How does volume of coffee effect flavour

Q&A
1

Hi,

I was recently setting up a coffee machine that only had 15g filter baskets. I normally dose 18-20g and was wondering if dosing less effects flavour?

If you have a recipe of 20g coffee 40g espresso in 20-25 seconds. How would you adjust to get a similar flavour if having to use a 15g dose?

Thanks!

2

hey matt,

it might not taste exactly the same but try pulling the 15g dose to 30g yield, with the same run time of 20-25s, the ratio of 20g in to 40g out is 1:2, so doing the same with 15g in to 30g out might be your best bet at achieving the same flavour profile.

Hope this helps!
nico

1 Like
3

Hi Nico,
Thanks, that’s what I did. I just wasn’t sure if the extraction time should be adjusted as well.
It tasted not bad, but not as good as the usual dose.

Anyway, ordered new portafilters and baskets for the customer so it’s a temporary issue, I just want to further understand which parameters affect flavour with espresso.

4

I always think of using juice concentrate to understand espresso better. the juice you have go dilute before drinking it.

Say if you start off with 30g of juice, (this represents your dry dose) and then add 30g of water (your yield), your drink will be really strong, and as you keep adding water it will get weaker and weaker.

Increasing the yield will make the espresso more delicate, sweeter and complex; to a point, after that point it becomes acrid, weak and bitter. if you type in sweetspot extraction in coffee into google it will come up with Pergers blog post, which is more informative than me!

5

Thanks, Nico, I have some understanding on yield. But does the coffee dose effect flavour at all if the yield is staying the same? Or just the end volume of the beverage?

6

ohhh sorry i misunderstood!!

Yes dose has a big effect on flavour if yield is kept the same, upping the dose will increase strength and body, whilst decreasing extraction and inhibiting flavour perception. Down dosing has the opposite effect of decreasing strength and body, whilst increasing extraction and flavour perception.

hope this answer is the correct one :nerd_face:
nico