Basic extraction concept of coffee

What’s going on in my coffee?

The basic extraction of coffee during brewing can be broken down into several stages, each contributing different flavour and characteristics to the final cup.

 

Stage of coffee being extracted

Initial Wetting Stage 

This is when the coffee grounds first come into contact with water. The water saturates the grounds and starts to dissolve the most soluble compounds, including carbon causing the bloom. This stage is crucial for preparing the grounds for even extraction.

 

Early Extraction (First Extraction)

During this stage, the most soluble compounds are extracted first. These include acids, fats, and some volatile aromatic compounds. This is where many of the bright, fruity, and acidic notes come from. These flavours are generally desirable in the right balance, but over-extraction of these can lead to a sour taste.

 

Main Extraction (Middle Extraction) 

In this phase, the bulk of the coffee's soluble solids are extracted. This includes sugars and a range of aromatic compounds that provide the sweetness, body, and complexity of the coffee. This stage is key for developing the coffee's full flavour profile.

 

Late Extraction (Final Extraction)

The least soluble compounds are extracted during this stage. These include bitter compounds and some of the harsher, woody, or astringent flavors. While a certain amount of these compounds is necessary to balance the coffee, over-extraction can lead to an overly bitter or unpleasant cup.

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If we do an experiment to brewing each stage of coffee (espresso/ hand brew) to separate cup to tasted, it’ll make you clearly understand more about different stage of coffee being extracted.

But we are talking about using the grind size and extracted properly depends on different coffee as premise.