Summary

The website provides essential principles for brewing a strong, high-quality cup of coffee, emphasizing the importance of coffee-to-water ratio, grind size, brew time, agitation, water temperature, and water quality.

Abstract

The article "No BS Coffee Fundamentals For The New Enthusiast" debunks the myth of strong coffee being synonymous with burnt taste, advocating for a deeper understanding of coffee brewing. It outlines six critical factors that contribute to a good, strong cup of coffee: coffee to water ratio, grind size, brew time, agitation, water temperature, and water quality. The author suggests a standard ratio of 1:16 (coffee to water) and recommends using a burr grinder for consistent grind size, which impacts extraction rate and overall taste. The ideal brew time is between 3 to 4 minutes, with minimal agitation for even extraction. Water temperature should be around 205 degrees Fahrenheit, and filtered water is preferred for better taste. The article also references Perc Coffee's Brew Guide for specific brewing techniques and encourages enthusiasts to experiment and refine their skills for a personally enjoyable cup of coffee.

Opinions

The term "strong coffee" is often misused and should be redefined in terms of flavor and quality, not just bitterness or concentration.
Literary references from Louis L'Amour illustrate the traditional, robust appreciation of coffee, setting the stage for a more nuanced understanding.
The author dismisses the notion that coffee must taste like ash or be extremely dark, promoting a more sophisticated approach to coffee strength and flavor.
A consistent coffee to water ratio and precise grind size are crucial for achieving the desired extraction and strength.
The use of a burr grinder over a blade grinder is highly recommended for a uniform grind, which affects the rate of extraction.
Brew time and agitation are variables that can be adjusted for optimal extraction, aiming for a balanced and evenly extracted cup.
Water quality, often overlooked, can significantly impact the taste of coffee, with filtered water being the preferred choice over tap water.
The article emphasizes that the ultimate goal is to enjoy the coffee one is drinking, and this enjoyment comes from understanding and applying the principles outlined.

No BS Coffee Fundamentals For The New Enthusiast

“I like my coffee strong.”

Strong coffee. A vague (and convoluted) term that’s lost its meaning as a consequence of overuse and false attribution. Most people refer to burnt, black coffee as “strong.” Now drop that term by the wayside and leave it there.

There is nothing wrong with drinking coffee that tastes like ash steeping in the heels of work boots. After all, the great Western writer, Louis L’Amour often referenced coffee in his books, here are a couple BA quotes I managed to fit in this No BS guide:

“I, fortunately, had the presence of mind to retain my coffee. With the Ferguson rifle in my right hand, I drank coffee from the cup in my left.”

and…

“It was hot, blacker than sin, and strong enough to float a horseshoe. It was cowboy’s coffee.”

Damn. That fires me up. But Louis and his cowboy characters had no way of knowing you can drastically (and objectively) improve the cup of coffee you’re drinking by observing a few simple principals. This isn’t a guide on how to brew a good cup, it’s the context around what makes a good, strong cup of coffee. It’s not witch magic. The factors are universal for any brewer you’re using, whether that’s a homebrewer, V60, Kalita Wave Dripper, Chemex, French Press, etc. For reference on brewing techniques, Perc Coffee located in GA has a phenomenal and visually appealing Brew Guide on its website. You can reference that for whatever method you’re using.

What factors into a good, strong cup?

Before diving in, it’s important to understand strength and extraction. Extraction is simply what the water takes from the coffee, whereas strength is how much. Simple.

In general, 6 factors play into a delightful cup of coffee, listed here by their order of importance:

Coffee to water ratio ( ~1:16 grams)
Grind size
Brew time (3–4 min)
Agitation
Water temperature.
(for true enthusiasts, Water Quality is the sixth factor)

Coffee to water ratio

The ratio of coffee to water can vary from 1 gram of coffee to 16–18 grams of water. Once you pick the ratio you prefer, I would recommend sticking with it for all your brew recipes. I use 1 gram of coffee to 16 grams of water.

Grind Size

Grind size is important. Maybe you have heard coffee peeps refer to “dialing in.” That’s a cool way of saying they’re figuring out how fine or coarse to grind the beans at. You gauge the grind size based on the output of your recipe. For example, I am making a pour-over with 21.5 g of coffee (meaning ~330 g water) and I want it to brew in 3:30–4 minutes. If it finished dripping through at 5 minutes, I completely overshot my mark and should really increase the grind size (meaning make it coarser).

I would recommend a burr grinder in every scenario. You do not want a blade grinder. Why? Because with the grind size, you want to make sure it’s as homogeneous as possible for an even extraction.

Grind size affects the rate of extraction:

Finer = quicker extraction / slower brew time
Coarser = slower extraction / quicker brew time

Remember, extraction is what water takes from the coffee (in terms of solubility). This affects the overall taste of the coffee.

Brew Time

Again, this might vary by recipe or methodology. But a good rule of thumb is aiming between 3–4 minutes. If you’re making a cup of coffee and it finishes before the 3-minute mark, there’s a good chance it’s under-extracted and thereby sour. You could either make the grounds finer so the water drips through slower, or adjust your pour rate (if you’re making a pour-over).

Agitation

The more movement means the quicker the coffee will extract. This is mostly applicable for a pour-over, but it applies to other brew methods as well. It can also contribute to the coffee grounds being high and dry in your brewer (meaning bowl-shaped instead of a flat bed). In most cases, minimal agitation is best. Your goal is a level, even bed a the end of your pour. Adding water in stages helps with this, but another trick you can use is stirring gently after you have poured all your water.

Water Temp

If you have a kettle that you can set to 205 degrees Fahrenheit, that’s great. If it fits your situation, I would recommend looking into a gooseneck kettle you can set to a certain temperature.

Water Quality

Last on the list is water quality. It can affect the taste if you have mineral-ly water. That being said, I wouldn’t worry too much about this. If you can, use filtered water, not faucet water. The change you experience in your cup of coffee may surprise you. Again, don’t sweat it here.

Bringing it all together

The six factors I listed give you context for what makes a good cup of coffee. Let’s say you’re making a pour-over. Is the water dripping through at 2:51 minutes? Grind the coffee finer to increase the brew time. Is your bed of coffee grounds at the end of the cup like the landscape of the moon (craters and all) or flat like the cover of a hardback book? Adjust the speed and calmness with which you are pouring. As far as brewing the coffee, that’s a combination of bringing together these factors and improving your skill. As long as you’re drinking a cup of coffee you enjoy, that’s what matters.