Pu’er Coffee

 It’s widely known that freshly roasted coffee beans are not ideal for brewing right away. During roasting, coffee beans accumulate a large amount of carbon dioxide inside their structure. When too much CO₂ is present, it interferes with hot water’s ability to extract aromas and flavor compounds, resulting in a cup that simply doesn’t taste as good. Fortunately, carbon dioxide naturally escapes from the beans over time. By allowing the beans to rest, we reduce the amount of CO₂ trapped inside. Once the gas level drops to the point where it no longer significantly affects extraction, it becomes much easier to brew a great-tasting cup of coffee. This resting window is what coffee lovers commonly refer to as the “degassing” or “resting” period. If you regularly buy whole beans and brew at home, you’re probably familiar with this concept. Beans used for pour-over brewing typically need about 3 to 7 days of rest, depending on the roast level. However, if you’re buying beans intended fo...

 As mentioned earlier, most cases of channeling occur due to improper handling. So if we want to minimize the chances of channeling, it’s worth taking a look at the following points and see which ones you may need to improve. 1. Uneven Distribution of Coffee Grounds Distribution and tamping are the two key steps before pulling an espresso shot, and the correctness of these steps is directly tied to the likelihood of channeling. Let’s start with distribution. The purpose of distributing the coffee grounds is simple: spread the grounds evenly across every corner of the portafilter basket. Only when the grounds are evenly placed can the puck create consistent resistance throughout, preventing hot water from concentrating on a single area during extraction. Although the goal is simple, many people still trigger channeling frequently because they don’t distribute properly. Some want to save time, others assume distribution isn’t important, so they casually swipe the grounds to “get it ...

 Whether I'm brewing pour-over coffee or making espresso, I always use a digital scale when measuring beans and during extraction. Some friends who visit my shop don’t quite understand why. They think making a cup of coffee doesn’t have to be so complicated or tedious. Just like a seasoned chef who cooks using simple visual judgment—or using measuring spoons and cups—one can also brew a good cup of coffee. So to them, using a digital scale feels unnecessary and even a bit overkill. To be fair, a digital scale is not an absolute must for making coffee. As those friends said, eyeballing, measuring cups, and measuring spoons can still produce tasty coffee. But what we need to understand is this: although these methods can help you brew a decent cup, they lack consistency. Unless you're an extremely experienced coffee veteran, I still recommend using a digital scale. For beginners, using the above “blind” methods will make your coffee quality feel like opening a mystery box—totall...