Get in Touch
Have questions about brewing? Need help choosing equipment? Want to share your coffee journey? We’d love to hear from you!
Email: hello@coffeemastery.example.com Response Time: Typically 2-3 business days
What We Can Help With
Brewing Questions
- Troubleshooting brewing issues (sour, bitter, weak coffee)
- Technique questions (pour over patterns, espresso dialing, milk steaming)
- Method-specific help (French press, V60, espresso, etc.)
- Extraction problems and solutions
Equipment Advice
- Grinder recommendations for your budget
- Espresso machine selection help
- Brewing device comparisons
- Upgrade priority recommendations
Bean Recommendations
- Finding beans for your taste profile
- Origin recommendations based on preferences
- Pairing beans with brewing methods
- Understanding flavor descriptions
Content Feedback
- Corrections or updates needed
- Suggestions for new topics
- Requests for specific guides or tools
- Technical questions about content
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Q: Are your resources really free? Yes! All guides, tools, calculators, and databases are completely free. We believe coffee knowledge should be accessible to everyone.
Q: Do you sell coffee or equipment? No, we don’t sell anything. We’re purely educational. Our equipment recommendations are unbiased.
Q: Can I share your content? Yes! Link to our pages freely. For excerpts, please attribute. For larger reproductions or commercial use, contact us.
Brewing Help
Q: Why is my coffee bitter? Usually over-extraction. Try: coarser grind, lower water temperature (195-200°F), shorter brew time, or fresher beans. See our Brewing Methods Guide for detailed troubleshooting.
Q: Why is my coffee sour? Under-extraction. Try: finer grind, hotter water (200-205°F), longer brew time. Also check bean freshness.
Q: What’s the best brewing method for beginners? French press (easy, forgiving, great coffee) or pour over (slightly more technique but very rewarding). See our Quickstart Guide.
Q: Do I really need to grind fresh? Yes! Pre-ground coffee goes stale in hours. A burr grinder is the #1 upgrade for better coffee. Even a $50 hand grinder beats pre-ground.
Equipment Questions
Q: What grinder should I buy?
- Budget ($40-70): Timemore C2 hand grinder
- Best value ($140): Baratza Encore
- Espresso ($400-700): Eureka Mignon or Baratza Sette 270
Full recommendations in our Equipment Guide.
Q: Can I make espresso without an expensive machine? Real espresso requires pressure (9 bars). Budget options: Flair Manual ($200-350), Gaggia Classic Pro ($450). Moka pot makes strong coffee but not true espresso.
Q: What’s more important: grinder or espresso machine? Grinder, 100%. A $400 machine with $500 grinder beats $2,000 machine with $100 grinder. Always prioritize grinder.
Q: Do I need a $300 kettle? No. A $60 electric gooseneck kettle works great for pour over. Stovetop gooseneck + thermometer works for $25. Expensive kettles add convenience (temperature control, hold temp), not better coffee.
Bean Questions
Q: Where should I buy coffee beans? Local specialty roaster (best—fresh, knowledgeable) or online specialty roasters (Blue Bottle, Counter Culture, Intelligentsia). Avoid grocery store (stale).
Q: How fresh should coffee be? Buy within 2 weeks of roast date. Use within 4-6 weeks. Peak flavor: 7-21 days after roasting.
Q: What origin should I try first? Colombian medium roast (balanced, approachable). Then explore: Ethiopian (fruity), Kenyan (bright), Brazilian (chocolate), Sumatran (earthy).
Q: Single-origin or blend? Blends are balanced and consistent (good starting point). Single-origins showcase unique characteristics (exciting for exploring).
Q: What roast level is best? Personal preference, but medium roast is most versatile. Light roast preserves origin flavors (can be bright/acidic). Dark roast is bold but roast flavors dominate.
Submit Your Coffee Story
Share Your Journey:
We love featuring real coffee journeys from our community!
What to Include:
- Your coffee evolution (how you started, what you’ve learned)
- Current setup (grinder, brewer, beans)
- Favorite brewing method and why
- Tips you’d share with beginners
- Photos of your setup (optional but great!)
Submit to: stories@coffeemastery.example.com
We’ll feature select stories on our site to inspire others in the community.
Roaster Partnerships
Are you a specialty coffee roaster?
We feature quality roasters in our database.
To be considered:
- Roast-to-order or roast within 2 weeks of shipping
- Provide roast dates on packaging
- Source quality beans (specialty grade preferred)
- Transparent about origin and processing
- Portfolio of offerings
Apply: roasters@coffeemastery.example.com
Guest Contributions
Want to contribute?
We occasionally accept guest content:
- Detailed brewing guides with unique techniques
- Bean origin deep-dives (with tasting notes)
- Equipment reviews (unbiased, thorough)
- Coffee science explanations
- Home roasting guides
Guidelines:
- 1,500-3,000 words
- Original content only
- Practical, actionable information
- Photos/diagrams welcome
- Must align with our educational mission
Pitch your idea: contribute@coffeemastery.example.com
Report an Issue
Found a problem?
- Technical errors or outdated information
- Broken links or missing content
- Typos or formatting issues
- Interactive tool bugs
Report to: issues@coffeemastery.example.com
Community Resources
Connect with Other Coffee Lovers:
Online Communities:
- r/Coffee (Reddit): 1M+ members, Q&A, brewing posts, gear reviews
- Home-Barista.com: Espresso-focused forums, in-depth discussions
- r/Espresso (Reddit): Dedicated espresso community
- CoffeeGeek: Reviews, forums, guides
YouTube Channels:
- James Hoffmann (techniques, reviews, deep-dives)
- European Coffee Trip (barista champions, competitions)
- Seattle Coffee Gear (equipment reviews, comparisons)
Podcasts:
- Cat & Cloud Coffee Podcast
- The Coffee Podcast
- Barista Hustle
Newsletter
Stay Updated:
Monthly newsletter with:
- New guidebook releases
- Featured beans and roasters
- Technique tips and tricks
- Equipment news
- Community spotlights
Sign up: newsletter@coffeemastery.example.com
What We Send:
- 1 email per month (no spam)
- Curated content highlights
- Exclusive tips
- Unsubscribe anytime
Collaboration Opportunities
Interested in partnering?
We collaborate with:
- Specialty coffee roasters
- Equipment manufacturers (for honest reviews)
- Coffee education programs
- Barista competitions and events
- Content creators
Discuss partnerships: partnerships@coffeemastery.example.com
Media Inquiries
Press & Media:
For interviews, quotes, or information about specialty coffee trends:
Contact: press@coffeemastery.example.com
We Can Provide:
- Expert commentary on coffee trends
- Brewing technique insights
- Equipment market analysis
- Consumer behavior data
Thank You
Thank you for being part of the coffee community!
Whether you’re just starting to explore specialty coffee or you’re a seasoned home barista, we’re here to support your journey with honest information, practical tools, and a passion for great coffee.
Every question helps us create better content. Every piece of feedback makes our guides more useful. Every story shared inspires someone else to brew better coffee.
Ready to brew? Start with our Quickstart Guide or dive into Brewing Methods.
We respond to all inquiries within 2-3 business days. For immediate help with brewing questions, try our Interactive Tools or search our Guidebooks.
Happy brewing!