Pu’er Coffee

 Beginners often say that brewing coffee feels like pure guesswork—that whether it tastes good or not is all about luck. But in my view, once you understand the logic and patterns behind brewing, you’ll realize it’s not complicated at all. It really comes down to identifying a few key variables and using hot water to properly extract the coffee grounds. Do that right, and you’ll end up with a genuinely good cup of coffee. These days, the internet is flooded with brewing tutorials. And yet, many beginners still run into an “unexpected” problem: the coffee they brew tastes harsh, burnt, and unpleasantly bitter. Today, I want to walk you through a process of elimination to help you pinpoint the cause. Reason 1: The Coffee Beans Are Dark Roasted Whether coffee tastes acidic or bitter is largely determined by the roast level. Light roasts tend to emphasize acidity, dark roasts highlight bitterness, and medium roasts sit somewhere in between. For people who enjoy dark-roasted coffee, ...

 As we all know, the grind size and water temperature are determined by the characteristics of the coffee beans. The goal is always the same: to brew the best possible version of that particular coffee. But sometimes, we forget to adjust the grinder and end up grinding a coffee that requires a fine setting with a much coarser grind. This creates a problem: the coarse particles significantly reduce extraction efficiency. If you brew the coffee as-is, there’s a high chance it will taste noticeably weaker and less flavorful. So naturally, people ask: “Can I put the already-ground coffee back into the grinder and grind it again using the correct setting?” Yes — you can! In fact, at world-class coffee competitions, some competitors use a two-stage grinding method to increase particle uniformity. But before you jump in, you should know that this method comes with two major drawbacks. If you can’t overcome these issues, I actually recommend using another method to “fix” the incorrectl...

  Introduction: Anyone who’s ever used a hand grinder knows this feeling well — some beans grind effortlessly, while others feel like a full-on workout. Why does that happen? Today, let’s uncover the mystery behind it. When it comes to grinding coffee, there are many factors to consider — origin, processing method, roasting level, and brewing technique. Each of these elements affects how coarse or fine the coffee should be ground for optimal extraction. However, even when using the same grinder, some beans are noticeably harder to grind than others. So, what makes certain coffee beans tougher to grind? 1. Exploring Bean Brittleness Before we go further, it’s important to distinguish between density and brittleness — two terms that are often confused but mean very different things. Density refers to the weight of a single coffee bean divided by its volume. In most cases, we talk about bulk density , which is the weight of a container filled with coffee (minus the container) ...