- Grind coarser. Aim for sea salt texture. If your grinder has steps, go one or two clicks coarser than you'd use at home. If you see mud at the bottom of your cup, you're still too fine.
- Measure your coffee. Use 30 grams of coffee to 450 ml of water—that's a 1:15 ratio. Weigh the beans, not the volume. A kitchen scoop is wildly inconsistent.
- Heat water to just off boiling. Let it sit 30–60 seconds after the kettle clicks off. If you have a thermometer, aim for 195–205°F. No thermometer? Wait until the water stops roaring.
- Steep for exactly 3:30. Set a timer, don't guess. Longer doesn't mean stronger—it means bitter.
- Press and pour immediately. Leaving the plunger down while you chat lets extraction continue. Get it into your mug (or thermos) fast.
That's the whole procedure. It's five steps, and each one attacks a specific cause of over-extraction.
