8 main factors that affect the taste of coffee, share after reading

This article is reproduced from Wangli Coffee’s official account: JasDaily

There are eight main factors that affect the taste of coffee: (1) extraction water temperature, (2) grinding degree, (3) extraction pressure, (4) powder amount, (5) compression degree, (6) water quality, (7) machine equipment, (8) people

1. Temperature

Why is temperature listed as the first focus of discussion? Because other factors are easier to solve and there are differences in coffee bean quality and varieties. But temperature is the most difficult to control for general machines. Since coffee itself contains hundreds of very complex substances, and these substances will be extracted into different substances at different extraction temperatures, resulting in a variety of coffee tastes. Therefore, it is recommended that the coffee extraction temperature is best between 90°C-92°C as the most ideal extraction temperature.

2. Grinding degree

Grinding involves a wide range of issues. Generally speaking, it is related to the variety and roasting degree of coffee beans. The grinding degree of 100% ARABICA beans is generally coarser than that of mixed beans. There is a certain range of grinding degrees to brew a perfect cup of espresso. Grinding too fine will cause the liquid to drip out when brewing coffee, and the hot water will stay for too long, resulting in over-extraction. Grinding too coarse will cause the coffee to flow out, resulting in insufficient extraction and affecting the taste of the coffee. With normal grinding and normal squeezing, the state of the extracted coffee should be thin and uninterrupted, and 30CC-35CC of espresso should be exhausted within 25 seconds.

3. Extraction pressure

Also known as brewing pressure. Generally, 8-9 bar is used. Why use this pressure? Because this is an empirical value obtained from actual operation. Too high pressure will penetrate the coffee powder, causing holes and uneven extraction. Too high pressure will cause hot water to pass through too quickly, resulting in insufficient extraction. Too low pressure will cause over-extraction.

4. Powder quantity

This factor often affects the quality and taste of a cup of coffee. Generally, the appropriate amount of powder is recommended to be around 7.5g per cup of Espresso, because too much powder will cause the coffee powder cake to push against the water outlet, leaving the coffee with insufficient expansion space, resulting in over-extraction. If the amount of powder is too little, the powder cake will be insufficiently thick and easily penetrated by hot water, resulting in uneven extraction.

5. Compression

The purpose of tamping is to make the coffee powder be evenly extracted. Because the coffee powder that has not been tamped is easily penetrated by hot water, resulting in uneven extraction. If the tamping is too dense, it will be difficult for hot water to pass through, resulting in over-extraction. The appropriate tamping will be matched with the characteristics of the coffee beans and the degree of grinding.

6. Water quality

This factor is often overlooked and will become increasingly important in the future. The essence contained in the coffee beans needs to be extracted, and the minerals in the water play a big role. In addition, the most suitable temperature for brewing coffee is

90-92°C is not enough to make hot water, so a complete filtration system is very important. Boiled water or RO water is not suitable for brewing coffee. The importance of water quality also involves the problem of overnight water, so when the machine is first turned on, it is necessary to brew it for 3 minutes to let the overnight water drain away.

7. Machine hardware equipment

It is very important to choose a qualified espresso machine. What does it mean to be qualified or not? That is to say, the adjustable brewing temperature and brewing pressure are the most important factors, and then the size of the machine, the size of the boiler, after-sales service, and price are evaluated.

8. Human Factors

Combining all the above factors, they are passive factors, and the remaining problem is the operator's problem. A good operator can always pay attention to the above key points and avoid making mistakes. In addition, the effectiveness of milk foaming is also a personal factor. Therefore, if you want to make a successful cup of coffee, you must have a successful coffee operator.