Baratza Preciso + Different Coffee + Same Recipe = Different Brew Time?

#1: Post by **jz687** » May 17th, 2013, 9:33 pm

Hey,

So, I'm new to home brewing and have a quick question for you guys.

I recently purchased a Baratza Preciso, and following Intelligentsia's brew ratio (24g:410g in just under 3min) I've found that an 11 on my Baratza gets me where I want to be (brew done in 2:56)

I just finished the beans I was using and now, when I did the exact same thing but with a new bag of beans (different roaster) my total brew time was 3:10.

Is it that normal/expected? Do different beans really affect brew time that much?

(Using a v60, fyi)

#2: Post by **pacificmanitou** » May 21st, 2013, 3:18 pm

Yes, they can. It is also impacted by age of the bean. All of these affect the overall extraction time. It's not uncommon when changing beans to need to re-dial everything. manual brewing, like espresso, is not a direct input/output process. Recipes are not particularly useful, because they change by the bean, dose (weight), age, roast level, and how long the coffee has been ground before brewing. due to these variables, there will always be a dial in process.

#3: Post by **squaremile** » May 22nd, 2013, 5:07 pm

This is my current issue that I am working though as well. Same exact ratios and grinds and very different extraction times and TDS. My current theory is that it has to do with either a) bean denisity, or b) how much moisture is in the beans. Drier beans (or beans that have a different density) will grind differently (produce more powerdy fines), and will slow the rate of the water through the cone and thus change the results in the cup. Just my current guess.

#4: Post by **Sam21** » May 23rd, 2013, 1:51 pm

Absolutely!!! Every bean is different.

I primarily brew a single cup in my Beehouse or Kalita each morning with an 18g/300ml ratio. I aim for a 3:30 brew time. With some coffees, the percolation rate is such that I end up needing to pour a lot more water in the second half of the brew and hit 3:45. I then have to adjust when and how I pour in order to make it a touch more even - adjusting grind to taste. Then, the next coffee will have a fast percolation rate that makes it hard to even keep up and I am struggling to get the brew time above 3:00.

When I run into this, I often adjust to brew with a 3min overall time and a slightly finer grind to account for the shorter brew time. Also, 10-15 seconds is really not a big deal.

Has the coffee been tasting good?