Making great coffee at home doesn’t have to mean expensive kit or barista-level skills. A few small changes to how you store, grind and brew your coffee can make a huge difference to what ends up in your cup.

Jaide has pulled together her top tips for brewing better coffee at home - the same ones we use every day.

1. Buy better beans (and how to spot them)

Great coffee always starts with the beans. You can do everything right at home, but if the coffee itself isn’t good quality, your cup will always fall short.

Here’s what to look for when choosing better beans:

Look for a roast date, not just an expiry date
Freshness matters. Good roasters will always show the roast date on the bag. As a rule of thumb, coffee tastes best within 2–6 weeks of roasting. This is the sweet spot allowing it to rest for 1-2 weeks after roasting.

Choose whole beans where possible
Whole beans stay fresher for longer and give you far more flavour when ground just before brewing.

Check where the coffee comes from
Quality-focused roasters are transparent about origin. Look for details like:

• Country (or even region or farm)
  

• Variety
  

• Processing method
  
  

This tells you the roaster cares about quality and traceability.

Avoid overly dark, oily beans
Very dark roasts can look shiny or oily and often taste bitter or burnt. A medium or lighter roast usually highlights sweetness, balance and origin character - especially for brewing at home.

Buy little and often
Instead of a big bag that lasts months, buy smaller amounts more frequently. Fresher coffee will always taste better than old coffee, even if it’s “good” coffee.

Trust your taste
If you enjoy it, it’s the right coffee for you. Use flavour notes on the bag as a guide, not a rule - they’re there to help you choose, not intimidate you, and remember that flavours are subjective.

2. Store your coffee properly

Oxygen, light and moisture are coffee’s worst enemies. Keep your beans in an airtight container, or in the bag they came in, away from heat and direct sunlight. Avoid storing coffee in the fridge as it introduces moisture and odours that dull flavour.

North Star coffee bags have been specially designed with a one way valve to allow the CO2 to escape which comes as part of the natural degassing process - and don’t forget our 250g bags are fully home compostable!

3. Grind just before you brew

Pre-ground coffee loses flavour quickly. Grinding fresh just before brewing preserves aroma and complexity.

Match your grind size to your brew method:

• Coarse: cafetière
  

• Medium: filter
  

• Fine: espresso
  
  

You can find recommended brewing recipes on our website, tailored to get the best out of each individual coffee.

4. Get your ratios right and be consistent

One of the most common reasons coffee tastes too weak, too bitter or inconsistent is incorrect ratios.

A brew ratio is simply how much coffee you use compared to how much water you brew with. Getting this right brings balance, clarity and repeatability to your coffee.

Once you have a starting point, you can tweak your ratio based on flavour:

• Too weak or watery?
  Use slightly more coffee
  

• Too bitter or overpowering?
  Use slightly more water
  
  

Small changes go a long way so adjust gradually rather than making big jumps.

Eyeballing coffee or relying on scoops can lead to inconsistent results. Coffee beans vary in size and density, so a “scoop” one day might be very different the next.

Using digital scales allows you to:

• Brew the same cup consistently
  

• Make small adjustments and understand what’s changing
  

• Quickly learn what ratios you prefer
  
  

Even basic kitchen scales can make a noticeable difference.

You can find suggested brew ratios on the back of our coffee bags.

 

5. Choose a coffee that aligns with your values

Coffee is something many of us drink every day, which means the choices we make can have a real impact - not just on flavour, but on people and the planet too.

Choosing a coffee that aligns with your values doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few things to look out for.

Transparency matters

Quality-focused roasters are open about where their coffee comes from and how it’s sourced. Look for information on:

• Origin (country, region, or farm)
  

• How the coffee is grown and processed
  

• Who roasted it
  
  

Transparency usually signals care, fairness and long-term thinking.

Fair pay and long-term relationships

Coffee prices are volatile, and many farmers struggle to earn a sustainable income. Pick roasters who choose to:

• Pay above minimum market prices
  

• Work directly with producers
  

• Build long-term sourcing relationships
  
  

These practices help create stability for farmers and often result in better quality coffee too.

Environmental impact

How coffee is grown and shipped matters. You might want to look for coffees that prioritise:

• Responsible farming practices
  

• Reduced chemical use
  

• Thoughtful packaging choices
  
  

No coffee is perfect, but small improvements across the supply chain add up.

Support businesses that reflect what you care about

Whether it’s sustainability, community, craftsmanship or transparency, buying coffee is a chance to support businesses doing things the right way.

If a roaster is open about their values and backs them up with action, that’s usually a good sign you’re buying into something more than just a bag of beans.

Choosing coffee that aligns with your values isn’t about being perfect — it’s about making informed choices that feel good and taste even better.