We continuing going into the understanding of the variables and terminology around brewing
This is a guide for you to create you own recipes, it is not a prescribed methodology
Ratio as a concept
Ratio is the amount of coffee to the amount of water in or out (depending on brew). Or Dose to Yield
The ratio you use is linked to the brew type.
Depending on the brew It may be easier to measure water in rather than water out (yield). Dose and yield are normally associated with espresso but can be used for other brew types.
Typically, the tighter (or lower) the ratio, the lower the extraction.
Ratios are a guide, a starting point. The ratio that you use will depend on the coffee (origin, terroir, processing and roast.)
Let taste be your guide, in coffee (and all things we eat and drink) taste is king.
Applying the ABCD rule to the brew:
If the brew is acidic (ie sour like) and has no sweetness then the ratio is too low,
if the brew is bitter (NOT sour) more of the burnt or 80% choc taste the ratio is too high
If the brew is thin CHECK grind first before ratio
DYT – basics
To design your brew you need to know:
How much coffee to use
How much water to add in (for none espresso) or how much brew is in the cup (yield)
To determine the DYT you want (or DWIT/WIT (Dose Water In Time or Dose In Time))
First, consider the vessel you are using
Second, make sure you understand the Max and min dose of your equipment
Use those two to determine a Dose range.
Once you have that range, start in the middle.
DYT and grind size
The finer the grind the smaller the volume the grinds takes up
This is important to understand with Espresso specifically. Since each portafilter filter basket has a min and max point, that depends on the espresso machine and the basket used.
For all brew (not turkish)
Too fine a grind caused chocking
Too coarse a grind promotes channelling.
Chocking is when the water cannot pass through the coffee grinds
Channelling is when the water finds a “break” or “crack” in the grounds bed. The result is that a channel is opened and the water flows easily through that channel, ignoring the majority of the grinds.
Dose – Fix it first
Dose is the easiest to fix first. Start in the middle as mentioned before.
