Brewing terms
Agitation
Movement caused by pouring, stirring, swirling, or plunging. More agitation usually increases extraction.
Bloom
The first small pour in a pourover recipe. It wets the grounds and releases trapped carbon dioxide before the main pour.
Body
How heavy, creamy, or tea-like the coffee feels in your mouth.
Brew ratio
Coffee compared with water by weight. A 1:16 ratio uses 1g coffee for every 16g water.
Channeling
Water finding a few easy paths through the coffee instead of flowing evenly. It creates uneven extraction.
Drawdown
The time water takes to drain through a pourover after the final pour.
Extraction
Flavor compounds dissolving from coffee into water. Too little often tastes sour; too much often tastes bitter or drying.
TDS
Total dissolved solids. In water, it measures the amount of dissolved material but not which minerals are present. In brewed coffee, specialized meters use it to estimate beverage concentration.
Common questions
Do I need a scale?
No, but a scale makes a good brew repeatable and turns troubleshooting into something more useful than guessing.
Is a burr grinder worth it?
A burr grinder produces more even particles than a blade grinder. That generally makes extraction more even, but you can still improve coffee by measuring carefully and keeping a blade grinder clean.
Why does my coffee taste sour?
It is often under-extracted. Start by grinding finer. See the troubleshooting guide for the full decision path.
Can I use boiling water?
Boiling water is not automatically harmful, especially for light roasts, but slightly cooler water may taste better with darker coffee. Start with the method guide’s temperature and adjust by taste.
How much coffee should I use?
For filter coffee, 1:15 to 1:17 is a useful starting range. Use the brew ratio calculator for exact amounts.