When the U.S. Department of Justice released the latest batch of Jeffrey Epstein documents, part of the Epstein Dossier, which contained more than 3.5 million documents, images and videos, much of the attention focused on names, travel logs and previously unseen communications, including emails, financial records and personal letters. Tucked away in the same pantry is something even more mundane: a detailed manual for pour-over coffee.this e-mailforwarded in July 2013 to his long-time girlfriend Karyna Shuliak, the document said he intended to marry her and, according to his will, she was Will inherit more than $100 million He used what was left of his legacy to outline a highly specific approach to coffee brewing with the V60. Epstein offered to show her in person and provide detailed instructions so she could try it herself. Since its re-emergence online, influencers and coffee lovers have begun recreating what social media is now calling “Jeffrey Epstein Coffee.”The method centers around the V60, a Japanese cone-shaped manual coffee dripper that uses a paper filter. It’s popular in specialty coffee circles, prized for its clean extraction and precise control over brewing.The instructions, detailing steps, weights, and volumes down to the second, read less like random kitchen notes and more like a lab protocol, surprisingly detailed for a man who must have been extremely busy, suggesting he had plenty of time to perfect the process.
- 24 grams of coffee – This is the weight of ground coffee beans.
- 360 grams of water – measured by weight rather than volume, which is the standard for professional brewing.
- The coffee to water ratio is 1:15 (24 grams to 360 grams), which is considered balanced and fairly strong.
- Water at 202°F, translates to approximately 94°C, just below the boiling point.
- The grinder setting is marked “-7K”, likely referring to a relatively fine grind suitable for pour-over extraction.
Before brewing, he instructs the recipient to rinse the filter paper with hot water (to remove the paper smell), add ground coffee, shake it well, and then make a small indentation in the center with their thumb. This indentation helps water flow evenly across the ground.
How Epstein made his coffee, DOJ documents reveal complete step-by-step guide / Photo: DOJ
Then comes the timed pouring sequence, accurate to the second:
- 00:00 — Pour in water until the total weight reaches 60 g. This is the “bloom” stage, when hot water touches the ground and releases trapped gases.
- 00:30 — Continue pouring until the scale reads 200 grams, spiraling out from the center.
- 01:10 — Pour in 300 g, using the same spiral movement.
- 01:45 — Pour up to 360 g.
- 03:00 — The brewing should be complete; remove the dripper.
He also made some adjustments: If the coffee tastes sour, it’s under-extracted: grind it finer. If it tastes bitter, it’s over-extracted: Grind coarser. If it feels watery: Increase the coffee dose.In the same post, Epstein mentioned Tonx coffee subscription service, a high-end roast-to-order service founded by Tony Konecny, which was later acquired by Blue Bottle Coffee in 2014 and now operates as YESPLZ Coffee. Tony shared a video on social media, and credit card statements and receipts showed Epstein had been ordering coffee for at least several months, according to Justice Department documents. He said it was crazy that Epstein was one of his many high-profile customers when he was selling coffee beans online in 2013, and he now even has an email as evidence showing Epstein personally vouched for his coffee. The email sent to Epstein’s girlfriend also included a recommendation for another coffee brand and numerous Amazon and other links to assemble a complete starter brewing kit, showing how specific and meticulous he was in curating his coffee setup.He was probably the coffee connoisseur among his elite circles, carefully selecting beans, brewing techniques, and starter kits, and his taste was surprisingly precise for a man who had so much else to claim in his day. But all of that doesn’t even begin to obscure the broader reality: Epstein was arrested in 2019 on federal charges related to sex trafficking of minors and died in his New York jail cell later that year. Ongoing document releases continue to shed light on his activities, associates and vast estate, revealing many names, shocking details and other dark and disturbing aspects of Epstein’s life. But what stands out most here is the contrast. In between emails about logistics and travel, there were details on pour times, gram weights and water temperatures. Online, some found the accuracy ironic. Others simply view it as a technically sound V60 guide and simmer at home.Despite the name, it’s a standard specialty coffee approach: measured dose, controlled spiral pour, three-minute total extraction. It was neither revolutionary nor amateurish, but its precision hinted at how unique his taste and meticulous habits must have been.
