What's the Difference in Brewing Washed and Natural Coffee Beans - A Brief Introduction to Coffee Flavor Profiles

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The Art of Coffee Brewing: Understanding Key Variables

Coffee brewing is a complex science. Even when using the same ingredients, the same roast, and the same brewing process, the final flavor can still be different. Different brewing methods result in different tastes and textures. Despite using identical ingredients and ensuring the same levels of acidity and bitterness, coffee flavors will vary if the extraction degree differs.

Factors That Influence Coffee Flavor During Extraction

Several factors impact coffee flavor during extraction:

• Water temperature (the temperature of water when it contacts the coffee grounds)
• Time (the contact duration between water and coffee grounds)
• Particle size of coffee grounds (ranging from coarse, medium, medium-fine, fine, to very fine)

The Impact of Water Temperature on Coffee Flavor

When discussing water temperature, most people immediately think of the temperature of water poured during extraction. However, the water temperature here refers to the temperature when it actually contacts the coffee grounds. If the water temperature is too high (above 94°C), it accelerates the dissolution speed of compounds in the coffee grounds. The dissolution rate of acidic components is already quite fast, so even at higher temperatures, the total amount dissolved in water won't change significantly.

Bitter compounds dissolve more slowly. If the water temperature is too high, the movement speed of bitterness from the center of the coffee grounds to the surface suddenly increases, resulting in more total dissolution in water and increasing the proportion of bitterness in the coffee. Conversely, if the water temperature is low (below 83°C), the proportion of bitterness in the coffee will decrease.

The Impact of Extraction Time on Coffee Flavor

Acidic compounds naturally dissolve quickly, so the amount dissolved in water over 3 minutes shows little difference from that dissolved over 5 minutes. Bitter compounds dissolve slowly, so there's a significant difference between the amount dissolved in 3 minutes versus 5 minutes. In conclusion, increasing extraction time results in more bitter coffee.

The Impact of Coffee Ground Particle Size on Coffee Flavor

The finer the coffee grounds are ground, the easier their compounds can be extracted. For acidic components that are already easily soluble, the particle size of coffee grounds has minimal impact. However, for bitter components that are not easily soluble, coffee ground particle size plays a crucial role. The smaller the coffee particles, the greater the total amount of bitterness dissolved in water, thus increasing the proportion of bitterness.

The Interplay of Brewing Variables

By now, you should have some understanding that the influencing factors of brewing methods interact with each other in a cyclical manner. For example, if coffee grounds are ground coarsely, water filtration will be faster, resulting in a milder taste. However, you can slightly increase the water temperature or extend the steeping time to adjust the flavor in the cup. But regardless of how you adjust, you cannot change the fundamental nature of your coffee beans—they set the main theme of your cup of coffee.

Recommended Pour-Over Parameters

Natural Process Guji

Recommended: 15g coffee, 90°C water temperature, BG-6S grinder, V60 dripper, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15. First pour 30g water, bloom for 30s. Second pour 120g water, then continue pouring to 225g total. Discard the tail section. Extraction time around 2:00s.

Washed Process Guji

Recommended: 15g coffee, 92°C water temperature, BG-6S grinder, V60 dripper, water-to-coffee ratio 1:14. First pour 30g water, bloom for 30s. Second pour 120g water, then continue pouring to 225g total. Discard the tail section. Extraction time around 2:00s.

About FrontStreet Coffee

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a specialty coffee research establishment dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with enthusiasts. We share without reservation to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three low-discount coffee events because FrontStreet Coffee wants to enable more friends to enjoy the best coffee at the lowest prices. This has been our mission for the past 6 years!

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