Thanks to everyone for helping me see the light.
For a couple of months, I'd been getting bitterness in my coffee.
Figured it was either something with roasting and kept futzing around
with that.
Then the light went on. Extraction time is the time that hot water is
in contact with the grounds to extract flavor, etc. Size of grind
affects extraction time. And controlling the time that the water is in
contact with the grounds makes a big difference.
Now, I brew 4 minutes in a french press (was 5 minutes), and it's a
world of difference. The coffee is great again! Same with the drip
brewer. Started grinding coarser (forget the medium/drip setting on the
machine) and the bitterness is gone. And, I think, part of it is just
adjusting to the new grinder. I knew the old one and never had this.
The bitterness issue seems to have happened around the time I got a new
grinder.
It also seems like smaller batches (e.g., 16 oz. in the press or 24 oz.
in drip) give better results.
This all came together over the weekend. It never would have come
together without studiously reading all of the posts (even the ones that
seem to have no relation to my roasting/brewing).
Thank you all for your wisdom and willingness to share it.
Please consider this my membership application to the Slow-Learners
Association of Coffee Klutzes (aka SLACK) - Western Division! :)
Brent
Roasting in an SC/TO
For drip, moka, and presspot brew |