Worldbeginnerdraft
Coffee and tea
Also searched as: coffee, espresso, tea, roasting, brewing
In short: Coffee and tea are extraction: hot water dissolves aromas from beans or leaves. Roast, grind size, temperature and time decide what comes out.
Picture it
Like a teabag and patience: too short tastes thin, too long bitter.
What happens
During roasting, the aromas form through the and . When brewing, acids and fruity aromas dissolve first, then sweetness, and finally bitter compounds.
Why it matters
Sour coffee is usually extracted too briefly or too coarsely; bitter coffee too long or too finely.
Rules of thumb
- Sour: grind finer or brew longer.
- Bitter: grind coarser or brew shorter.
- Green tea at about 70–80 °C, not boiling (as a guide).
Related entries
Sources
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004)