The Meleno Journal
Practical guidance from Meleno Roasters for brewing sweeter, cleaner and more consistent coffee at home.
A simple starting recipe creates consistency. Taste tells you where to go next.
Begin with 18 g of coffee and aim for roughly 36 g of espresso in 27 to 31 seconds. If the cup tastes sharp or thin, grind slightly finer. If it tastes dry or heavy, grind slightly coarser.
Change only one variable at a time and keep the dose steady. This makes each adjustment easier to understand and helps you return to a recipe you enjoyed.
Fresh coffee needs a little time to settle before it becomes expressive and easy to brew.
Keep the bag sealed, away from heat, moisture and direct sunlight. For most everyday brewing, begin tasting a few days after roasting and use the coffee while its sweetness and aroma remain vivid.
Buy an amount that suits your routine. Consistent storage in the original resealable bag is usually more useful than moving coffee between decorative containers.
Tasting notes describe familiar impressions, not added flavourings.
Chocolate may suggest sweetness and body, citrus can point to a bright acidity, and stone fruit may describe a rounded, aromatic finish. Water quality, grind and brew method can change which notes feel most prominent.
Start with the overall balance of the cup: sweetness, acidity, texture and finish. The more specific flavours become easier to notice with time.
Keep exploring
Use these notes as a starting point, then adjust one detail at a time until the cup tastes balanced to you.