Talk Coffee Blog — 2026-02-16

Brew ratios, times and all that stuff. Have we got it all wrong?

So often I walk into a cafe and there it is for all to see on the grinder. It's the gospel according to the Oracle who decides how the coffee should be - and yet? So often, bitterly (or was that sourly) disappointing… For years, brew ratios, shot times, and yield numbers have been treated like sacred coordinates. This many grams in, that many out for an X:Y brew ratio. This many seconds to get that many grams out. Stamp it, ship it, do not question it - and yet, the espresso? Sub-par. ## There IS a Case Against Treating the Science as Gospel The Scientist in me questions the recipe… 1. What were the environmental conditions on the day that the recipe was decided? 2. How many days after roasting was that, and how was the coffee stored post-roast? 3. If the espresso tastes bad, then what? Blame the roaster? The barista? The hygiene? The hardware? ## The Case Against Strict Brew Metrics **1. Numbers Can Become a Crutch** A 1:2 ratio in 25 seconds tells you nothing about how the espresso t