To brew coffee well, extraction is an important concept to understand. When we begin to brew a coffee, the natural acids present in the coffee will extract most easily, followed by sugars, and then heavier bitter compounds towards the end of the brew. This means controlling how much we extract from a coffee will control the balance of flavour in your cup. Extract too little, and we have a sour coffee, too much acid from the beginning of the brew, and not enough sweetness to create balance. Extract too much, and we will extract too much bitterness from later in the brew, resulting in an overall bitter and drying cup.
There are two main ways we can control extraction, in ANY method of brewing coffee. Grind Size, and Brewing Time. The table below shows a guide to controlling extraction when brewing.
For V60 or Chemex since water is pulled by gravity, having more pours help in cup quality. Adding 60-100ml per pour in 3 - 3:30 minutes will make your coffee taste better.
| Coffee Tastes | Too Bitter/Dry | Too Sour |
|---|---|---|
| Grin Size | Coarsen | Fine |
| Brew Time | Reduce | Increase |
METHOD1. Put the paper in your V60 and give it a good rinse with hot water. It removes all paper taste and preheat the equipment. 2. Remove the rinsing water. 3. Grind your coffee beans to a medium grind setting. Add the coffee, tare your scale, start your timer. 4. Pour 60g (2.12oz) water to create the bloom. At 45 secs: pour in 55g (1.94oz) water. At 1:30 seconds: pour 55g (1.94oz) water and at 2:15 add the last 40g (1.41oz). 5. The water should have drained trough at 3:30.
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