Pu’er Coffee

 After customers buy coffee beans in the shop, they often ask me about recommended brewing parameters—water temperature, grind size, and, of course, the coffee-to-water ratio. Whenever I mention a ratio of 1:15 , some people are surprised. That’s because most cafés on the market tend to use 1:16 when brewing pour-over coffee. Just yesterday, someone said to me, “I see everyone using 1:16. I thought that was the best—like the golden ratio for pour-over.” And to be fair, from a certain perspective, 1:16 really can be called a golden ratio . We know that coffee contains a limited amount of soluble material—only about 30% of the bean’s weight . Based on this fact, Dr. Ernest Lockhart conducted a series of studies and found that the coffees most people enjoy tend to fall within a specific range of strength and extraction : Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): 1.15%–1.35% Extraction Yield: 18%–22% Any brew that lands within this range is known as a Golden Cup extraction , and the coffe...

 When you pour coffee grounds into your dripper and see a surface that looks uneven—like in the photo below—what do you usually do? A: Tap it flat B: Tap it flat again C: Either A or B If you’re like most people, you’d probably go for tapping the dripper to even out the surface of the coffee bed. It’s not just about making it look neat—many believe that a smooth, level coffee bed ensures more even extraction. And that’s actually true! Compared with an uneven coffee bed, a flat one does allow hot water to flow more evenly through the grounds, which helps you brew a better-tasting cup. But—here’s the catch— how you flatten the bed matters. If you’re not careful, tapping too much can actually make your coffee taste worse. One major reason for this is something called the Brazil Nut Effect . What Is the Brazil Nut Effect? The Brazil Nut Effect describes a phenomenon that occurs when you shake or tap a container filled with particles of different sizes. The larger particles gradual...

 Most people think cold brew coffee must be made slowly with cold water — but what if a little warmth could unlock new layers of flavor? In this post, we explore the science and art of brewing cold brew with warm water. You’ll learn how temperature changes affect extraction, what flavors to expect, and how to try this quick yet refined method at home. Think of it as the middle ground between the patience of cold brew and the intensity of hot brewing — a balanced cup born from gentle warmth and slow craftsmanship. Is Cold Brew Made with Warm Water Any Good? As one of the most popular types of iced coffee, cold brew is typically made using room-temperature water (around 20–30°C / 68–86°F). Because the extraction efficiency is relatively low, the coffee needs to steep for a long time to fully draw out its flavors, emphasizing sweetness and body. Anyone who’s made cold brew before knows the process takes time — anywhere from 5–6 hours to nearly an entire day. Compared to other brewing ...