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

The Art of Coffee Brewing: Understanding Key Variables

Coffee brewing is a complex science. Even with the same ingredients, the same roast, and the same brewing process, the final flavor can still come out different. Different brewing methods produce different tastes and textures. Even with identical ingredients and the same levels of acidity and bitterness, coffee flavor 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 the 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 the water poured during extraction. What matters here, though, is the temperature when the water actually contacts the coffee grounds. If the water is too hot (above 94 degrees Celsius), it accelerates the dissolution of compounds in the grounds. Acidic components already dissolve quite fast, so even at higher temperatures the total amount dissolved in the water will not change significantly.

Bitter compounds dissolve more slowly. If the water is too hot, the movement of bitterness from the center of the grounds to the surface suddenly speeds up, so more of it dissolves and the proportion of bitterness in the cup rises. Conversely, if the water is cool (below 83 degrees Celsius), the proportion of bitterness decreases.

The Impact of Extraction Time on Coffee Flavor

Acidic compounds dissolve quickly by nature, so the amount dissolved over 3 minutes differs little from the amount dissolved over 5 minutes. Bitter compounds dissolve slowly, so there is a significant difference between 3 minutes and 5 minutes. In conclusion, longer extraction time means bitterer coffee.

The Impact of Coffee Ground Particle Size on Coffee Flavor

The finer the grounds, the more easily their compounds are extracted. For acidic components that are already easily soluble, particle size has minimal impact. For bitter components that dissolve with difficulty, however, particle size plays a crucial role: the smaller the particles, the greater the total amount of bitterness dissolved in the water, which raises the proportion of bitterness.

The Interplay of Brewing Variables

By now you should have a sense that the factors behind brewing interact with one another in a cyclical way. Grind coarsely, for example, and water passes through faster for a milder taste, but you can raise the water temperature slightly or extend the steeping time to adjust the cup. No matter how you adjust, though, you cannot change the fundamental nature of your beans; they set the main theme of your coffee.

Recommended Pour-Over Parameters

Natural Process Guji

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

Washed Process Guji

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

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 people fall in love with coffee, and that openness has been our mission for the past 6 years.

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FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Processing method is one more variable worth understanding, and the two Guji profiles above show how differently washed and natural coffee can behave at the same origin. FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe Gudingding Cooperative coffee is washed and medium-light roasted, showing jasmine and bright citrus acidity with green tea and honey, and it suits pour-over, cold brew, and espresso; it comes from the Gudingding processing team, a standout group known for refined, exceptionally clean cups.

For the natural side, the Ethiopia Huakui is a star of the specialty market, with tropical aromas of strawberry, passionfruit, jackfruit, and even lychee, pronounced sweetness, and almost no bitterness, so juicy and smooth that many drinkers call it "the coffee that doesn't taste like coffee." If you prefer a washed coffee with vivid fruit, the Kenya Cherry Tomato is processed by Kenya's signature 72-hour double-washed fermentation and light roasted, pouring out cherry tomato and smoked plum with snow pear, black plum, and brown sugar in a clean, lingering finish. And if balance is what you are after, the Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 brings hazelnut, cream, chocolate, and caramel over a body where no single note dominates.