Dial-in Process
Here is the method we usually find the brew recipe on each origin in our line up. Mainly for V60(especially with the Hario tabbed filter) but also is useful for other percolation brewing method including Tricolate.
(1)Find your starting point
We recommend brewing with very hot water (97-98celsius) on a fixed ratio (1:17 usually) to find your starting point. Grind finer and finer until the EY stop increasing, then go back one notch.
This grind size will be a general starting point for most beans in our line up.
(2)Lower the brew temp, Optimize your TDS/EY
For percolation method, we usually aim for 1.25-1.30 TDS within 18.5-19.5% EY on 1:17 ratio. In step (1), You may have achieved very high EY and TDS such as around 1.45 TDS or 21-23% EY due to even extraction and high brew water temperature.
No matter how great your grinder may be, there will be fines in the slurry. Try lowering the brew water temperature as it will evenly reduce the extraxtion of each coffee particle in the slurry. We recommend 93 celsius for the starting point and 88 celsius at lowest.
(3)Avoid choking (especially for high grown/hard beans)
With the grind setting you found in step (1) and 88-93 celsius brew water temperature, it probably chokes when you brew some high grown coffees/hard beans in our line up.
Try 1-3 notch coarser grind settings with 93-95celsius brew water temperature. You can reduce the amount of fines with coarser grind setting and your brew water will be less viscous with higher temperature that will be likely to avoid choking.
*Don't grind coarser drastically from the starting point. You will just have more amount boulders which will hardly be extracted: it means the fine particles are still over extracted.
Still Chokes?
(4-1)Lower the pour rate/height
If you pour too aggressively, there will be excessive turbulence that causes significant amount of clogging. Lower the pour height(and rate along with the height) to avoid choking.
(4-2)Try another paper filter
If you are brewing with Hario Tabbed filter, try another paper filter that offers faster flow such as Cafec T-90 or Abaca.
(4-3)Sift out the boulders
Try one or two notch coarser grind setting than that of step (3) and sift out the boulders with sieves such as "Kruve Sifter". We recommend 800-1000 microns sieve for sifting. For the bottom sieve, we recommend the one with smallest holes if you would like to remove the fine particles.
Still higher than 1.35TDS or bit too strong/bitter?
(5-1)Adjust the TDS by trying coarser grind settings.
If the TDS is a bit too high than your target, try 1-3 notch coarser settings than that of step (3).
(5-2)Try softer water
If you think the strength itself is OK but you don't like the structure/mouthfeel of the cup. We especially recommend using Aquacode for its optimal mineral balance. With Aquacode, you don't have to worry about the balance of mineral content in the water and just try variable water hardness to find your preferred setting.
(5-3)Try lower calcium content in your brewing water
Try softer water or water with lower calcium content. If you feel that the mouth feel is too hard/structured or bitter with 60-80ppm, there are likely be too much amount of calcium in your brewing water. If so, don't try lower ppm water but try other waters with lower calcium content with same or higher hardness.
Not enough sweetness/body or too acidic/bright?
(6-1)Use harder water
When your water is too soft(especially under 60ppm), the coffee will likely tastes weak/sour. Try higher ppm water hardness with same mineral content balance.
(6-2)Add magnesium
If your coffee tastes hollow with optimal(80-120ppm) water hardness and 1.25-1.30 TDS, the water probably lack magnesium. You can enhance sweetness and body by adding magnesium to the brew water or change the water with higher magnesium content.
*Special thanks
