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The water temp debate: 195 vs 205 for pour over? I tested both for 3 weeks straight

I got into it with a guy at a local roaster last Saturday. He insisted 195 is ideal for light roasts, but every guide I've read says 205. So I brewed the same bean from Verve at both temps for 21 days. To me the 195 cups tasted weak and flat, the 205 brought out way more sweetness. But he said I'm burning off delicate notes. Is there actually a consensus on this or is it all personal preference? What temp do you guys brew at?

3 comments

3 Comments

wadem8918d ago

195 for light roasts? Did you try adjusting your grind size between temps?

mary_martin2217d ago

Oh man, really? I gotta disagree with you there @wadem89. I think locking in one temp and moving grind size is way more reliable than messing with temp between batches. If I switch temp and grind at the same time, I never know which change fixed or ruined the cup. Last week I tried 203 with a finer grind on a light Ethiopian and it tasted like sour grass clippings. Then 195 with the same grind was totally flat and boring. I'd rather pick one temp based on the bean density and just dial in grind from there, keeps my head from spinning.

emmag2217d ago

My buddy Dave spent like 2 months chasing temp + grind combos on a Costa Rican natural and ended up with 30 pounds of drinkable but not great coffee. He finally just picked 200F for everything and only touched the grind. Now his morning routine takes 4 minutes instead of 20 minutes of overthinking. He says it's way easier to spot when a bean needs a coarser or finer grind when you're not also wondering if you overshot the temp by 2 degrees. Plus his wife stopped making fun of him for being a coffee scientist.