peacemonger on Nostr: Dialing in that morning brew. One thing I love about coffee is the complexity of ...
Dialing in that morning brew.
One thing I love about coffee is the complexity of flavors available to those who are willing to tinker. One way I like to play with flavor is by adjusting the strength and extraction yield of my brews.
Strength is simply how much coffee is in the cup, measured as a percentage of total dissolved solids (TDS). Standard drip coffee usually falls in the 1-2% range. Espesso is much stronger, say 7-12%. Strength tends to vary in various cultures around the world.
Extraction yield, also expressed as a percentage, is how much of the coffee grounds have been extracted into the cup. If I brew a cup of coffee using 20g of beans and end up with 20% extraction yield, I have dissolved 4g of those beans into the brew. The preferred extraction yield varies a bit by roast style and consumer preference, but in general people all over the world tend to prefer extraction yields in the 18-22% range.
I personally prefer my morning pourover with a strength of around 1.3-1.35% TDS and an extraction yield between 20-20.5%. I've arrived at these numbers after years of tasting and tracking the measurements of my tastiest brews.
The device I use to measure my coffee is called a refractometer. Refractometers can be used to measure how light passes through aqeous solutions and are also used to measure the concentration of sugar in fruit, among other things. The one I use is made specifically for coffee.
You don't need a refractometer to play with strength and extraction, however. Adjust strength by changing the amount of beans you brew while keeping your water weight constant. Change extraction yield by adjusting grind size (you do have a quality burr grinder, yes?). Finer grinds lead (in general) to higher extractions (more flavors). Courser grinds generally lead to lower extractions. Extract too little and your brew might taste acidic and weak with no sweetness and a finish that dies quickly. Extract too much and your brew might be astringent and bitter with a thin body. I shoot for a balanced cup with nice acidity and sweetness that lingers pleasantly on my palate. Use your pleasure as your guide.
Questions? Send’em to me.
#coffeechain #learnstr
One thing I love about coffee is the complexity of flavors available to those who are willing to tinker. One way I like to play with flavor is by adjusting the strength and extraction yield of my brews.
Strength is simply how much coffee is in the cup, measured as a percentage of total dissolved solids (TDS). Standard drip coffee usually falls in the 1-2% range. Espesso is much stronger, say 7-12%. Strength tends to vary in various cultures around the world.
Extraction yield, also expressed as a percentage, is how much of the coffee grounds have been extracted into the cup. If I brew a cup of coffee using 20g of beans and end up with 20% extraction yield, I have dissolved 4g of those beans into the brew. The preferred extraction yield varies a bit by roast style and consumer preference, but in general people all over the world tend to prefer extraction yields in the 18-22% range.
I personally prefer my morning pourover with a strength of around 1.3-1.35% TDS and an extraction yield between 20-20.5%. I've arrived at these numbers after years of tasting and tracking the measurements of my tastiest brews.
The device I use to measure my coffee is called a refractometer. Refractometers can be used to measure how light passes through aqeous solutions and are also used to measure the concentration of sugar in fruit, among other things. The one I use is made specifically for coffee.
You don't need a refractometer to play with strength and extraction, however. Adjust strength by changing the amount of beans you brew while keeping your water weight constant. Change extraction yield by adjusting grind size (you do have a quality burr grinder, yes?). Finer grinds lead (in general) to higher extractions (more flavors). Courser grinds generally lead to lower extractions. Extract too little and your brew might taste acidic and weak with no sweetness and a finish that dies quickly. Extract too much and your brew might be astringent and bitter with a thin body. I shoot for a balanced cup with nice acidity and sweetness that lingers pleasantly on my palate. Use your pleasure as your guide.
Questions? Send’em to me.
#coffeechain #learnstr