# Sour note



## Like Medium Strong Coffee (Feb 18, 2021)

All,

I have been brewing Chocolate Point since last week. It's very nice. I am aware that a typical AP click setting is around ~ 2.4-2.6. I find anything more than 1.3 - 1.35 weaker for me.

After several tries, I thought I had the hit sweet spot at 1.275 on Jx pro.

I take the hot water from zero, which normally gives hot water at 85-87 deg C. I grind 18g, 115 ml water, 2 mins brew on an Inverted Aeropress. Typically, I gently pour for 15 secs, stir for 15 secs and brew for 90 secs.

Today, I did the same, but reheated the zero hot water in micro wave to take it to 95+ deg C before pouring it on AP. It tasted Sour, which is normally an indication of an under extraction. If reheating the water is the problem, it would have been bitter.

The coffee was smooth, could taste chocolate and nutty at all times. But, these were absent today, although it was smoother.

Any comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Your heating of the water maybe increased the extraction into the sour range.

You will never over-extract an AP brew in 2min (it's extremely hard to do, even at espresso grind in 20min), but you can get a bitter brew at any time if you are sufficiently skilled  Bitterness can happen if you extract just below the sweetest point & if you exceed it...but it comes in peaks & troughs before then.

So in short, you are likely under-extracting, but to a point that is tasty, before sourness creeps in. Boosting water temp took you from a "low sweet", to "slightly higher sour" (which is followed by "slightly higher flat/charred/bitter", before "sweet & balanced with playful acidity", which is in turn followed by "dry/smoky/hoppy" & almost never happens in immersion brews).


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## Like Medium Strong Coffee (Feb 18, 2021)

MWJB said:


> Your heating of the water maybe increased the extraction into the sour range.
> 
> You will never over-extract an AP brew in 2min (it's extremely hard to do, even at espresso grind in 20min), but you can get a bitter brew at any time if you are sufficiently skilled  Bitterness can happen if you extract just below the sweetest point & if you exceed it...but it comes in peaks & troughs before then.
> 
> So in short, you are likely under-extracting, but to a point that is tasty, before sourness creeps in. Boosting water temp took you from a "low sweet", to "slightly higher sour" (which is followed by "slightly higher flat/charred/bitter", before "sweet & balanced with playful acidity", which is in turn followed by "dry/smoky/hoppy" & almost never happens in immersion brews).


 Thank you. I will not reheat the water in micro wave. Considering the grind size, I had to apply a good pressure mostly, but the pressure was excessive today.

I tried plunging from 30 sec brew to 60 secs, I found them pretty sour and weaker. The 2 mins from pour to plunge was perfect, although I am tempted to try 90 secs. For 18g, what do you recommend please? Thx


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Like Medium Strong Coffee said:


> Thank you. I will not reheat the water in micro wave. Considering the grind size, I had to apply a good pressure mostly, but the pressure was excessive today.
> 
> I tried plunging from 30 sec brew to 60 secs, I found them pretty sour and weaker. The 2 mins from pour to plunge was perfect, although I am tempted to try 90 secs. For 18g, what do you recommend please? Thx


 I don't make any aeropress at 18g, nor at the high brew ratio you use, so I'd say that if you previously enjoyed your 2 min/1.3-1.35 grind/85C brews, keep doing that the same way. Grind just coarse enough to provide manageable pressure. If things are tending on the weak side, over a bunch of different coffees, steep another 30s?

Only change if you can identify something that you need to really get rid of.


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