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Columbia has the perfect soil and altitude to grow wonderful coffee. If you have come across some Colombian coffee, then you definitely want to brew it and enjoy it in ways that bring out its best characteristics. Here are some tips to help you do that.

1. Grind it just before brewing

Colombian coffee contains a lot of volatile, aromatic compounds. These compounds easily dissipate from the coffee once it is ground. So, if you wait too long between grinding and enjoying your coffee, you'll miss out on these more nuanced flavors. The best way to enjoy a good Colombia coffee is to buy whole beans and then grind those beans right before you brew the coffee. There are plenty of small grinders out there that can easily grind enough beans for just one cup or one pot at a time. 

2. Temp your water

Many people brew coffee by pouring boiling water over the beans. But boiling water is actually a little hotter than you want it. If you use boiling water over Colombian coffee, you'll wash away some of those aromatic compounds discussed above and your coffee may take on a slightly scorched taste. Instead of using boiling water, you want to use water that's between 195 and 205 degrees F. Some people like to heat it just to boiling, and then let it cool for 2 - 3 minutes. That tends to be enough time to bring the water down to about 205 degrees F.

3. Weigh your beans

Don't rely on volume to determine how much coffee to use. If your Colombian beans are lightly roasted, they won't be quite as large as if they are a medium or dark roast. So, to get consistent ratios, you need to weigh your beans. A good ratio to use when making your coffee via pour-over methods is 1:17. In other words, you want to use 1 gram of coffee beans for every 17 grams of water. Once you know what your desired weight of coffee looks like, you won't necessarily have to weigh your beans each morning until you get a new bag of beans.

Colombian whole bean coffee can be really rich and nuanced, but you do need to brew it in a way that preserves these characteristics. Grind your beans fresh, make sure you weigh them, and use water at the right temperature.

To buy Colombian whole bean coffee, contact a provider in your area.