At Qahwetna, we want to show that anyone can brew coffee like a professional with the right habits and a bit of patience.
1. Start with Quality Beans
No brewing method can fix bad coffee. If your beans are burnt or oily, the taste will always be bitter. Choose beans that are freshly roasted, dry to the touch, and smell natural, not smoky.
Qahwetna beans are roasted with precision to preserve sweetness, aroma, and natural oils that define real coffee. If you’re beginner and want juste un café, we recommend you our Blend Bladi.
2. Grind Fresh, Never Ahead of Time
Grind size controls extraction. Too fine and your coffee tastes bitter, too coarse and it tastes weak.
| Brewing Method | Grind Size | Texture |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | Fine | Table salt |
| Moka pot | Medium-fine | Slightly finer than sand |
| Filter | Medium | Beach sand |
| French press | Coarse | Breadcrumbs |
Always grind right before brewing. Pre-ground coffee loses aroma within minutes and forces you to add sugar to recover sweetness that has already disappeared.
3. Measure Everything
Baristas use ratios for a reason. The balance between water and coffee decides taste.
For most brewing methods, start with 1 gram of coffee for every 15 to 17 grams of water.
Example: 18 g coffee with 270 ml of water.
Use a small scale if possible. Consistency is what separates a professional cup from a random one.
4. Control the Water
Water is 98 percent of your coffee. Use clean, filtered, or bottled water, not tap water full of minerals or chlorine.
Temperature depends on roast level:
• Light roast: 93–94°C
• Medium roast: 91–93°C
• Dark roast: 88–90°C
Never boil water directly on the coffee. Pour gently and evenly to keep extraction stable.
5. Respect Time
Rushing destroys flavor. Let your coffee brew for the correct duration.
| Method | Brew Time |
|---|---|
| Espresso | 25–30 seconds |
| Moka pot | 3–4 minutes |
| Filter | 2:30–3:30 minutes |
| French press | 4–5 minutes |
When time, grind, and temperature align, you get a cup that is naturally sweet and full of aroma.
6. Taste Before Adding Anything
Baristas taste their coffee before adding sugar or milk. You should do the same. If the cup tastes harsh, adjust grind size or brewing time, not sugar. Properly roasted coffee already contains natural sweetness from caramelized sugars.
7. Clean Your Tools
Coffee oils build up fast and turn rancid. Rinse your equipment after each use and wash your grinder weekly. Clean tools protect the purity of every cup.
8. The Algerian Connection
In Algeria, coffee is part of identity. From qahwa presse at cafés to morning moka pots or qawha bel hlib at home, coffee is more than a drink. Unfortunately, industrial roasting and poor brewing have made most cups bitter and full of sugar.
Learning to brew like a barista is not about copying others. It is about bringing back respect for the bean, the same respect our grandparents had when roasting coffee slowly and sharing it proudly.
Final Message
Brewing coffee like a barista is not about machines or fashion. It is about discipline, freshness, and care. Once you control the basics, grind, temperature, and time, you can make café-quality coffee anywhere.
At Qahwetna, every bean is roasted with that goal in mind: to give Algerians the tools to rediscover real coffee and enjoy it with health and pride.
For Moka Pot, you can watch this video.
