it can be pricey but the quality of beer that you get is out of this world. Plus, you get to try all sorts of beers from around the world that hold all sorts of different flavors. I recommend that if you're on a tight budget, put aside a few dollars each week and treat yourself to a nice six pack of craft beer.

3) You will never run out of options. There are literally thousands of options when it comes to craft beer. I mean really, you have options that will last a lifetime just from here in the United States, but then you have even more when you start looking into craft beer from abroad. Why drink the same beer you always have when you can expand your pallet and your knowledge of craft beers like never before. - plus you get to become a little cultured about different types of countries (at least based on their beer).

4) You can give great beer advice to all of your friends. Your friends will call you the "beer expert" and you will be praised for all of your expertise about what beer that should try next. You guys can have beer tasting parties, and will really get to do something you all can enjoy, together. Plus it never hurts knowing a lot about a certain subject, its good for your brain and for your friendships.

These are four reasons as to why you should drink craft beer. Sure, there are plenty more that I could have put, but I'll just let the craft beer do the talking.

Give it a shot and if you need advice on what beers to try, then check out our shop (all of our beers are craft).

Thanks for reading, and be on the look out for more blogs from us, you never know what great deals may be offered.

Talk soon,

 Day And Night Brewery

Here's The Perfect Solution To Fight The summer Heat

How To Make Iced Coffee At Home

As we all know, summer time is here. That means spending time at the beach and pool, hanging out with family and friends, and extreme heat and humidity which leave you parched. That's right. HEAT. We all know about it, but very rarely are we ready to fight it and come out on top.

It's time we take back what is rightfully ours, which is why we MUST make iced coffee....... wait what? You heard me, ICED.COFFEE.

This simple, yet delicious drink is 100% refreshing, and also includes a nice caffeine kick to keep you going.

With that being said, I've taken the time to compile a step by step guide on how to brew your own cup of iced coffee at home. Follow each step carefully and it will lead you into the glorious bliss, which is iced and caffeinated. Enjoy.

Directions

1) Mix the water and coffee. Put measure of coarse ground coffee to suit your taste into a pitcher. A full bodied darker roast will give you a richer coffee flavor.

2) Add water. Pour nine cups of cold or room temperature water into the pitcher.

3) Steep. Cover the pitcher, and let it steep for at least twelve hours in a cool place.
After steeping, you must separate the grounds from the water.

4) Strain the coffee. Decant the coffee by pouring through a fine-meshed sieve, into another container.

• Place a coffee filter (two paper towels work too) in the sieve and carefully pour the mixture through to separate the last of the grounds.
• You are left with a sweet, full bodied, coffee concentrate.

5) Serve it up! In a glass, add a desired amount of ice, and one part coffee concentrate to three parts cold water or milk. Add sugar if desired.

It's that simple, for more information on coffee and brewing tips check out our pinterest or head over to dayandnightbrewery.com

Brewing with Chemex: How to make the perfect cup

When it comes to brewing with a Chemex coffee maker there are a few things you need to know.

I will outline how you can get the perfect cup when brewing with this simple, yet effective coffee maker.

1) Heat your water to 205 degrees by bringing it to a boil and letting it sit for 30 seconds.


2) Unfold the Chemex filter and insert in the top of the brewer, making sure the 3-layered side of the filter is lined up with the pouring spout.


3) Pour hot water around the inside of the filter for about 5 seconds. Keeping the filter in place, discard the rinse water. Rinsing the filter helps seal it inside the dripper and also gets rid of any papery taste.


4) If using pre-ground coffee skip to Step 5. Otherwise, weigh out your whole bean coffee and grind it on a setting slightly coarser than medium.


5) Pour your ground coffee into the filter and gently shake the brewer back and forth to settle the grounds.


6)    Time: 0:00-0:45

Start your timer and slowly pour just enough water over the grounds to wet them evenly (about 70 grams). Let it sit until your timer reads 45 seconds. This step is called the bloom. Hot water forces the coffee to release trapped gases, leading to expansion of the coffee bed, bubbling at the surface, and wonderful aromas for you to enjoy.


7)   Time: 0:45-2:45


Begin pouring continuously in a spiraling pattern. Try to avoid pouring directly in the center or around the edges of the filter. If the water level nears the rim of the Chemex, pause for a moment to let it drain before continuing. Stop pouring once your timer reads 2:45 or your scale reads 600 grams.


8)   Time: 2:45-3:30

Allow all the water to drain through the filter. Remove the filter from the dripper and discard the grounds. If your final time was longer than 4:00, your grind was probably too fine. If your final time was shorter than 3:00, your grind was probably too coarse. Make a small adjustment to the grind next time you brew - practice makes perfect!


That's it! Brew and enjoy.


For more information about Day And Night Brewery check out our website.