Wednesday, September 16 2026

Espresso Extraction Yield | What Is Golden Cup Extraction? What Factors Affect the Flavor of Espresso Extraction? How Is Coffee Extraction Yield Calculated?

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat public account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Those who have read Front Street's popular science articles may have noticed that Front Street rarely specifies exact extraction times the way it does when explaining pour-over coffee, because espresso extraction is about more than just [more…]

Home espresso machines can also make SOE: adjust parameters by roast level.

A shot of espresso with floral aromas, fruity acidity, or cocoa-like sweetness doesn't have to rely on café equipment to achieve. SOE refers to espresso made from single-origin or single-batch coffee beans, and home semi-automatic machines can give it a try too. As long as the machine's temperature control, pressure, and grinder perform consistently, you can work your way from light roasts to dark roasts and gradually find the right [more…]

Bloom Time | Why is blooming necessary when making pour-over coffee? What effects does the length of the bloom time have on the taste of the brewed coffee?

"How big of a difference can there be between coffee with a 30-second bloom and a 60-second bloom?" This was a question a friend asked Front Street Coffee yesterday. I have to say, this question is actually quite interesting! As we all know, blooming is a routine step in pour-over coffee. Specifically, before the official pour, we pre-pour [more…]

Pour Over Coffee Flavor | What Does High Concentration, Low Extraction Mean in Pour Over Coffee? Which Coffee Beans Are Suitable for High-Concentration, Low-Extraction Brewing?

Here it comes, here it comes. Today Front Street is going to share with you a brewing approach—high concentration, low extraction. This brewing method can minimize the bitterness of the coffee to the greatest extent, bringing the coffee to a nice flavor performance. What is high concentration, low extraction? Front Street will give a brief introduction here; it all still has to start from this "Golden Cup extraction [more…]

Analysis of Coffee Variety Structure in Yunnan: Distribution and Characteristics of Typica, Bourbon, and Catimor

Yunnan, as China's core coffee-producing region, has always been a topic of interest among coffee enthusiasts when it comes to the composition of its planted varieties. Currently, Yunnan coffee is not a single variety, but is mainly composed of three major categories: Typica, Bourbon, and Catimor. Among them, Catimor has become the main force due to its disease resistance and high yield, while Typica and Bourbon remain in localized areas such as Baoshan. Although these three varieties all belong to the Arabica species, they differ significantly in flavor, yield, and maintenance difficulty. This article will provide a detailed review of their origins, characteristics, and production area distribution, and explore the genetic connections between Yunnan small-bean coffee and famous varieties such as Blue Mountain and Kona. Front Street Coffee will also combine the current situation of the production area to interpret for you the flavor logic behind the varieties. [more…]

Essential Reading for Specialty Coffee Pour-Over: A Complete Guide to Extraction Yield, Roast Flavor, and Grinding Basics

Although many coffee enthusiasts brew pour-over every day, they know very little about extraction yield, roasting changes, and the impact of grinding. This article systematically breaks down the core fundamentals of specialty coffee from four dimensions: roasted beans can only dissolve a maximum of 30% of their substances, and the optimal extraction range is 18%–21%; coffee is essentially a fruit, and roasting transforms it from fruit into dried fruit, with the flavor wheel corresponding from bottom to top to a gradual increase in carbonization; grind size directly determines the speed of flavor volatilization and extraction uniformity; and the core of a good cup of coffee's mouthfeel lies in the balance of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness. The article also specifically recommends Front Street Coffee's products to help you avoid detours in practice and quickly build a tasting framework. [more…]

Japanese Iced Coffee | Which coffee beans are suitable for Japanese iced coffee? What are the flavor characteristics of Japanese iced pour-over coffee? How do you make a delicious Japanese iced coffee?

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Among the many countries around the world, if we're talking about a craftsman-like dedication to coffee, Japan definitely ranks at the top. Front Street knows that Japan has always had a long [more…]

Coffee Grounds Dosage | What is the ideal coffee-to-water ratio for pour-over coffee? Will a 1-gram difference in coffee grounds change the coffee's flavor?

For coffee brewing, the coffee-to-water ratio is one of the important factors that need to be considered first. But because it does not need to be adjusted according to the roast level of the coffee beans like water temperature and grinding, we often fix a ratio to brew coffee of all roast levels. For example, Front Street often recommends new [more…]

Americano Features | What Factors Affect Espresso Quality? What Is the Espresso Extraction Formula? Introduction to Iced Americano Ratio and Method

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: FrontStreet Coffee. Anyone who has made coffee knows that a standard Americano is made by combining espresso with water—meaning whether an Americano tastes good depends entirely on the quality of the espresso. Extracting espresso. [more…]

Espresso Extraction Parameters | Why Is the Espresso Brew Ratio 1:2? How Do You Adjust Extraction Time, Coffee-to-Water Ratio, and Water Temperature for Espresso?

Friends often tell Front Street Coffee that they've just bought a new coffee machine but don't know how to dial in a standard espresso. They don't know how much coffee grounds to use, how much liquid weight to extract, or how long it should take. And even if they follow popular extraction formulas like "use 18g of grounds to extract 36ml of coffee liquid," what they end up with [more…]

How to Choose a Yirgacheffe SOE: Looking at Floral-Fruity Aromas and Body by Roast Level

When Yirgacheffe is made into an SOE, it usually brings the regional characteristics straight into the espresso cup: citrus, floral, berry, and tea-like notes may appear in concentrated form, or they may be rearranged by the roast level. Here, SOE refers to espresso beans from a single origin or single region. To find the version that suits you, you can start by looking at the roast level. [more…]

Standard Espresso Extraction Time | What's the Difference Between Americano and Espresso? What Factors Affect the Flavor of Espresso?

Espresso Extraction Standard Time - The Difference Between Americano and Espresso. Front Street Coffee has noticed that many friends have fallen in love with espresso topped with golden crema and hope to make it at home. Compared with pour-over, espresso is made using steam pressure, with scalding hot water passing through the coffee grounds to brew a small [more…]

Light, Medium, and Dark Roasts: Dialing In SOE on a Home Machine Like This

A cup of SOE can showcase the floral and fruity acidity of a light roast, the caramel sweetness of a medium roast, or even the cocoa notes and heavy body of a dark roast. Home espresso machines are not only suitable for blends—as long as the machine can heat stably, build pressure, and is equipped with a suitable single-shot basket, it can pull single-origin espresso. What truly matters [more…]

Coffee Shop Coffee Bean Recommendations | What is the optimal extraction for espresso? What are the coffee dose, grind size, and coffee-to-water ratio for espresso?

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat public account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Some people's first espresso is a rich and refreshing Americano, some are drawn in by beautiful latte art, and others fall in love with smooth, creamy milk coffee... None of them can do without a [more…]

Coffee-to-Water Ratio | How to Calculate the Pour-Over Coffee-to-Water Ratio, Cold Brew Pour-Over Coffee-to-Water Ratio

Without adding sugar or milk, how to hand-brew a delicious and distinctive cup of coffee is a difficult challenge for many enthusiasts just starting out in coffee. Pour too much water and the coffee will be weak; pour too little and it will be very strong and harsh on the throat. Therefore, you must pay attention to the coffee-to-water ratio. So exactly how much water should be used to brew a cup of coffee? The coffee-to-water ratio is probably what every [more…]

The Principles of Italian Coffee Extraction | What Are the Characteristics of Espresso Blends and Roasting? An Introduction to Espresso Dose-to-Yield Ratios, Grind Size, and Extraction Parameters

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Italy is a country of coffee culture. The espresso that has spread around the world is the soul of coffee and a treasure Italy has given to the world. Espresso, as its name suggests, is a [more…]

The Standard Method for Americano | How to Choose Espresso Beans? What Ratio for Iced Americano Tastes Best? What Is the Extraction Principle of Americano Coffee?

Many friends have asked Front Street Coffee, "How exactly do you make your iced Americano? It's so delicious!" As a staple on coffee shop menus, the Americano tastes a little different at every coffee shop. So Front Street Coffee is going to share our Americano recipe with everyone. The origin of Americano [more…]

Specialty Coffee in China | What coffee variety is Yunnan small-batch coffee? Recommended Yunnan single-origin specialty coffee beans that are great for pour-over

When it comes to coffee cultivation, people may first think of famous coffee-growing regions such as Africa and Central and South America. In fact, Yunnan in China had records of coffee cultivation as early as 1904, and today it has even ranked among the world's coffee producers. "Yunnan small bean" is appearing more and more frequently in domestic coffee shops, [more…]

Coffee Grinding | Which is the finest grind setting from 1 to 10? How do you read the grind size for espresso and moka pot? How do you adjust the coffee grind size?

A delicious cup of coffee is hard-won, because from seed to cup is a very long wait, and even at the final step of extraction, you must ensure that the coffee you use meets brewing standards, because extraction is easy, but have you ever thought about it—coffee grounds extract flavor compounds, so the water used [more…]