What Actually Affects Coffee Extraction?

Hey coffee lover,

Ever brewed a cup that tasted off? Too sour, bitter, or flat? It all comes down to extraction: the process of pulling flavours out of your coffee grounds.

Here are five key factors that shape your coffee extraction:

1️⃣ Grind Size

Finer grinds extract faster; coarser grinds extract slower. Too coarse = sour, weak coffee. Too fine = bitter, harsh coffee. Adjusting your grind is one of the fastest and most effective way to improve your brews.

2️⃣ Water Temperature

Hotter water (90–96°C) extracts faster, cooler water extracts slower. Too cool can taste flat, too hot can taste harsh. Temperature consistency is key to repeatable, delicious brews.

3️⃣ Brew Time

How long water is in contact with coffee affects extraction. Too fast can under-extract (sour, thin), too slow can over-extract (bitter, drying). Adjust brew time according to your method: pour-over, immersion, or espresso.

4️⃣ Coffee-to-Water Ratio

This affects your cup's strength and balance. For filter: 1:15–1:17 is a great start. For espresso, try:

• 1:2 (18g in → 36g out): Sweet, balanced, clear espresso.

• 1:1 (18g in → 18g out): Short, syrupy, punchy espresso.

Tweaking your ratio is a powerful tool to dial in flavour.

5️⃣ Agitation

Agitation is how you stir, swirl, or pour during brewing, and it matters in both filter and espresso. In filter, a gentle swirl or pulse pour ensures even saturation. In espresso, agitation happens during puck prep and pre-infusion (using WDT tools, tapping, or leveling). Even distribution prevents channeling and uneven extraction. Too much agitation = over-extraction, bitterness. Too little = uneven shots. Find a consistent routine to improve your brews.

☕ How to Use These Parameters to Balance Your Cup

If your coffee tastes too sour, it means it is under-extracted. You need to extract more of the caramels and sweetness by:

• Using a slightly finer grind

• Increasing brew time

• Using hotter water

• Adding gentle agitation

If your coffee tastes too bitter, it means it is over-extracted. You can bring back balance by:

• Using a slightly coarser grind

• Reducing brew time

• Lowering your water temperature slightly

• Reducing agitation

Small, mindful adjustments using these parameters can transform your cup from "just okay" to "I can't wait to brew this again."

👉 Want to learn hands-on? Join our brewing workshops or reply with your questions.

See you in the next cup,
– The folks at Prodigal Co.