Brew Better at Home A Complete Guide to Jack Murat Australian Coffee

INTRODUCTION

 

AUSTRALIAN GROWN SPECIALTY COFFEE IS NO LONGER A NOVELTY. IT IS A REAL AND GROWING PART OF THE GLOBAL COFFEE LANDSCAPE.

 

AT JACK MURAT, WE GROW, PROCESS AND ROAST COFFEE IN MAREEBA, FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND. THE CONDITIONS HERE ARE DIFFERENT TO TRADITIONAL COFFEE ORIGINS, AND SO IS THE COFFEE. IT IS NATURALLY SWEET, BALANCED, AND FORGIVING TO BREW.

 

THIS GUIDE IS WRITTEN TO HELP YOU BREW BETTER COFFEE AT HOME USING JACK MURAT AUSTRALIAN COFFEE. IT IS NOT ABOUT RIGID RECIPES OR CHASING PERFECTION. IT IS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING A FEW FUNDAMENTALS, THEN FINDING WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU, YOUR SETUP, AND HOW YOU LIKE TO DRINK COFFEE.

 

WHAT MAKES AUSTRALIAN COFFEE UNIQUE?

 

AUSTRALIAN COFFEE HAS A DISTINCT CHARACTER SHAPED BY WHERE AND HOW IT IS GROWN.

 

THE FLAVOUR PROFILE IS GENERALLY SMOOTH AND SWEET, WITH LOW BITTERNESS AND A CLEAN FINISH. THIS COMES FROM A COMBINATION OF CLIMATE, SOIL, AND CAREFUL PROCESSING RATHER THAN AGGRESSIVE ROASTING.

 

OUR COFFEE IS GROWN IN VOLCANIC SOIL UNDER TROPICAL CONDITIONS, WITH A DEFINED GROWING SEASON. THESE FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO CLARITY AND NATURAL SWEETNESS RATHER THAN SHARP ACIDITY.

 

BECAUSE THE COFFEE IS GROWN AND ROASTED LOCALLY, FRESHNESS ALSO PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE. SHORTER SUPPLY CHAINS MEAN THE COFFEE YOU BREW AT HOME IS CLOSER TO ITS ROAST DATE, WHICH MAKES A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN FLAVOUR.

 

AUSTRALIAN COFFEE PERFORMS WELL ACROSS BOTH ESPRESSO AND FILTER BREWING. IT HAS ENOUGH STRUCTURE FOR MILK, WHILE STILL SHOWING CLARITY WHEN BREWED BLACK.

 

CHOOSE YOUR JACK MURAT BEANS - UNDERSTANDING ROAST LEVELS

 

AT JACK MURAT, WE FOCUS ON TWO ROAST STYLES: MEDIUM AND MEDIUM DARK. BOTH ARE DESIGNED TO SUIT AUSTRALIAN GROWN COFFEE AND TO BE PRACTICAL FOR BREWING AT HOME.

 

MEDIUM ROAST

 

OUR MEDIUM ROAST IS USED FOR OUR SPECIALTY BATCHES AND FILTER N1. THIS ROAST HIGHLIGHTS BALANCE. YOU WILL FIND GENTLE CITRUS ACIDITY ALONGSIDE THE NATURAL CANE SUGAR SWEETNESS THAT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF OUR COFFEE.

 

IT IS DELIBERATELY VERSATILE. THIS ROAST WORKS WELL ACROSS POUR OVER, DRIP MACHINES, ESPRESSO, AND EVEN MILK BASED DRINKS WITHOUT LOSING CLARITY. IT IS OFTEN THE BEST PLACE TO START IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT AUSTRALIAN COFFEE TASTES LIKE.

 

MEDIUM DARK ROAST

 

OUR MEDIUM DARK ROAST IS FULLER IN BODY, WITH CHOCOLATE AND NUTTY FLAVOURS AND LOWER ACIDITY. IT IS SUITED TO THOSE WHO PREFER A RICHER, MORE ROUNDED CUP, PARTICULARLY FOR ESPRESSO AND MILK BASED DRINKS.

 

WE DO NOT ROAST COFFEE DARK. BY STOPPING AT MEDIUM DARK, WE AVOID BURNT FLAVOURS, HARSH BITTERNESS, AND HEAVY AFTERTASTE. THE AIM IS DEPTH AND SWEETNESS, NOT ROAST DRIVEN INTENSITY.

 

BOTH ROAST STYLES ARE ABOUT BALANCE AND DRINKABILITY RATHER THAN PUSHING EXTREMES.

 

PICK YOUR FLAVOUR PROFILE

 

JACK MURAT COFFEES TEND TO SIT IN A FAMILIAR BUT REFINED FLAVOUR RANGE.

 

YOU CAN EXPECT CHOCOLATE, CARAMEL, AND NUTTY SWEETNESS, WITH SOFT FRUIT NOTES DEPENDING ON THE LOT.

 

THE GOAL IS BALANCE. FLAVOURS ARE PRESENT, BUT NOTHING IS FORCED.

 

WHOLE BEANS VS GROUND

 

WHOLE BEANS STAY FRESHER FOR LONGER, AND THERE IS A SIMPLE REASON FOR THIS.

 

THE COFFEE BEAN ACTS LIKE A NATURAL CAPSULE. INSIDE THE BEAN ARE THE COMPOUNDS RESPONSIBLE FOR AROMA AND FLAVOUR, PROTECTED FROM OXYGEN. ONCE COFFEE IS GROUND, THOSE COMPOUNDS ARE EXPOSED TO AIR AND OXIDATION BEGINS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

 

GRINDING JUST BEFORE BREWING PRESERVES AROMA, SWEETNESS, AND CLARITY IN THE CUP.

 

IF YOU ARE USING PRE GROUND COFFEE, TRY TO MATCH THE GRIND SIZE TO YOUR BREWING METHOD AND USE IT AS FRESH AS POSSIBLE. YOU WILL STILL GET GOOD COFFEE, BUT WHOLE BEANS GIVE YOU MORE CONTROL.

 

DIAL IN THE PERFECT GRIND SIZE - RECOMMENDED GRIND SETTINGS

 

ESPRESSO GENERALLY REQUIRES A FINE GRIND TO CREATE RESISTANCE AND EXTRACT SWEETNESS.

 

AEROPRESS WORKS WELL WITH A MEDIUM FINE GRIND, ALLOWING FLEXIBILITY IN BREW TIME.

 

POUR OVER METHODS SUCH AS V60 OR KALITA SUIT A MEDIUM GRIND THAT ALLOWS CONTROLLED FLOW.

 

FRENCH PRESS REQUIRES A COARSE GRIND TO AVOID EXCESSIVE BITTERNESS AND SEDIMENT.

 

COLD BREW WORKS BEST WITH AN EXTRA COARSE GRIND TO SUPPORT LONG STEEP TIMES.

 

THESE ARE STARTING POINTS, NOT RULES.

 

WHY GRIND SIZE MATTERS

 

GRIND SIZE CONTROLS EXTRACTION AND HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON FLAVOUR, BUT IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE CONTEXT OF ORIGIN.

 

COFFEES FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY. COLOMBIAN COFFEES ARE OFTEN SWEETER WITH BRIGHTER CITRUS CHARACTERISTICS. MANY AFRICAN COFFEES ARE MORE FRUIT FORWARD. COFFEES FROM PARTS OF ASIA TEND TO BE HEAVIER AND MORE EARTHY.

 

AUSTRALIAN COFFEES, AT LEAST IN OUR CASE, LEAN TOWARD CHOCOLATE AND NUTTY FLAVOURS WITH NATURAL SWEETNESS. THEY ARE SHAPED BY TROPICAL GROWING CONDITIONS THAT DIFFER FROM HIGH ALTITUDE ORIGINS. AS A RESULT, AUSTRALIAN COFFEES DO NOT TEND TO DEVELOP THE SAME BEAN DENSITY AS COFFEES FROM COLOMBIA, AFRICA, OR PARTS OF ASIA.

 

THIS MEANS AUSTRALIAN COFFEE NEEDS TO BE APPROACHED SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY.

 

A FINER GRIND CAN HELP COMPENSATE FOR LOWER DENSITY BY INCREASING EXTRACTION WITHOUT DAMAGING FLAVOUR. USED PROPERLY, THIS HELPS UNLOCK SWEETNESS, BODY, AND BALANCE.

 

WHEN THE GRIND IS TOO COARSE, THE COFFEE IS UNDER EXTRACTED. THIS IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS “SOUR” IN AUSTRALIA, BUT IN COFFEE TERMS IT IS MORE ACCURATE TO SAY THE CUP TASTES WEAK, RAW, OR GREEN. SWEETNESS IS MISSING, AND THE COFFEE CAN FEEL THIN OR UNFINISHED.

 

BEST BREWING METHODS FOR JACK MURAT COFFEE

 

ESPRESSO

 

AUSTRALIAN ARABICA PERFORMS WELL AS ESPRESSO, BOTH BLACK AND WITH MILK.

 

USE ESPRESSO RECIPES AS A GUIDE, NOT A RULE. FOCUS ON CONSISTENCY, EVEN TAMPING, AND TASTE RATHER THAN CHASING EXACT NUMBERS.

 

ADJUST GRIND SIZE AND YIELD UNTIL THE CUP TASTES BALANCED AND SWEET TO YOU.

 

POUR OVER (V60 OR KALITA)

 

POUR OVER BREWING HIGHLIGHTS CLARITY AND SWEETNESS.

 

START WITH A SIMPLE APPROACH, BLOOM THE COFFEE, THEN POUR STEADILY AND EVENLY. IF THE CUP TASTES TOO LIGHT OR WEAK, USE A LITTLE MORE COFFEE. IF IT FEELS HEAVY OR DULL, USE A LITTLE LESS.

 

THIS METHOD REWARDS SMALL ADJUSTMENTS.

 

AEROPRESS

 

THE AEROPRESS IS SIMPLE AND FORGIVING.

 

USE IT AS A TOOL TO EXPERIMENT. CHANGE GRIND SIZE, STEEP TIME, OR DILUTION UNTIL YOU FIND A CUP YOU ENJOY.

 

THERE IS NO SINGLE CORRECT RECIPE.

 

FRENCH PRESS

 

FRENCH PRESS BREWING EMPHASISES BODY AND CHOCOLATE NOTES.

 

IF BITTERNESS APPEARS, ADJUST GRIND SIZE OR REDUCE STEEP TIME SLIGHTLY. IF THE CUP TASTES THIN, INCREASE COFFEE OR EXTEND THE BREW.

 

COLD BREW

 

COLD BREW NATURALLY BRINGS OUT SWEETNESS AND LOWERS PERCEIVED ACIDITY.

 

STEEP LONGER OR SHORTER DEPENDING ON STRENGTH PREFERENCE, AND DILUTE TO TASTE. IT IS DESIGNED TO BE ADJUSTED.

 

WATER QUALITY

 

THE SECRET INGREDIENT

 

COFFEE IS MOSTLY WATER, SO WATER QUALITY MATTERS.

 

FILTERED WATER REMOVES UNWANTED FLAVOURS AND ALLOWS THE COFFEE TO EXPRESS ITSELF CLEARLY.

 

AS A GENERAL GUIDE, WATER JUST OFF THE BOIL WORKS WELL. TOO HOT CAN MUTE SWEETNESS, TOO COOL CAN LIMIT EXTRACTION.

 

FINDING YOUR OWN BREW RATIO

 

RATHER THAN FOLLOWING FIXED RATIOS, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO BREW BY TASTE.

 

GRIND SIZE, ROAST STYLE, BREWING METHOD, AND PERSONAL PREFERENCE ALL AFFECT HOW MUCH COFFEE AND WATER YOU SHOULD USE.

 

IF THE CUP TASTES WEAK OR RAW, ADD A LITTLE MORE COFFEE.
IF IT TASTES HEAVY OR DULL, USE A LITTLE LESS.

 

MAKE SMALL CHANGES AND TAKE NOTES IF IT HELPS. OVER TIME, YOU WILL FIND THE BALANCE THAT SUITS YOU BEST.

 

GOOD COFFEE AT HOME COMES FROM PAYING ATTENTION, NOT FROM MEMORISING NUMBERS.

 

HOW TO MAXIMISE FRESHNESS AT HOME

 

STORE COFFEE IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER AWAY FROM LIGHT AND HEAT.

 

OUR COFFEE IS PACKED IN MULTI LAYER, SUSTAINABLE BAGS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO PROTECT FRESHNESS. THESE LAYERS HELP LIMIT OXYGEN EXPOSURE AND PRESERVE AROMA FROM THE MOMENT THE COFFEE LEAVES THE ROASTERY.

 

ONCE OPENED, AVOID REFRIGERATING OR FREEZING COFFEE, AS MOISTURE AND ODOURS CAN AFFECT FLAVOUR.

 

FOR BEST RESULTS, USE COFFEE WITHIN TWO TO FOUR WEEKS OF ROASTING.

 

FRESHNESS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGES OF LOCALLY ROASTED AUSTRALIAN COFFEE.

 

TASTING NOTES

 

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM JACK MURAT COFFEE

 

YOU CAN EXPECT CHOCOLATE, CARAMEL, AND NUTTY SWEETNESS, WITH GENTLE FRUIT NOTES DEPENDING ON THE LOT.

 

ACIDITY IS MEDIUM AND INTEGRATED.

 

THE FINISH IS NATURALLY SWEET AND CLEAN.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO BREW JACK MURAT COFFEE AT HOME?

THE BEST WAY IS THE ONE THAT TASTES GOOD TO YOU. START SIMPLE AND ADJUST GRADUALLY.

 

WHICH GRIND SIZE SHOULD I USE FOR ESPRESSO OR FILTER?
USE RECOMMENDED RANGES AS A STARTING POINT, THEN ADJUST BY TASTE.

 

HOW FRESH SHOULD COFFEE BEANS BE FOR BEST FLAVOUR?
IDEALLY WITHIN TWO TO FOUR WEEKS OF ROASTING.

 

DOES WATER TEMPERATURE MATTER WHEN BREWING COFFEE?
YES, BUT SMALL VARIATIONS ARE FINE. AVOID EXTREMES. START WITH 90 DEGREES AND ADJUST FROM THERE.

 

WHAT FLAVOURS SHOULD I EXPECT FROM JACK MURAT BEANS?
CHOCOLATE, CARAMEL, NUTTY SWEETNESS, AND GENTLE FRUIT.

 

HOW DO YOU BREW AUSTRALIAN COFFEE PROPERLY?
TREAT IT ON ITS OWN TERMS. FOCUS ON BALANCE AND SWEETNESS RATHER THAN COPYING RULES FROM OTHER ORIGINS.

 

WHAT’S THE IDEAL ROAST FOR HOME BREWING?
MEDIUM OR MEDIUM DARK DEPENDING ON HOW YOU DRINK YOUR COFFEE.

 

WHY DOES GRIND SIZE AFFECT COFFEE TASTE?
IT CHANGES HOW FLAVOURS ARE EXTRACTED AND HOW SWEETNESS IS EXPRESSED.

 

IS AUSTRALIAN GROWN COFFEE GOOD FOR ESPRESSO?
YES. IT PERFORMS PARTICULARLY WELL IN BOTH BLACK AND MILK BASED DRINKS.

 

HOW DO I STORE COFFEE BEANS AT HOME?
AIRTIGHT, AWAY FROM HEAT AND LIGHT, AND NEVER IN THE FRIDGE.