Klaire's Blog

Coffee Brewing Log

Posted on Dec 28, 2023

General Coffee Notes

  • Equipment weights (note: shitty scale):
    • Kettle: 682.0g
    • Aeropress: 183.0g
      • Filter holder: 15.0g
      • Base: 84.5
      • Plunger: 84.0
    • Grinder: 540.5g
      • Grounds holder: 105.5g
      • Bean Assembly: 330.5g
      • Arm: 105.0g
    • Melitta Dripper: 57.0g
    • Hario Decanter: 387.0g
    • Eric Cup: 235.0g
  • General starting ratios:
    • Infusion: 75g/L
    • Percolation: 60g/L
  • Use a coarser grind for a Melitta than for a V60.
  • V60 plastic more worth it than ceramic because preheating it is annoying.
  • Experiment: V60 method with Melitta vs blooming and just pouring all the water all at once
    • Results: V60 had a lot more body and flavor, worth the extra effort
    • Very similar once cooled
  • V60 handles finer grinds MUCH better, way more body and flavor coming through

Grind Notes

Grinder: Chestnut C3 ESP

  • Temperature assumed to be 100°C unless specified otherwise.
  • The 0.01 and 0.02 refers to 1 or 2 ticks past a whole number.
  • A ^¹ indicates that this coffee was compared with one with another of the same number.

Fuego: Colombia El Vergel

Melitta Pour Over

  • 1.6 - too watery, no body
  • 1.6 - wtf why was it better this time
  • 1.62 - didn’t bloom long enough, smoother but quite sour
  • 1.7 - almost there, but a constant sour undertone
  • 1.1 @80C - PERFECT™, bitterness coming through but not to strong, no sour, got more bitter as it cooled
  • 1.61 @80C into Hario Decanter - more bitter, smooth

Aeropress

  • 1.1 - bitter undertone throughout
  • 1.8 - sour, earthy
  • 1.7 - low body, slightly sour, more sour as it cooled, close!!
  • 1.61 - better than 1.7 but still difficult to tell apart, nice bitter™ coming through, less sour, again more sour as it cooled
  • 1.61 @ 90°C - 30 seconds late to swirling, smoother!!, much less sour, under extracted, bitter as it cooled
  • 1.61 @ 90°C x 15.5g - strong (duh) bitter even when immediately drank hot, VERY sour when cooled off
  • 1.4 @ 85°C x 15.5g - strong, bitter initially

Small Planes Coffee: Las Cabañas

V60

  • 1.52 - cleaner cup than Melitta, very little bitter, no sour, extremely pleasant could probably try finer for more body
  • 1.41 - more sour immediately, stronger, definitely more extraction, very sour throughout cooling
  • TRY LOWER TEMP ^^
  • 1.5 @ 80°C - smooth, weak body
  • 1.41* @ 80°C - smooth, stronger body but could be better
  • 1.41* @ 80°C x 18g - smooth, much stronger but still a light mouth feel, close, more actual bitter (not sour) that I like
  • 1.32 @ 80°C - PERFECT, strong and smooth throughout, no notes of sour, the slightest hint of bitter that I’m interpreting as body
  • 1.31 @ 80°C w Decanter - hardly a difference from ^, lost a lot more heat causing differences, immediately pleasant to drink, very good extraction, bitter ending notes when cold, no sour
  • 1.2 @ 80°C - PERFECT way more body, stronger, way more flavor coming through, also more earth though, RAISIN CAME THROUGH
  • 1.2 (normal 100°C, thoroughly warmed dripper, filter , and cup) - smoother experience than ^^ but I could be imagining it
  • 1.2 w Decanter double batch - notes of bitter but otherwise extremely smooth and pleasant
  • 1.2 + caffeine pill - placed a caffeine pill at the bottom of the filter then grounds on top, pill hardly dissolved, no perceptible difference in taste without reference
  • 1.2 w Melitta 02 filter - not as clean of a cup, bitter at the start
  • 1.2 w Decanter double batch - sour undertone for some reason this time, maybe misstasted the last time? still smooth and pleasant just sour as it cooled, drank quickly
  • 1.2 x 17.5g - strong, clean, pretty bitter, bitterness faded as it cooled but strong mouth feel remained

Melitta Pour Over (default temp 100°C)

  • 1.61 - not enough body, extremely smooth with only slight bitterness, notes of oatmeal and raisin coming through
  • 1.51 - immediate bitter note/kick, pleasant as it cools with only brief instances of sour in each sip
  • 1.52 - PERFECT, slight bitter note on start, smooth as it cools throughout

Aeropress

  • 1.61 - weak body, incredibly smooth with just a hint of bitter on the tip
  • 1.0 - very strong, bitter, not much flavor coming through
  • 1.3 - strong, smooth, not the most body, medium flavor
  • 1.2 - strong, smooth, bitter, still not a lot of body

Chock Full o Nuts: Original Medium, pre-ground, old can 🤢

Aeropress

  • Pre-ground @90C - drained straight through, no body, disgusting wood undertone ADDENDUM I forgot to top with plunger for vacuum

Methodical: Brazil, Dulce Signature

Aeropress

  • 1.2 @ ~100C, boiled @ Brandon’s, no weight measurement - smooth, sweet, no bitter, no sour, medium body, nuttiness coming through

Aldi’s Simply Nature Honduras: Medium Roast

V60

  • 1.4 - extremely bitter
  • 1.4 @ 80°C - still extremely bitter
  • 1.8 - draining extremely quickly, a little bitter, earthy
  • 1.6 - super bitter at the start, strong, tastes cheap, burned aftertaste
  • 1.7 @ 80°C - less bitter but still there, ashy mouthfeel, feels like the best I can get
  • 1.62 - still bitter a little at start, burnt, astringent
  • 1.62 @ 80°C w Melitta 02 filter - bitter initially, temp ideal for flavor, these beans just suck

Aeropress

  • 1.6 - low body, sour
  • 1.4 @ 80°C - more body, little bitter, still burnt, palatable
  • 1.5 @ 80°C x 15g - smooth and not very bitter somehow! pressed faster than normal
  • 1.5 x ~19g - like above but much more burned/old taste

Iced Filter V60

  • 1.52 @ 90°C x 250g water x 20g coffee 100g ice - burned aftertaste, but smooth muted flavor, pleasant and refreshing but still low quality

Enderly Coffee Co: Colombia Medium Light (Walmart)

V60

  • 1.3 @ 90°C - completely smooth, no flavor, watery, a little chocolate comes through as it cools
  • 1.2 - sour but only subtly so, low body

Moka Pot

  • 1.2 - strong, full bodied, bitter, wow!
  • 1.0 - super strong, super full, super bitter on sides of tongue

Sparrows Coffee - Joven, Guatemala

V60

  • 1.2 - low body, very subtle, try finer & lower temp
  • 1.1 @ 80°C - medium body, still not a lot of flavor coming through
  • 1.0 @ 90°C - definitely immediately bitter, harsh
  • 1.12 @ 90°C - tiny hint of bitter, more depth, lower temp next time
  • 1.12 @ 85°C double batch into preheated thermos - bitter at first but then more chocolate comes through, overflow coffee put into cup tasted fruitier and more green and different/better than heated thermos
  • 1.12 @ 85°C x 18.5g w Brandreth water - more nuttiness coming through, smooth, medium body, tartness showing
  • 1.1 @ 85°C x 16.5g - it’s perfect, perfectly smooth, lots of nuttiness, strawberry aftertaste, medium body
  • ^¹1.1 @ 85°C - smooth, medium-light mouthfeel, less strawberry, some nuttiness

Hario Switch

  • ^¹1.1 @ 85°C - super smooth, medium mouthfeel, lots more depth and flavors, more strawberry, still nutty, excellent, more bitter/burnt notes coming as it cools

Aeropress

  • 1.2 @ 80°C w metal filter - a little bitter, heavier/grisly body

Moka Pot

  • 1.2 - very very bitter, no flavor coming through, strong, heavy body, (burning flavor coming through more as it cools (after blend of 2 cups))

Joe Coffee - The Village

V60

  • ^²1.2 @ 90°C - Less body, more burned flavor, extremely similar so might need to try finer grind + lower temp
  • 1.02 @ 85°C - juicy, nutty, no sour or bitter! only very slightly bitter as it cools
  • 1.00 @ 85°C - more nutty, juicy is more the aftertaste, pleasant bit of bitterness, sour juiciness as it cooled

Hario Switch

  • ^²1.2 @ 90°C - More fruity notes, depth, more sour as it cools
  • TK 1.12 - the smoothest of all time, nutty, juicy, no bitter, no sour, it’s perfect

Aeropress

  • 1.0 x 15g @ 90°C - very bitter, definitely the wrong parameters, high body, added saline and completely flattened it

ReAnimator: Kanzu #17 Nyamasheke, Rwanda

Hario Switch (TK)

  • 1.2 - smooth, little bit of a sour lime note, tangy, rose, more floral oat and honey as it cools, delicious
  • 1.1 - smooth, creamy, fruity, sourness on side edges of tongue that gets more intense over time, smoothest cup I’ve ever made
  • 1.1 @ 85°C - nutty, less fruit, note of tartness, almost all expected sourness gone even while cooling
  • 1.02 @ 90°C - fleeting bitterness, medium body, not much flavor coming through
  • 1.02 long (4 min) extraction - bitter, unbalanced, but has a kick
  • 1.2 @ 95°C - smooth, juicy lime sourness, medium body, nice “coffee” aftertaste
  • 1.12 - tangy, flavorful but smooth, ideal but I can’t describe why
  • 1.12 @ 95°C - tangy, smooth, flavorful, could not tell you difference from above ^^

V60

  • 1.1 @ 85°C - more tangy lime coming through

Panther Mejor Colombia

Hario Switch (TK)

  • 1.2 - tangy bitter, smooth, very nutty, lobster aftertaste?!
  • 1.1 - tangy bitter, smooth, nutty
  • 1.0 - much more tangy/sour, fruity
  • 1.12 - delicious, nutty, smooth, no sour or bitter
  • 1.22 - watery, gross, no body

Moka Pot

  • 1.12 - strong, heavy body, dark chocolate, bitter, deep sourness

Atomic Ethiopia Kochere - Ethiopia Heirloom, Yirgacheffe

Hario Switch

  • 1.12 - low body, muted, sweet plum
  • 1.0 - medium body, smooth, nutty, ever so slight tang
  • 0.01 - medium body, incredibly smooth, only the slightest tang, juicy, white grape as it cools
  • 0 - medium-heavy body, bitter notes, smooth, nutty, juicy

Aeropress

  • 1.0 @ 90°C - smooth, creamy, not much depth
  • 1.0 @ 90°C x 17g - smooth, creamy, only slightly more depth, tiny bitter bite

Orens - Guatemala Rosa Los Alamos SHB

Hario Switch

  • 0.0 - bitter undertone but strong and pleasant
  • 1.0 - less bitter notes, lots of depth, heavy
  • 0.01 - less bitter, green/grass, chocolate, smooth
  • 0.02 - like chocolate, smooth, deep, nutty aftertaste, hazelnut, amazing

Aeropress

  • 0.0 - bitter up front, strong