Talk nerdy to me - Brewing coffee: water science, ratios, and time

First things first: Water

Water makes up 98-99% of a cup of coffee so it will have an impact on the overall flavor and taste. If it doesn't taste good, your coffee wont taste good either. You can filter your water, in fact most people already do. Don't use reverse osmosis water or distilled though, you need the mineral content for a proper extraction and using it can amplify unpleasant acidity due to the lack of buffering capacity in the water. 

Temperature: 190 to 210 degrees. This really is a case of personal preference. What kind of brewer you are using also plays into this as well. A large ceramic brewer will remove significantly more energy than a small origami or Clever. We always prefer to preheat our brewers before starting to mitigate this heat loss.

Coffee to water ratio

The standard ratio is about 16:1. The best way to measure what ratio you are using is to measure by weight. Most off the shelf coffee scoops can vary widely how much coffee they can hold. The best way is to find one you like, and measure how much coffee (by weight) it holds. Keep in mind that darker roasted coffee also takes up more room so a scoop will weigh less than a medium roast. Approved SCAA coffee scoops hold 10 grams. Trust but verify, take a few measurements to ensure your best cup.

Each brewing method will use differing ratios and brewing time, we have included a handy chart at the bottom to give you a good starting point.

The Grind

Coffee grinders come in all shapes and sizes (and prices!). No matter which one you start with we recommend getting a burr grinder. Blade grinders produce inconsistent results and uneven grind sizes. Ground consistency is important and has a significant impact on your brew. An inconsistent grind will have a mix of large grounds and powdery grounds. The larger grounds will allow water to channel rapidly through the coffee bed leading to under extraction while the powdery grounds will make it to your cup. This leaves you with a weak, sour cup of coffee that is like mud at the end. It is also best practice to grind your beans immediately before brewing. 

Filters

There are all different kinds, shapes, sizes, and materials of coffee filters. There are a few things to keep in mind. Paper filters need to be rinsed before use to eliminate any paper fibers from making their way into the cup. Paper also does a better job of filtering out fine particles leading to a brighter cup. Metal filters on the other hand allow these particles through to allow for more body. The upside is that they are reusable and eliminates paper waste. You also wont run out of them on a monday morning (personal experience here).

Reference table