PART 1 - TASTE

We often get the question how someone should make a coffee based on new bought beans. Many ways lead to Rome but I am going to take you by the hand to show you the method we like best and in the end it all comes down to taste. 

Most important you can define coffee with the following tastes:

1. Sweetness
2. Acidity
3. Bitterness
4. Body

Next to taste, temperature and structure are important to define if you like something.

1. How to define Sweetness in coffee? Do not think icecream or lollypops here but cane sugar.
2. How to define Acidity? It is sourness that increases the spit in your mouth like lemon or apples.
3. Bitterness? Look for smokey, ashy taste with a dry aftertaste. Even hop from beer can give this.
4. The body! Now we are at the structure of the liquid. Think the difference of skimmed or full creamed milk

How to adjust your espresso brew using your taste:

1. Grinder Adjustment (while keeping all other variables equal including time)

You taste too much acidity (under extraction) > Grind finer for more sweetness

Too Bitter? Grind coarser for more fruity acidity 

2. Dose (IN) (keep all other variables equal)

Check your filtercup on the amount of coffee (20gr)

Do you have a dry taste it is over-extracted. You can add 1gr (on 20) to decrease the extraction and end-up with more sweetness > more body > but less acidity

If you decrease the grams with –1 gr you create more extraction (less coffee and same amount of water) it can bring better quality to the acidity, less body though but more sweetness and aroma.

3. Ratio (OUT) (keep all other variables equal)

With a normal ration 1:2 (20gr of coffeegrounds IN > 40gr of espresso OUT) you can play with the amount of coffee out.

Adding 2gr extra out to 42gr will increase the development of the coffee and adds more sweetness and body.

Stopping the brew a bit earlier at 38gr will decrease the extraction time and add more acidity the your brew.