"Hand-brew introduction" Three details that beginners should pay attention to when making their first cup of hand-brewed coffee

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We talked about the "flavor" in our coffee the day before yesterday, so today we will directly get into the "extraction theory" of coffee!

In fact, there are traces to follow when learning how to brew coffee by hand. Without a teacher’s guidance, ordinary people will indeed experience a lot of setbacks. The coffee you drink in the store is obviously delicious, so why does the coffee you brew yourself taste like "coffee-flavored mouthwash"?

In fact, hand-brewed coffee has certain physical and chemical principles, which can be understood from a simple scientific perspective. Therefore, you also have the opportunity to brew a pot of good coffee in a systematic way. Today, the editor will teach you how to fix the controllable factors of extraction and then capture the changes in coffee flavor!

What is "extraction rate"?

"Extraction rate" is the ratio of the substances (various aromas) in the coffee powder to dissolve in water.

The higher the extraction rate, the more complex the taste and flavor of the liquid; the lower the extraction rate, the opposite is true.

Therefore, when we say "appropriate extraction rate", it means that this is a good cup of coffee with a balanced taste; but to make a pot of good coffee, you have to start with the following three data indicators, namely: "water temperature", "grinding coarseness", and "powder-water ratio".

1. Water temperature

We all know that the higher the temperature of the water, the easier it is for sugar to dissolve in it. This is related to the "dissolution rate". The same is true for coffee. To extract the substances in the coffee powder more completely, increasing the temperature is an effective way. When I communicate with guests, I will ask them about the water temperature when brewing and other data. Beginners, please try to understand the relationship between your water temperature and coffee.

Because different regions have different room temperatures, different appliances and even different capacities have different insulation performance and temperature loss rates, the water temperature parameters given by others may not be completely suitable for application. Beginners should remember to fine-tune them according to actual conditions.

Generally speaking, I always use 90℃ as the base temperature. If the bitterness is too strong, you can lower the temperature slightly. The general temperature of coffee is 83℃~96℃, which I think is a good temperature range for presenting flavor.

[The influence and adjustment of water temperature on flavor]

The higher the water temperature, the more substances can be extracted, and you can clearly taste the floral, fruity, caramel and other flavors in the beans. However, once you use too high a water temperature, the "acidity" and "bitterness" will also become obvious.

If the coffee beans are roasted darker (oily, heavier-tasting coffee powder, most beans that have been roasted after the second crack or later), you can try lowering the water temperature a little; because darker roasted beans have less floral and fruity aroma than lighter roasted beans, and they mainly have caramel aroma and sweetness, or a mellow taste, so if you are afraid of bitterness, you can actually use "lowering the water temperature" to reduce it.

High water temperature = more flavor, more bitterness, more sourness.

Low water temperature = flat flavor, less bitterness, better sweetness.

2. Grinding Coarseness of Coffee Powder

The coarseness of the grinding of coffee powder is related to the contact area between the powder and water. The finer the grinding, the larger the contact area with water, and the more coffee substances can be dissolved.

Some coffee experts are very particular about the parameters of the grinder, such as "operating speed" and "heat generation", because too high a temperature will affect the flavor of the coffee and even reduce its flavor; and the amount of ultra-fine powder produced after grinding will also affect the extraction rate (such as over-extraction), uniformity (flavor stability), and particle shape (conical, round, square), all of which are things that can be paid attention to.

Generally speaking, "Italian coffee" will grind the coffee powder very finely (as fine as powdered sugar or flour), but the grinding fineness of "hand brewing" and "siphon pot" is usually about the size of "fine sugar". Beginners can use this as a reference.

[The influence and adjustment of the grinding coarseness of the powder on the flavor]

If you feel that the coffee is too bitter and sour, you can adjust the coffee powder grinding scale to be coarser, which can reduce the substances dissolved in the coffee and reduce the intense flavor. However, if you feel that the floral and fruity aroma is not obvious enough, you can directly grind the powder finer to make the flavor more delicate.

Fine grind = more flavor, more bitterness, more sourness.

Coarse grind = flat flavor, less bitterness, better sweetness.

3. The ratio of powder to water (powder-water ratio)

This factor can be said to be the most obvious key factor affecting coffee. It can be said that a small mistake can lead to a huge difference! How to say it?

As mentioned earlier, after the coffee powder and water are mixed together, if the flavor of your coffee is very extreme, such as "very sour" or "very bitter", the coffee powder and water ratio will "magnify" or "decrease" these flavors. In other words, the coffee powder and water ratio is related to the concentration. Therefore, setting an appropriate coffee powder and water ratio can effectively enhance and show the extracted flavor. Just imagine it as an acceleration driver!

Generally speaking, the setting is "1g powder: 15g water", which is what we often call a 1:15 powder-water ratio. Take hot milk as an example. The more milk powder you put in, the less hot water you put in. This cup of milk will definitely be very strong, right? The same is true for coffee, so we usually use 1:12~1:18 as the extraction ratio. It is recommended that you try to explore and practice in this range. Usually, beginners will not have a high failure rate when brewing coffee in this way.

[The influence and adjustment of powder-water ratio on flavor]

I suggest you try to extract coffee directly from 1:18. If the flavor is not concentrated or strong enough, you can adjust the ratio down to 1:12 and keep it within this range. Why start from 1:18 instead of 1:12? The reason is simple. If you feel that the coffee is too sour or bitter at 1:18, then just adjust the "water temperature" and "grinding" as we mentioned above!

Small powder-water ratio = more flavor, stronger bitterness, more sourness

Large powder-water ratio = flat flavor, less bitterness, better sweetness

Conclusion

There is a lot to learn about hand brewing coffee, and it is certainly impossible to cover it all in one article. However, if you can master the three indicators taught today: "water temperature", "coffee powder grinding", and "powder-water ratio", and find your preferred fixed formula (temperature, grinding coarseness, ratio), you will slowly be able to escape from the coffee novice village!

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