Creating Your Own Coffee Recipes at Home
- Simon from Home Barista Lab
- Jun 18
- 2 min read
Brewing coffee at home can start with a recipe but real confidence comes when you begin to create your own.
Once you understand the basics around ratio, grind size, temperature and time, you can start to experiment, adjust and refine until your cup tastes just right for you. That’s when brewing becomes something personal and satisfying.
Here’s how you can start developing your own coffee recipes at home.
Start with a Reliable Base
Every good experiment begins with a solid starting point. Use a tried-and-tested recipe that works well for your chosen method. Check out our Instagram reel for a simple starting point for the V60.
Then you can start to change one variable at a time until you get to your personal ideal. That’s how you learn what each variable really does.
Know Your Variables
When building your own recipe, these are the key elements to play with:
Coffee-to-Water Ratio
A good baseline is 1:15 to 1:17 for most brews. More coffee or more water will give a thicker or thinner mouthfeel.
Grind Size
Finer grind = slower flow and more extraction. Coarser grind = faster flow and less extraction. Small changes make a big difference.
Water Temperature
90–96°C is ideal. Lower temps will reduce extraction. Higher ones will increase it.
Brew Time
Watch how long the water is in contact with the coffee. More time usually means more body, but too much can bring bitterness.
Use Your Senses
Don’t get lost in the numbers. Pay attention to how the brew looks, smells and tastes.
Is it too sour? Try grinding finer or increasing brew time.
Too bitter? Go coarser or lower the temperature.
Too weak? Use more coffee or tighten the ratio.
Taste trumps theory here. Let your palate take the lead.
Take Notes
Keep a brew journal. Record what you changed, what you noticed and what you might do differently next time. Over time, patterns will emerge and so will your personal preference.
Create, Refine, Repeat
The best recipes, for you, are discovered over time through small tweaks, patient brewing and a willingness to pay attention. It is the exploration and refinement that brings out the best in your technique and coffee. That’s what makes it yours.
Final Pour
Doing what the champions do on YouTube will not get you the perfect cup as their parameters, preferences and circumstances are completely different to yours. No two people will land on the same recipe.
Start with a solid base. Tweak one thing. Taste. Adjust. Repeat.
And soon, you’ll be brewing recipes no one else has but everyone will want to try.
Ready to take your brewing beyond the recipe?
Book a personalised workshop and learn how to craft your own coffee recipes with guidance tailored to your setup, your beans and your taste.
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