How to brew better coffee

Four things move the cup more than any gadget: grind, ratio, time and water.

Better brewing is mostly repetition. Change one thing at a time, and only after the last cup was drinkable.

A place to start

• Grind: coarse for a press, medium for a filter, medium-fine for a pour-over.
• Ratio: around 1 gram of coffee to 15 or 16 grams of water.
• Time: about four minutes in a press, two to three through a pour-over.
• Water: just off the boil is enough. You don’t need a thermometer to begin.

If the cup is sour, the grind is probably too coarse or the brew too short. If it’s harsh and dry, go a little coarser or use less coffee. Write down what you did. That’s the whole skill.

Suggestions, not rules. Adjust until it tastes like the cup you wanted.