Coffee guides

Practical guides for better coffee at home.

Explore clear, connected guidance on espresso, coffee freshness, storage and flavour. Each guide gives a direct starting point, practical steps and a useful next action.

01

Espresso

How to dial in espresso

Use dose, yield, grind and taste to make controlled adjustments instead of chasing one perfect time.

Start with a repeatable recipe, change one variable at a time and taste again as the cup cools.

Read the espresso guide
02

Espresso tool

Espresso ratio calculator

Convert a coffee dose and brew ratio into a target espresso yield with clear gram-based inputs.

The calculator is keyboard accessible, works on mobile and keeps the explanation useful when JavaScript is unavailable.

Open the ratio calculator
04

Storage

How to store coffee beans

Reduce exposure to air, moisture, heat and light with a simple daily storage routine.

Learn when the original resealable bag is enough, why the fridge is usually unsuitable and how to freeze small portions carefully.

Read the storage guide

Free coffee tool

Espresso ratio calculator

Enter a dry coffee dose and a brew ratio to calculate a target espresso yield. The result is a repeatable starting point, not a promise of how a coffee should taste.

Calculate a target espresso yield
Target espresso yield 36.0 g

Calculation: dose × ratio = target beverage yield. Inputs stay in your browser and are not submitted or stored.

What an espresso ratio means

A 1:2 ratio means that every gram of dry coffee produces two grams of espresso. An 18 g dose at 1:2 therefore gives a 36 g target yield.

Ratio describes the relationship between dose and beverage weight. It does not replace tasting, and it does not determine grind size, shot time or whether a particular coffee will be balanced.

How to use the result

  1. Weigh the dry coffee in the basket and enter that dose.
  2. Choose a starting ratio. A 1:2 ratio is a practical baseline for many espresso recipes, not a fixed rule.
  3. Stop the shot when the scale reaches the calculated beverage yield.
  4. Taste after the espresso cools slightly, then change one variable at a time.

Common calculator mistakes

  • Entering millilitres for the beverage instead of weighing it in grams.
  • Changing dose, ratio and grind simultaneously.
  • Treating the result as a quality score rather than a repeatable starting point.
  • Ignoring distribution, tamping, machine temperature or cleanliness.

Continue with the full espresso guide

Use the calculator alongside the step-by-step guide to dialling in espresso. You can also learn how coffee rest affects brewing behaviour or preview the planned Noir Espresso.

All Meleno coffees remain Coming soon. The calculator does not enable ordering, Add to Cart, Buy Now or checkout.

Editorial standards

How Meleno’s coffee guides are prepared

Authorship and scope

Guides are published under the Meleno Roasters organisation name unless a verified individual author is identified. General coffee education is kept separate from claims about Meleno products, which remain previews until their details are confirmed.

Topic and source selection

Topics are chosen when they answer a distinct practical question and fit the current library. Material factual claims use primary research, recognised coffee organisations or official documentation where those sources genuinely improve the answer. Sources are linked and their limitations are stated.

Reviews and dates

Publication and modification dates come from Shopify page records. A date is not changed merely to make a guide appear fresh. A reviewer, credential or first-hand test is shown only when it can be verified.

Corrections

If you find an error, unclear source or broken link, email hello@melenoroasters.co.uk or use the contact page. Material corrections should be logged and the page updated transparently.

Explore the range

Put the guidance into practice.

Use the guides with the planned Meleno coffee previews, then join the release list for confirmed launch information.

Preview upcoming coffees Join the launch list