Let’s take a trip down memory lane  to your first cup of coffee. Maybe you were 30 or maybe you were 12! Chances are, that very first taste of coffee didn’t stem from a single origin, specialty grade coffee bean. The tasting notes were… coffee. And the smell was… coffee.

But still, every morning the thought of having it might be one of the only things to get you poppin’ out of bed. Maybe you remember the smell of your family’s drip coffee maker hard at work. Each drop of grocery store ‘midnight roast’ seemed to get darker and darker and eventually you have a scalding hot cup of opaque black coffee that almost bites you in the mouth, but it’s perfect. It’s… coffee.

If this sounds like coffee heaven to you, It’s likely you’re the kind of person who expects their coffee to be BOLD and STRONG. And when you get a light roast or a medium roast, it’s just not the same. Even more disappointing when you get the dark roast and think, “this has to be the light roast… right? No way this is dark roast.” The tears come down. 

Don’t worry, inky coffee drinking friends! We’re here to show you the light, er, dark—so you’ll never be faced with a weak cup of coffee again. Keep in mind, it’s always a good idea to start with a recipe, then make alterations one at a time so you can dial into what works best for you!

1. Adjust Your Coffee to Water Ratio

You might already know this one, but using more coffee when you brew will definitely help you get that stronger cup of coffee that you’re looking for!

All it takes is a few extra scoops for a few extra kicks! 

2. Adjust Your Grind Size or Brew Time 

For those of you who grind your own coffee, making your grind a bit finer will help extract even more flavor from your coffee. For example, if you’re brewing with a French Press, try trading that coarse grind size for medium-coarse. You could even go for a medium-fine grind size if you’re feeling up for it. 

If you’re buying coffee that’s been ground for you, try increasing your brew time! Giving your coffee grounds more contact time with your water can have the same effect as making your grind size finer. 

3. Try Out a New Brewing Method!

Some brewers brew bolder than others…

Our go-to recommendation for a strong, bold cup is the French Press—use enough coffee to fill the bottom of your French Press so that when it’s plunged all the way down, the strainer meets your coffee grounds comfortably with zero room for more coffee. Bonus, this method also protects you from bitter-tasting coffee!

Another great Brewing method for strong coffee is the Pour Over method. This brewer gives you the control over your coffee you may have always been looking for. This method typically calls for a medium-fine grind so it’s perfect for ground or whole bean coffee buyers. 

Last, but not least, we have the Aeropress! There are so many strong coffee recipes out there for this handy dandy brewer. It’s also a great substitute for espresso! May be worth a shot (pun intended)! 
 

4. Make Your Water Hotter 

Yes, it’s true. Hotter water increases extraction and it may just be that missing piece to your weak coffee puzzle. Shoot for something around 200-205 degrees Fahrenheit. If you go hotter than that you could end up with something more bitter—but if that’s what you like… you know what to do. 

Want Coffee That’s Already Dark Enough? 

At the beginning of this post we encouraged you to travel to your past, but now let’s look to the future. What do you see? Are you drinking dark roasts that aren’t dark enough? If so, do the future you a solid and order some EXTRA DARK roast coffee from yours truly, Atlas Coffee Club. 

Right now, when you sign up to try the club you can update your preferences to Extra Dark Roast in your coffee portal!

We may or may not have written this post while powered by a batch made from these Extra Dark coffee beans, so you can trust us when we say that it is, indeed, the perfect coffee for anyone looking for a dark, dark roast coffee. 🙂