Coffee Bar: Médium Roast, Dark Roast, Decaf, Or Café De La Olla Recipe

Grind beans

Weigh 180 g medium roast whole beans. Grind to a medium-coarse grind suitable for drip/airpot brewing (particle size similar to coarse sand).

Prepare brewer

Place a clean paper filter in the basket. Rinse the filter briefly with hot water to remove papery taste and preheat the brewer/airpot; discard rinse water.

Measure water and heat

Measure 2.84 L filtered water. Heat to 92–96°C (197–205°F). If using an electric brewer, fill its reservoir with the measured water.

Load grounds and start brew

Add the ground coffee to the filter. Start the brew cycle (or pour in stages if using manual pour-over) so that total contact/extraction time is appropriate for your equipment (drip brewer will complete automatically; for manual pour-over, aim for 3.5–4.5 minutes total brew time).

Hold and transfer

When brewing completes, transfer coffee to an insulated airpot or carafe to keep hot for service. Taste for balance; adjust strength on subsequent batches if needed (±5–10 g coffee).

Clean up

Discard used grounds and filter, rinse brewer parts, and prep for the next batch.

Grind beans

Weigh 180 g dark roast whole beans. Grind slightly coarser than for medium roast if you want smoother extraction; otherwise medium-coarse works. Dark roasts extract faster, so avoid overly fine grind.

Prepare brewer

Place and rinse a paper filter to preheat the basket and remove paper taste. Discard rinse water.

Heat water

Measure and heat 2.84 L filtered water to 92–96°C (197–205°F). Fill the brewer or prepare for pour-over.

Brew

Add grounds to the filter and start the brew. For automatic brewers, let the machine complete the cycle. For manual pour-over, keep total brew time around 3–4 minutes to avoid overextraction of darker beans.

Serve

Move brewed coffee into an insulated airpot or carafe and label as dark roast for service. Clean equipment promptly to prevent burnt-oil residues.

Grind beans

Weigh 180 g decaf whole beans and grind to medium-coarse for drip brewing.

Prepare and rinse filter

Insert and rinse paper filter in the brew basket to preheat and remove paper flavor.

Heat water and brew

Heat 2.84 L filtered water to 92–96°C and brew using your drip brewer or manual pour-over. Aim for a balanced extraction (total brew time ~3.5–4.5 minutes for manual).

Hold and label

Transfer brewed decaf to its own carafe or airpot and label clearly to avoid mix-ups. Keep warm and rotate stock as needed.

Prepare aromatics and sweetener

In a large saucepan or traditional clay olla, add 2.84 L cold water, 150 g piloncillo (or dark brown sugar), 3 cinnamon sticks, 6 whole cloves and 1 large strip of orange peel. Break piloncillo into smaller pieces if using whole cone so it dissolves faster.

Dissolve and simmer spices

Bring the water with piloncillo and spices to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the piloncillo fully dissolves. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer gently for 8–12 minutes to steep the spices and concentrate flavor.

Add coffee

Add 160 g coarsely ground coffee to the simmering spiced syrup. Stir once to wet grounds, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 3–5 minutes (avoid a rolling boil once coffee is added to prevent harsh bitterness).

Steep off heat

Turn off the heat and let the mixture steep off-heat for 5–10 minutes to finish extraction and let flavors meld.

Strain and serve

Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into an insulated carafe, removing grounds, cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peel. Label as Café de la Olla and serve hot. Adjust sweetness by adding more piloncillo on future batches if needed.

Set up service area

Arrange 8-oz cups or ceramic cups, stir sticks, sugar and sweetener packets, ground cinnamon, milk and half-and-half on a service tray or counter near the coffee airpots. Keep milk and cream chilled until needed.

Label carafes

Clearly label each carafe/airpot (Medium, Dark, Decaf, Café de la Olla). If offering multiple roasts simultaneously, place signs so guests can easily choose.

Tasting & adjustment

Offer a small tasting cup to sample each roast. If a batch tastes weak, note to increase coffee dose by 5–10 g next time; if tasting bitter, slightly coarsen grind or reduce brew time.

Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Use a sheet tray lined with parchment or a wire rack for even warming.

Warm pastries

Place croissants and muffins on the tray and warm for 6–8 minutes (croissants) and 6–10 minutes (muffins) until heated through and slightly crisp on the outside. Do not overbake — pastries should be warmed, not toasted.

Plate and serve

Arrange warmed pastries on a serving platter with small dishes of butter and jam. Keep covered with a clean towel for up to 30 minutes to retain warmth; refresh in oven just before service if needed.

Allergen note

If serving bakery items, display allergy information (contains wheat, eggs, dairy, nuts if applicable).