Pour-over coffee is a process where flavor extraction and filtration happen simultaneously, with extraction occurring centered around the spot where water is poured, and the key lies in how to control and balance it. When Front Street Coffee adjusts pour-over coffee parameters, it usually first considers the coffee bean grind size and brewing water temperature, but in fact the coffee-to-water ratio is also very important. During brewing, the amount of water affects the flavor that the coffee ultimately presents. Today, Front Street Coffee uses the well-known Geisha coffee beans for a comparison to see what coffee-to-water ratio should be chosen to express the characteristics of Geisha coffee.

The beans Front Street Coffee used for the experiment are Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Blue Label Geisha, with a roast date of August 24 and a brewing date of August 31. Seeing this, some people will ask, why not do it on the day it is roastedpour-over. Front Street Coffee has always focused on producing freshly roastedcoffeebeans. Many people think fresh coffee means freshly ground coffee, but that is actually only half of it.Coffeebeans not only need to be ground and drunk fresh, but the prerequisite is also that the roast date is fresh enough. Of course, it is not that the fresher the better. As mentioned earlier, Front Street Coffee waited 7 days before proceeding withbrewing. Freshly roasted coffee beans need a resting period, about one week, so that the flavors of thecoffeebeans can be fully expressed during brewing.
 

Front Street Coffee: Panama Blue Label Geisha Coffee Beans
Region: Boquete
Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda
Altitude: 1,500 meters
Processing: Washed processing
Flavor: Ginger flower aroma, citrus, lemon, honey, green tea

Front StreetPour-over Brewing Parameters

Front Street chose four coffee-to-water ratios, namely 1:15, 1:16, 1:17, and 1:18. Only the coffee-to-water ratio was changed; the grind size, water temperature, and brewing technique were basically kept consistent.

The brewing parameters used by Front Street: V60 dripper, 15 grams of coffee, 90°C water temperature, grind size (80% passing through a Chinese standard No. 20 sieve).

Front Street uses a staged extraction brewing technique. The first pour is 30 grams of water (2 times the coffee dose), and it is left to bloom for 30 seconds. The water is poured in a small stream from the center, then slowly spiraled outward. Although it is a small stream, please note not to deliberately slow the circling speed, because once the circling speed is too slow, the stream will flow in a single direction, and the coffee bed will not absorb water evenly.

For the second pour, use a small stream to pour into the bottom of the coffee bed. In order to concentrate the penetrating force of the stream, the circling range should be small, about the size of a one-yuan coin, and then spiral outward. From the start of the second pour, pay attention to the water amount and try not to exceed the height of the coffee bed. The originally thicker coffee bed along the edge of the filter paper will become heavier as it absorbs water, slide down and become thinner as the water level drops. When the water level drops by half, proceed to the third pour.

From the third pour onward, observe the extent to which the water level drops. Likewise, start pouring from the center and circle outward. The water amount should not exceed the height of the coffee bed. The water amount can be appropriately increased so that the depositedcoffeeparticles all tumble and thereby dissolve soluble substances. When nearing the set amount (for example, with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 15 grams of coffee, and 225 grams of water), the dripper can be removed.
 

[1:15] Brewing Blue Label Geisha Coffee Beans with a Coffee-to-Water Ratio
 

Technique: Bloom with 30 grams of water for 30 seconds, pour to 125 grams for the first stage, then when the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225 grams to finish. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of the bloom.) Extraction time is 2'00".
 

Blue Label Geisha flavor: Lemon, grapefruit, plum, nectarine, green tea, floral aroma, honey. The mouthfeel is relatively full-bodied.

[1:16] Brewing Blue Label Geisha Coffee Beans with a Coffee-to-Water Ratio
 

Technique: Bloom with 30 grams of water for 30 seconds, pour to 140 grams for the first stage, then when the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 240 grams to finish. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of the bloom.) Extraction time is 2'20".

Blue Label Geisha flavor: Lemon, citrus, nuts, tea aroma, honey, floral finish. The sweet-tart sensation is obvious, somewhat like a cup of fruit tea.

[1:17] Brewing Blue Label Geisha Coffee Beans with a Coffee-to-Water Ratio
 

Technique: Bloom with 30 grams of water for 30 seconds, pour to 155 grams for the first stage, then when the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 255 grams to finish. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of the bloom.) Extraction time is 2'30".
 

Blue Label Geisha flavor: Berries, lemon, sweet orange, bergamot, nuts, honey, chocolate, floral aroma. The aroma is obvious, the flavor layers are rich and clean, and the overall impression is relatively refreshing.

[1:18] Brewing Blue Label Geisha Coffee Beans with a Coffee-to-Water Ratio
 

Technique: Bloom with 30 grams of water for 30 seconds, pour to 170 grams for the first stage, then when the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 270 grams to finish. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of the bloom.) Extraction time is 2'40".
 

Blue Label Geisha flavor: Ginger flower aroma, yellow sugar, lemon, citrus, cream, wax apple. The flavor is clear and the aroma is obvious, but the finish is shorter.

Flavor Comparison

At a coffee-to-water ratio of [1:15], the coffee has a higher concentration and more concentrated flavors. The brewed Blue Label Geisha shows some relatively obvious flavors, with a stronger tea-like sensation, and the mouthfeel is the fullest of the four cups.

At a coffee-to-water ratio of [1:16], the brewed Blue Label Geisha clearly shows richer flavors than when choosing a coffee-to-water ratio of [1:15].

At a coffee-to-water ratio of [1:17], the brewed Blue Label Geisha tastes relatively good in both flavor expression and sweetness, with relatively rich and clear flavor layers.

At a coffee-to-water ratio of [1:18], although the brewed Blue Label Geisha has a rich ginger flower aroma and relatively clear flavors, it lacks some layers and finish, and tastes relatively thin.

Front Street suggests that if brewing coffee with rich flavor layers like Geisha, you might as well try increasing the coffee-to-water ratio a little, and try the two coffee-to-water ratios [1:16] and [1:17] to highlight Geisha's rich layers.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.