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A scientific run-down of coffee blooming

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Re: A scientific run-down of coffee blooming

#51

I went through my coffee hipster phase. But I eventually came to the conclusion that my palate is just too unsophisticated to tell the difference between supposed “hints of blueberry and molasses” in third wave hipster coffee from a boutique roaster versus the cheap coffee that my local newsstand brews every morning. Now my only concession to coffee is brewing a cup on a Technivorm. Also Hawaiian coffee is super smoo…

Me too. I went from using various pieces of equipment and freshly grinding it every day to simple cafetiere coffee using pre-ground coffee. Then I got into coffee again and wondered what the hell was wrong with me. Life is too short for bad coffee. If something is forcing me to make such sacrifices in things like coffee and food I fix the thing.

> Life is too short for bad coffee.

Amen.

Some would argue you adjust your "baseline" overall satisfaction by going without x/y/z regularly, but why race to the bottom into asceticism with that idea? It's basically the most pleasant thing I consume all day, as I do away with junk foods.

Re: A scientific run-down of coffee blooming

#52

I went through my coffee hipster phase. But I eventually came to the conclusion that my palate is just too unsophisticated to tell the difference between supposed “hints of blueberry and molasses” in third wave hipster coffee from a boutique roaster versus the cheap coffee that my local newsstand brews every morning. Now my only concession to coffee is brewing a cup on a Technivorm. Also Hawaiian coffee is super smoo…

Regular filter coffee at a café, cheapest store-bought Segafredo powder in a moka pot—I still like that more than almost any expensive coffee (as far as black coffee goes, at least), but there is perhaps one particular hand drip the taste of which beats everything. It’s hard to come by and I do not know how to describe it except that it is not sour at all and is diametrically opposite to what many coffee hipsters wan…

Diner coffee is something I appreciate as a separate category, you can consume several refills of without feeling it much. I don't love it like e.g. local medium roasted coffee, but it's pleasant.

Re: A scientific run-down of coffee blooming

#53
post #39
post #31

I learned that I like without bloom phase. The CO2 getting in the way of extracting flavor might be a good thing, since (at least that is my understanding) the more acidity flavors are extracted later. I like the coffee with more sweetness and less acidity, so I just skip the bloom phase, pouring all at once, it extracts less of the coffee, only the good (for me) parts. Gentle circular pouring can prevent dry coffee…

> the more acidity flavors are extracted later The first compounds to be extracted with coffee tend to taste sharply sour, shifting to sweet and then to bitter as the brew progresses - you can actually taste this directly by sampling a bit of the coffee that drips out at the start, middle, and end phases of your brew. I found this guide to be helpful when I was first getting started: https://www.homegrounds.co/wp-con…

So the way I do seems to stop before the bitter notes.

Thanks for the correction. Nice chart too

Re: A scientific run-down of coffee blooming

#54

One coffee phenomenon I'm curious about: why does old coffee get cloudy? On the day I brew it, it's a dark brown translucent. But if I leave it in the pot overnight, it's definitely more opaque. My wife claims it tastes the same as the day before.

fresh coffee has a distinct taste. Maybe your wife is just used to day old coffee lol

> fresh coffee has a distinct taste. Maybe your wife is just used to day old coffee lol

I can definitely taste the difference, and I much prefer fresh coffee.

She just can't taste the difference for some reason. Which surprises me, because AFAIK her sense of taste is otherwise normal.

One difference might be that I strongly notice "bitter" and find it unpleasant. Maybe bitterness is one of the key differences in stale coffee?

Re: A scientific run-down of coffee blooming

#55
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like your grind might be too fine tbh

Idk. I have a cheap grinder that grinds unevenly, so at least it is not uniformly too fine. The barista in the video does use fine grind for this no bloom method, though, so it makes sense. I like the result of the no bloom with my grinder though, so I am happy with it

If you’re happy with your coffee then that’s what matters in the end.

I’d recommend trying a burr grinder though, or getting your coffee pre ground with one, it makes a significant difference in my experience.

Re: A scientific run-down of coffee blooming

#56
post #12
post #6

> 30 grams of coffee, 500 grams water at 205°F Woah, that's too hot IMO, and a bit watered-down. Me: 33g coffee, 350g water at 190°F

16:1 water:coffee ratio is a pretty common starting point. Your brew is pretty intense! I’ve found that darker roasts are much nicer around 195F, I mainly brew very light roast and almost all of them come out under extracted at temps below 200F

Ok, I've been doing 190F for a while so I need to given high temp a try again, thanks for helping me continue exploration

Re: A scientific run-down of coffee blooming

#57
post #56
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

16:1 water:coffee ratio is a pretty common starting point. Your brew is pretty intense! I’ve found that darker roasts are much nicer around 195F, I mainly brew very light roast and almost all of them come out under extracted at temps below 200F

Ok, I've been doing 190F for a while so I need to given high temp a try again, thanks for helping me continue exploration

Good luck! Remember that the only real acceptance criteria in coffee brewing is “do I like it?” =)
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