Where to Start with Jessica Easto
Jessica Easto is a journalist, book editor, and coffee enthusiast who came to specialty coffee as a curious outsider rather than an industry professional. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee and an MFA in creative writing from Southern Illinois University. Her writing has appeared in the Chicago Tribune and other publications. She wrote “Craft Coffee: A Manual” in 2017 with the help of Andreas Willhoff, a professional roaster at Halfwit Coffee in Chicago, and the book was named a top food and drink book of the year by The Food Network, Wired, Sprudge, and Booklist. Her follow-up, “How to Taste Coffee,” continued her mission of making coffee knowledge accessible to everyone. Easto’s strength as a writer is her ability to explain technical concepts in plain language, informed by her perspective as someone who learned alongside her readers rather than looking down from a position of expertise.
Start here
Craft Coffee: A Manual
Jessica Easto · 272 pages · 2017 · Easy
Themes: pour-over coffee, brewing techniques, coffee tasting, home brewing, manual brewing
The most accessible guide to manual coffee brewing available. Jessica Easto wrote this book specifically for people who want to make better coffee at home but feel overwhelmed by the specialty coffee world’s jargon and equipment obsession.
Why Start Here
“Craft Coffee” stands out because it focuses exclusively on non-espresso brewing methods. That narrow focus is a strength. Easto covers ten different manual brewing devices, from the Chemex and Hario V60 to the AeroPress and French press, with detailed instructions for each one. More importantly, she explains the underlying variables that affect extraction, so you understand why certain adjustments change the flavor.
The book begins by helping you identify what you actually enjoy in a cup of coffee. This personalized approach is rare in coffee books, which tend to be prescriptive about what “good” coffee should taste like. Once you know your preferences, Easto guides you toward the methods and beans that will deliver those flavors consistently.
Written with input from Andreas Willhoff, a professional roaster at Halfwit Coffee in Chicago, the book balances Easto’s outsider perspective with genuine technical accuracy. The result is a book that feels welcoming rather than intimidating, without sacrificing depth.
What to Expect
A well-structured 272-page manual that works both as a cover-to-cover read and as a reference you consult when trying new methods. Named a top food and drink book of 2017 by The Food Network, Wired, Sprudge, and Booklist.