tags: [] - coffee/brewing - coffee/science aliases: - Coffee extraction - Extraction process - Coffee brewing extraction

Extraction¶

Tags: #coffee/brewing #coffee/science Aliases: Coffee extraction, Extraction process, Coffee brewing extraction Related: Coffee Extraction Fundamentals MOC | Extraction Science | Extraction Fundamentals | Extraction Yield | Extraction vs Strength Status: 🌱 Stub

Overview¶

Extraction is the process by which brewing water dissolves soluble compounds from ground coffee to produce brewed coffee. It is the fundamental chemical process underlying every brewing method. The proportion of coffee mass dissolved — the extraction yield — determines flavour balance, while the concentration of dissolved material in the final brew determines strength. Full treatment of extraction chemistry, measurement, and optimisation is covered in the linked notes.

Extraction Yield¶

Extraction yield is expressed as a percentage of the dry coffee mass dissolved into the brew. The SCA target for most brewing methods is 18–22%:

Below 18%: under-extracted — sour, thin, underdeveloped
18–22%: optimal — balanced, sweet, complex
Above 22%: over-extracted — bitter, harsh, astringent

Extraction vs Strength¶

Extraction yield and strength (TDS) are distinct measures. Extraction describes the quality balance of the brew — what proportion of the coffee dissolved. Strength describes the concentration — how much dissolved material is present. Both are independently adjustable. See Extraction vs Strength for the full framework.

Key Facts¶

Extraction yield = percentage of dry coffee mass dissolved; SCA target 18–22% for most methods
Under-extracted coffee tastes sour and thin; over-extracted coffee tastes bitter and harsh
Extraction and strength are independent — a brew can be correctly extracted but wrong strength
Primary extraction variables: grind size (most impactful), water temperature, brew time, agitation, dose, water volume

References¶

Specialty Coffee Association — Brewing Standards

Changelog¶

Date Change

2026-05-03 Compliance review: added frontmatter, metadata block, all required sections; fixed H2 ## Extraction to H1 # Extraction; fixed path-prefixed wikilinks (../Grind Size → Grind Size, ../Water Temperature → [Water Temperature](../water/water-temperature.md), 05_PUBLISHING/Atomic Notes/Grind Size → removed); fixed "flavor" → "flavour"; removed second-person language, email contact, wrong footer (Part of All-About-Coffee.com), and wrong copyright (Copyright © All About Coffee 2026); condensed to stub overview linking to comprehensive extraction notes; added copyright

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