Brew temperature
This afternoon I did a little experiment with some Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, roasted by Dilworth Coffee. Following a comment in the "high altitude brewing" thread, I tried french presses made with both 200 degree water and 180 degree water. Amazing difference in the resulting cups... the low temp cup was sweet and tart, fuller and rounder, with lots of orange flavor. The higher temp cup less round and more lemon than orange, with more tea-like flavors. Fascinating, esp since I have not yet played much with optimizing brew temp for individual origins.
Perhaps it would be interesting if we could share some of the great temperature discoveries we've made as they relate to different coffees? Or at least some of our favorite references - books, discussion threads from other communities, etc.
Perhaps it would be interesting if we could share some of the great temperature discoveries we've made as they relate to different coffees? Or at least some of our favorite references - books, discussion threads from other communities, etc.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jason Haeger on
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Playing with a range of temperatures that broad brings about a whole other universe of complexity to the already complex job of dialing in coffees.
It's a topic I'd like to touch, but with so many other variables to consider, it's best to leave at least ONE of them in check for myself, for now.
I have heard of shots being pulled at ~170F that were wonderful. I have heard of 208F for optimum results. That's nearly 40 degrees of variation, and that doesn't include cold brew.
ugh. There is a way to quantify all of this, but the world of science hasn't addressed it yet, and coffee is so complex, that I doubt it will ever be addressed. And that is the relationship between temperature and desirable solubles. Which desirable chemicals/particles are extracted and which temperature? What is the quantity ratio of these desirable components? Theoretically, what is the best balance translated into brew temperature?
Even that, however, would be mere hypothesizing. But maybe it would at least give a benchmark.. a starting point, of sorts from which to branch from for best results.
Schomer has claimed to be able to taste the difference in a fraction of a degree of temperature variance (Fahrenheit). To consider that it could potentially be even more precise than that is scary if you're the one responsible for finding the optimum parameters for a coffee.
And that's just ONE coffee! ONE roasted batch! And it's constantly changing with age.
It's a beautiful thing. This is the stuff that ensures that we will never get bored with coffee. It's more likely that we'd be driven insane by it instead.
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