Amazing Coffee, According to Science- Tips to Improve Dialing-In Your Coffee

Summary

In this video, Lance Hedrick is joined by Dr. S Smur to explore the science behind brewing coffee like a professional. They discuss the complexities of coffee extraction, focusing on balancing bitterness and acidity, the role of aroma, and the importance of understanding chemical compounds like acids and bitterness. The video emphasizes experimenting with brewing techniques, from grind size to temperature, to achieve optimal flavor. Viewers are encouraged to experiment and take notes to improve their home brewing, making adjustments to extraction for the perfect cup.

Takeaways

• ☕ Dialing in coffee requires balancing bitterness and acidity to achieve optimal flavor.
• 📏 Baristas often chase recipes with specific numbers, but those numbers may not always yield the best results for flavor.
• 👃 Flavor is a combination of both taste and aroma, with volatile compounds in coffee contributing to aroma and influencing overall flavor perception.
• 🍋 Coffee contains multiple acids, such as citric, malic, and succinic acid, each contributing different flavor properties, with a combination of acids affecting acidity perception.
• 🌡️ The extraction process varies for different compounds, with acids extracting faster and bitterness coming out later in the brew.
• 🔬 Brazilian coffee might have more citric acid than Kenyan coffee, even though Kenyan coffee tastes more acidic due to its overall acid content and lower pH.
• 🎯 Grinding and particle size distribution are critical to achieving consistent and effective extraction in brewing.
• 🔄 To optimize coffee brewing, it’s important to experiment with different variables like brew time, temperature, and grind size, while changing only one variable at a time.
• ⚖️ Achieving balance in coffee involves a mix of good and bad compounds, with bitterness providing necessary contrast to acidity.
• 📝 Testing different brews by adjusting brew time and temperature can help home baristas better understand how extraction affects flavor and complexity.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the discussion in this video?

The video focuses on brewing coffee like a scientist, exploring the science behind coffee extraction, and how factors like bitterness, acidity, and aroma interact during brewing.

Why are coffee recipes so popular among home baristas?

Coffee recipes are popular because they provide clear guidelines and quantifiable numbers for brewing. Home baristas often chase taste through these recipes, aiming for balance and consistency.

How do acids and bitterness balance in coffee during extraction?

Acids in coffee extract quickly due to their high solubility in water, while bitter compounds, which are less soluble, extract later. This balance between acidity and bitterness shifts as extraction progresses.

Why do people often prefer whole and simple numbers in coffee recipes?

People prefer whole and simple numbers in coffee recipes because they are easy to remember and are often suggested by industry professionals or online sources, leading to the perception that these numbers produce the best-tasting coffee.

What role do acids like citric acid and other compounds play in the taste of coffee?

Citric acid is present in coffee but is often accompanied by other acids that affect the overall taste. The combination of different acids, such as acetic acid and succinic acid, influences the coffee's flavor complexity, contributing to its bitterness, acidity, and aroma.

How does aroma influence the perception of flavor in coffee?

Aroma, caused by volatile compounds in coffee, interacts with taste to create the overall perception of flavor. The combination of these sensory inputs, such as smelling fruity or citrusy notes, enhances the perceived acidity and complexity of the coffee.

Why does Brazilian coffee sometimes contain more citric acid than Kenyan coffee despite tasting less acidic?

While Brazilian coffee can contain more citric acid, Kenyan coffee often tastes more acidic due to the combination of other acids and a lower pH, which contributes to a more intense acidity in the flavor profile.

What advice does Dr. Smur offer to home brewers for improving their coffee extraction?

Dr. Smur advises home brewers to experiment with their coffee brewing process, not to rely solely on numbers. He recommends adjusting one variable at a time, such as grind size or brew time, to better understand how these changes affect the flavor.

What are some of the key factors that influence extraction in coffee brewing?

Grinding and particle size distribution are critical factors, as they determine the surface area available for extraction. Other factors include temperature, brew ratio, and time, which influence how different compounds, like acids and bitter components, are extracted.

What should home brewers focus on when experimenting with coffee brewing?

Home brewers should focus on varying one factor at a time, such as brew time or temperature, to compare the effects on flavor. Taking notes on these changes helps them understand how different extraction levels influence acidity, bitterness, and overall balance in the cup.