As the holidays approach, many of us are planning to host family and friends at our homes. After the stress of preparing the perfect meal is over and you are finally able to enjoy a plate (or two…) of delicious holiday cuisine, what better way to unwind and relax with your guests than over a cup of coffee? Brewing enough coffee for a group of people can be a little difficult, but we’ve got some tips on how to brew for your holiday crew!
Choose Your Method
Using the right brewing method can help you to maximize your serving size and keep all of your guests happy. Here are our suggested methods and practices for brewing for the crew!
French Press
The French Press comes in a wide variety of sizes. You can find ones that brew 3 cups all the way up to 12 cups! However big your crew is, the French Press can serve up the right amount of post-dinner caffeine. You can find out how to get the best French Press by following our brew guide. Make sure, though, that you don’t let the coffee sit in the press for longer than the 4 minute wait period. Pour it out into a separate container, or into cups, so that your coffee doesn’t over-extract. You set pretty high standards with the amazing dinner, so don’t let a bad brew ruin the night!
Drip Coffee
If you have a smaller group of guests, then maybe you should try serving a Drip Coffee. This method may take a bit more patience than the French Press, so try this when you have a few extra minutes before coffee time. If you have a carafe that will keep your coffee hot, you can brew a couple of pots and store it until serving time. We have a brew guide prepared for you, so check it out and learn how to serve the perfect pot.
Keeping it Hot (But Not Too Hot…)
If you happen to be using an electric coffee brewer that has a hot plate, make sure you turn the machine off or take the coffee off of the hot plate when it is done brewing. Nothing worse than old, burnt coffee!
When serving your coffee, run your cups or mugs under hot water to prevent the coffee from cooling down too quickly. Cold coffee is hard to enjoy, but easy to come across when you’re preparing and serving for a crowd.
You can always pour your coffee in a thermos to keep it hot, but be careful that you don’t leave it for more than an hour.
We Go Together Like the Winter and a Sweater…
Is there a better way to enjoy your after-dinner coffee than with something sweet? Pairing the perfect coffee with the perfect dessert will give your guests a pleasant surprise. Here are some of our suggestions:
Full-bodied Guatemalan or Indonesian coffees go great with chocolate, so imagine these coffees with brownies or chocolate cake.
If your dessert of choice is a sweet bread (think pumpkin spice, banana nut), try serving a Costa Rican, Kenyan, or Colombian cup.
Fruit tarts are fantastic with medium- to dark-roast Brazilian and Costa Rican coffees.
Follow your gut – and your taste buds – and experiment with flavor profiles. We have plenty of great coffees with flavor profiles to match available in our webshop, so be sure to pick up a treat for your guests.
If you’re still looking for that perfect gift for someone special, we can help make gift-giving a little easier this holiday season. We’ve prepared holiday giftsets that are perfect for discovering the world of coffee. Including a French Press or a Bialetti, these giftsets feature Belgium’s best roasters and different flavor profile possibilities. Keep up with our giftset and receive more information by signing up HERE:
Bialetti Giftset
Whatever the case, we hope your holiday get-togethers are filled with great people, great memories, great food, and amazing coffee!
Questions?
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