There are many important parameters in coffee brewing. If you want to drink a good cup of coffee, you need to accurately grasp the brewing parameters and brew according to the parameters as much as possible. Only in this way can you ensure that you can drink a good cup of coffee with a high probability. Among them, brewing time is crucial for Pour over(V60) coffee. When the amount of powder, powder-to-liquid ratio, grinding degree, water injection speed, etc. are all guaranteed, the brewing time can also help you judge whether other parameters are correct, and then calibrate them to accumulate the experience of brewing the next cup of delicious coffee.
Where should time be counted from?
Electronic scales are one of the essential brewing equipment for Pour over(V60) coffee. Electronic scales have weighing and timing functions. The weighing function provides accurate data for the amount of coffee powder and the ratio of powder to water. The timing function is to prove how well this cup of coffee is brewed.
While we all know the importance of timing, there are disagreements over where to start timing. Some people like to start timing when the first section of water is injected, while others prefer to press the timing button after the first section of water is injected.
Front Street believes that the extraction of coffee begins when the water first comes into contact with the coffee powder. If you fill in the water first and then start timing, you are actually selectively ignoring the extraction effect when filling the water. If everyone has no objection to the steaming time of 30 seconds, there is a difference in timing, so the actual steaming time of the latter is greater than 30 seconds.
Therefore, Front Street suggests that when timing, you should start from the point where the water and coffee powder are just in contact, that is, you need to time when you start filling the water.
What effect does time have on coffee?
For immersion type coffee brewing, if the time is short, it will be weak and the taste will not come out; if the time is long, it will be astringent, strong, and bitter. Of course, there must be a difference of more than 30 seconds in this time to form such a strong contrast.
But in the form of Pour over(V60) coffee, you pour water into the coffee powder, and the water drips through the coffee powder layer into the pot. In other words, you can directly control the time it takes to fill the water, but you cannot accurately control the time it takes for the water to drip completely. An error within 5 seconds is normal.
The time it takes for water to flow into the lower pot in the filter cup is related to the grinding size of the coffee powder, the water filling method, and the structure of the filter cup. Coffee powder is the key factor that blocks the flow of water. The finer the powder, the stronger the resistance, and the slower the flow rate will be, which will of course lead to a stronger and more bitter coffee. The coarser the powder, the smaller the resistance and the faster the flow rate. The water will flow away before the coffee substances are fully extracted, and it will move in the direction of lightness and sourness.
The water injection method is relatively easy to control. The more stages of water injection, the longer the brewing time. With the three-stage brewing method of the former street coffee, the brewing time is about 2 minutes.
Choosing a filter cup with a different structure will also lead to differences in time. Like the V60 filter cup commonly used in Front Street, its spiral guide ribs allow water to flow in the same direction, achieving even extraction and diversion, making the coffee rich in layers. The short rib design of another Kono filter cup used by Front Street can extend the extraction time without clogging, making the coffee more mellow. Therefore, using a suitable filter cup to brew coffee will also have a great impact on the flavor of the coffee.
So how long is the right time to brew a cup of coffee?
In terms of normal brewing methods (very fine powder brewing, dripping method, etc. are not discussed), if the amount of powder is 15g, if it is less than 1 minute and 30 seconds, the coffee flavor will not be fully extracted, and it will appear to be light and watery. If it exceeds 2 minutes and 30 seconds, the bitter taste will be easily washed out. Most of the coffee beans produced in the past are extracted between 1 minute and 50 seconds to 2 minutes and 10 seconds, and their flavor performance is the most suitable for tasting.
For students who want to improve their hand-made coffee skills,1points50seconds-2points10Seconds is a test standard with a relatively high error tolerance. If the time is not within this range and the taste of the coffee does not meet your expectations, you might as well try adjusting the grinding or water injection method to make the extraction time reach this range.
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
