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tags: [] - coffee/brewing aliases: - Brewing fundamentals - Coffee brewing basics - Fundamentals of brewing

Coffee Brewing Fundamentals

Tags: #coffee/brewing Aliases: Brewing fundamentals, Coffee brewing basics, Fundamentals of brewing Related: Brewing Fundamentals MOC | Coffee Brewing Methods MoC | Extraction | Brew Ratio | Water in Coffee MOC Status: 🌱 Stub

Overview

Coffee brewing fundamentals encompass the core scientific and practical principles that govern the transformation of ground roasted coffee and water into brewed coffee. The principal variables are grind size, water temperature, brew ratio (coffee mass to water mass), contact time, and water quality — each interacting to determine extraction yield (the percentage of coffee solids dissolved) and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the cup. Mastery of brewing fundamentals enables consistent, repeatable results across any brewing method, from espresso to pour-over to immersion. The SCA has published standardised brewing protocols and target parameters that form the industry reference for optimum extraction.

Key Facts

  • Five primary brewing variables: grind size, water temperature, brew ratio, contact time, and water quality
  • SCA brewing target: extraction yield 18–22%, TDS 1.15–1.35% (for filter coffee)
  • Grind size is the primary dial for adjusting extraction rate — finer grinds extract faster and more; coarser grinds extract slower and less
  • Water temperature affects extraction speed and compound solubility; SCA recommends 90–96 °C for filter brewing
  • Brew ratio (coffee:water by mass) determines strength independently from extraction; typical filter ratio 1:15–1:17

References

Changelog

Date Change
2026-05-02 Compliance review: full rewrite — original was a navigation link list with ../ wikilinks, non-coffee/* tags, no frontmatter or metadata block, no content; rebuilt as stub

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