Marco ColdBRU: Grind, Recipe & Tamp Guide
QUICK • EASY • CONSISTENT
The Marco ColdBRU concentrate brewer delivers approximately 30% higher yield from the same amount of coffee used when compared to the leading competitor. This higher yield means less coffee wasted and more coffee to sell.
- Pre-set recipes and no need to pre-wet or stir grinds
- Average 3 hour brew
- Average 19% extraction (yield) and 4% TDS
- Reusable metal filter saves cost and waste
DID YOU KNOW? The output of the Marco ColdBRU depends on your grind size, desired recipe and correctly tamping your coffee bed.
Check out our helpful grind, recipe, and tamp guide on the next few pages.
RECIPE
OUR RECOMMENDED RECIPE:
- 1.6kg or 3.5lbs ground coffee (fine filter grind, see guide below)
- 10.5L or 2.7 GAL Water
- 3 Hour Brew Time
- Medium Roast Profile
- Fine Filter Grind, approx 900-1000 microns
RECOMMENDED RECIPE DELIVERS:
7.5L or 2 GAL (approx 4% TDS) coffee concentrate.
DILUTE:
3:2 parts water to coffee concentrate for: 19L or 5 GAL drinking strength coffee at 1.2% TDS
Users can vary their recipe based on time, desired dilution ratio and/or desired output volume. See table below for recipe guide.
| RATIO | DESIRED TDS (%) | DISPENSE TIME (min) | GROUND COFFEE INPUT (g) | WATER INPUT (ml) | CONCENTRATE COFFEE OUTPUT (ml) | GROUND COFFEE INPUT (lbs) | WATER INPUT (gal) | CONCENTRATE COFFEE OUTPUT (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | 2.5 | 120 | 1,008 | 9,700 | 7,500 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2 |
| 1.2 | 4 | 90 | 1,107 | 7,100 | 5,000 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
| 1.1 | 2.5 | 60 | 672 | 6,500 | 5,000 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
| 1.2 | 45 | 308 | 5,600 | 5,000 | 0.67 | 1.4 | 1.3 | |
| 3.2 | 4 | 90 | 553 | 3,600 | 2,500 | 1.2 | 0.95 | 0.66 |
| 1.1 | 2.5 | 60 | 336 | 3,200 | 2,500 | 0.74 | 0.84 | 0.66 |
PLEASE NOTE: these figures are for guidance only and users may find variation in their results.
GRIND SIZE
It's important to set the grind that suits your desired output. To achieve our recommended recipe on the previous page, we recommend approx 900-1000 microns.
Check out our image below as a visual guide to grind size. Our recommended recipe is based on 900-1000 Micron Size (circled below in red). Please see our general settings guide to the most common grinders used.
You can impact your final beverage output by changing the grind size. Check out our guide to grind size below.
COLDBRU BREW TIME vs GRIND vs CONCENTRATION CHART
[Chart showing Brew Time vs Grind Size vs Concentration/TDS. X-axis: Grind Size (Coarser to Finer). Y-axis: Concentration/TDS (4% to 1%). A dashed line indicates brewing time in hours (4hrs to 1hr). The chart suggests finer grinds lead to longer brew times and higher concentration, while coarser grinds lead to shorter brew times and lower concentration.]
PLEASE NOTE: these figures are a guide only and users may find some variation in their results.
A NOTE ON ROAST PROFILE:
We recommend a medium to dark roast. For profiles with creamy, chocolate and caramel overtones we recommend Agtron scale of 55-60. For fruiter, more acidic coffees (e.g. Ethiopian) we recommend Agtron scale of 60-65.
Pictured on the right: Agtron Scale: 60-65 (Ethiopian).
TAMP GUIDE
NOTE:
The tamp provided with the ColdBRU system is slightly smaller than the brew chamber. This is because the sides of the brew chamber are slightly tapered, therefore the tamp will not sit flush in the chamber. This will not impact your brew.
TOP TIPS:
We recommend that users tamp with around 2kg/4.4lbs of pressure.
To measure the correct pressure when first using the ColdBRU:
- Put the desired amount of ground coffee into the brew chamber.
- Place your brew chamber (full of coffee) onto a scales.
- Tare/zero your scales.
- Place the tamp into the brew chamber and press onto the coffee bed until 2kg/4.4lbs appears on the scales.
- Ensure coffee looks even and level.
[Icon of a water droplet with a red background] By compressing and tamping the coffee correctly at the start, you will extract the maximum from your coffee and won't leave any liquid coffee left over.
The remaining coffee forms a large damp puck which is easier to dispose of when compared to traditional cold brew methods.
TAMP TROUBLESHOOTING
MY COFFEE IS UNDEREXTRACTED
CAUSE
A. Your coffee bed might not have been level and uniform. If you press the tamp down on the coffee bed without levelling it first, then the centre section will be compressed and the incoming water will flow down the sides easier, leading to underextraction.
B. Your coffee grind was too coarse.
SOLUTION
A. If using a higher volume of ground coffee, level the coffee bed in stages: i.e. add ¼ of coffee, level the bed, add the second ¼ of coffee and level the bed, continue with the remainder to ensure the coffee bed is level and uniform. Then proceed with tamping at the recommended pressure (see above).
B. Try a finer grind.
WATER DIDN'T SOAK THROUGH THE COFFEE / WATER OVERFLOWED FROM THE TOP OF THE BREW CHAMBER
CAUSE
A. Tamping too hard. Generally, there is not that much pressure required to obtain the optimal tamp (see pressure guide above). If you have tamped too hard it will prolong the brewing time. There is a risk of overflowing as dispensed water may not flow through the coffee bed as expected. Instead, water will sit on the coffee bed and continue to dispense. This may result in the brew chamber overflowing as there is no overflow sensor.
B. Your coffee grind was too fine.
SOLUTION
A. If the water is reaching the top of the brew chamber and is not visibly draining through the coffee bed you need to pause the brew until the water level drops (e.g. is soaking through the grinds.) To unpause, press the pause button again and your brew will resume. The timer on the screen will indicate the remaining brew time.
NOTE: if this happens, your set brew time and desired extraction and TDS/ratio may be impacted (e.g. it may take longer to brew than the original set brew time.)
B. Try a coarser grind.
WATER SOAKED THROUGH COFFEE TOO QUICKLY
CAUSE
A. Tamping too lightly. If the bed is uniform and tamped very lightly the water will pass through the coffee much faster that desired and lower the overall TDS.
B. Your coffee grind was too coarse.
SOLUTION
A. Re-start the brew.
B. Try a finer grind.
