Better Your Brew Series || Volume II Ch. 3 of 3 || Spill the Beans: Coffee Controversy

Now that we have discussed every variable and piece of gear I could think of in detail, let's discuss some of the myths and misconceptions we may often run into with coffee.

SPILL THE BEANS || Chapter 3. Coffee Controversy

So let me be clear, some of these are complete myths while some are more controversial or perhaps just a little more nuanced than the common statements portray. One thing to keep in mind is to read the information below with a grain of salt. Some of the discussion is fact, and some may be more nuanced with my subjective input. Keep in mind, facts are still opinions, just opinions with the most support; currently. Remember, it was a fact the Earth is flat a few hundred years ago. Golden Ratio

The golden ratio in brewing is often cited as 1:16 or 1:16.7, depending on the source. It's supposed to represent the ideal balance between strength and extraction—the ratio that brings out the best possible qualities in a coffee. In reality, though, 1:16 is more of a starting point when you have no other information about the coffee you're brewing. If you brew at a 1:16 ratio using an Origami, a Kalita, or a French press, you’ll end up with very different results. The brew method alone changes how that ratio performs in the cup. So, while 1:16 is a solid starting place—especially for beginners—it’s not some magical number that works perfectly across the board. You’ll want to adjust the ratio based on all kinds of factors: bean origin, processing method, brew method, filter, water chemistry, and more. In that sense, 1:16 isn’t the golden ratio—it’s just one that sometimes happens to work. If you brewed 100 coffees, sure, it might hit the sweet spot now and then, but that’s about it. Personally, I often start at 1:15 for pour over because I like stronger coffee.

Pre-Wetting Filters

This is often debated because some people claim they can perceive a papery taste in the cup if the filter isn’t rinsed. I’ll say that this is probably true for some—especially depending on the type of filter—but not for everyone. I’ve taken cupping and brewing classes with the 2024 and 2025 U.S. Tasters Cup Champion, and he claims he can taste the difference between a rinsed filter and a dry one—and I believe him. I, on the other hand, with my pauper taste buds, can’t really notice a difference. That said, if you’re using a bleached filter versus a non-bleached one, the chance of picking up papery notes is probably higher with the non-bleached type. Still, even though I don’t personally taste a major difference, I always pre-wet my filter for three reasons. First, I believe there’s an impact on flavor, even if I don’t notice it—so why not trust the people who can? Second, I preheat my brewer anyway, so I may as well have the filter in place while I do that. And third—my biggest reason—I pre-wet the filter to help it set properly in the brewer. When I wet it before adding coffee, I can see whether it’s sitting evenly, without creases or gaps that could affect flow or cause unwanted bypass. So, whether or not you taste a difference, I recommend pre-wetting your filter every time just to make sure it’s positioned correctly and brewing consistently.

Water Quality

I don’t really think this is a controversy. If you don’t believe water quality impacts how your coffee tastes, then you’re either ignorant or stubborn. Pour-over coffee is usually about 98.5–99% water and only 1.5–2% coffee solids. For reference, espresso is around 10% coffee. This matters for two reasons. First, if your coffee is 98.5% water and the water is bad, then your coffee is going to be at least 98.5% bad. That tiny amount of coffee isn’t going to magically fix bad water—it just isn’t. But there’s another reason why even good-tasting water can still make your coffee taste bad: certain minerals and chemical compositions can mute or eliminate specific flavor compounds in coffee. The two key factors to pay attention to are hardness and alkalinity. These tell you whether your water is actually suitable for brewing, regardless of how it tastes on its own.

I had a coffee that’s one of my favorites—I brew it every morning. One day I was running late, so I brought the beans with me and decided to use my pour-over setup at work. I had to use filtered water from our office’s 5-gallon dispenser. I drink this water all day at work and never have a problem with it. I brewed the coffee just like I always do, took a sip, and it was disgusting. I literally poured it out—it was that bad. Then I tried brewing a second cup using water from a filtered drinking fountain in our building. That cup wasn’t disgusting, but it was flat, boring, and lifeless. It tasted like generic stale diner coffee. At home, I use distilled water and add a packet of minerals designed for coffee brewing. It gives me the right amount of bicarbonate, magnesium, and calcium to enhance flavors instead of dulling them. That same coffee, brewed with that same method, tastes amazing when I use that water.

The water you use can completely change how your coffee tastes—for better or worse. And it’s not just about flavor. Most tap water is high in bicarbonate, which over time can damage your espresso machine, kettle, and other brewing gear by leaving behind mineral scale. So good water isn’t just good for your coffee—it protects your equipment too.

Freezing Coffee

Just a note before we start: coffee beans don’t actually freeze. Roasted coffee only contains about 2–3% water, so while the beans can get very cold, they don’t freeze solid like fruits or vegetables. Now that we’ve cleared that up... You’ll hear some people swear by freezing their beans, and others warn against it at all costs. Let me ruin the surprise right away: You absolutely should store coffee beans in the freezer—with a few guidelines.

Opponents usually present two main arguments: "freezing does nothing and is not worth it, or “freezing destroys the flavor.” Luckily, we don’t need to rely on opinions—there’s real scientific research on this. Yes, humidity can ruin your beans. But that’s mostly if you're taking them in and out of the freezer in the middle of a humid jungle, or leaving them on the counter for hours before refreezing.

What actually causes damage is condensation, especially when repeatedly freezing and thawing beans. That can degrade the quality. But for most of us, in normal climates, humidity is far less of an issue than some make it out to be. There’s also the idea that repeatedly opening your freezer and removing beans can cause staling faster by exposing them to oxygen and temperature shifts. Technically true. But in practice? I’ve frozen beans for eight months and couldn’t detect a drop in quality.

If you’re still skeptical, single-dosing is a great solution. Pre-portion your coffee into daily doses, and just grab what you need each day. That said, even storing coffee in its original bag works really well. Some reasons:

• Reusing containers can lead to oil buildup, which can go rancid over time.

• The original bag is designed to protect aroma compounds and usually seals up well.

• You can squeeze all the air out of the original bag so you have less fresh air for coffee compounds to diffuse into.

• If you're worried about fridge or freezer smells, tape over the de-gassing valve—problem solved.

Personally, I freeze the original bags as-is and have never had an issue.

If you're still not convinced, take it further: split a bag into 100–200 gram portions, vacuum seal each one, only remove what you need every 3–5 days. And if you're worried about frequent freezer access (for food, etc.), store coffee in the back of the freezer, not in the door, where temperature fluctuates more.

Here’s the part that matters most: Every 10°C drop in storage temperature slows coffee’s aging by a factor of 1.8 to 2x. That means if you store beans in a 25°C room (which is average room temp at 77 Fahrenheit), they’ll age about 8x faster than if you stored them in a -20°C freezer. One week on the counter = one day in the freezer.

So even if you want to single dose, vacuum seal, use containers or just toss bags in as-is, it’s worth it.

I like having multiple types of coffee available, and freezing makes that possible without sacrificing freshness. Even top cafés do it—Proud Mary in Australia has a “deep freeze” menu with rare lots from months or even a year ago. So yes, go ahead and freeze your damn beans. Just don’t put them in the fridge—that’s a different story entirely. Too many smells, too much moisture, and you’re in and out of it constantly. It’s the worst of both worlds.

Rest Period

Oh man, this one is always a doozy. But there’s a legitimate reason for that—there are just too many variables to make one universal claim about rest times for coffee. I know home roasters who try their coffee just 24 hours after roasting and swear it tastes fine. I’ve never had that experience myself. Any coffee I roast at home doesn’t taste good to me until at least a week post-roast, and I once had a Kenya light roast that wasn’t amazing until four weeks in—never sooner. That's another variable, preference.

Enthusiasts often try to set general rest times based on roast level. I’ve even made those recommendations in other posts. But once you dive deeper, those rules start to fall apart. You’ll often hear guidelines like: wait 2–5 days before brewing a dark roast, 5–14 days for medium roasts, and 2–4 weeks for light roasts. The reason for these generalizations is that you’re chasing a balance—that perfect moment when maximum flavor emerges because the coffee has off-gassed enough CO₂ from roasting, right when it intersects with peak freshness and minimal staling from exposure to the elements.

If you know nothing else—or want to know nothing else (in which case, I’m not sure why you’re still reading)—those recommendations will serve you far better than nothing. But there are too many variables that can push those ranges shorter or longer. Roast level matters, of course, but so do bean density, processing method, storage conditions, and brew method. A darker roast might be great for cold brew three days post-roast—especially since low-temperature brewing tends to mute bitterness caused by CO₂—yet that same coffee could produce only a sad little sputter of crema if you try it as espresso.

Personally, I find that light roasts taste flat or muted in the first couple of weeks after roasting, but somewhere in that 2–4 week range, they really start to open up and become more complex. That’s not true for every coffee—I’ve had some that tasted better in the first week and then fell flat. The point is: use the common recommendations as a starting guide, but experiment. You’ll almost always find darker roasts reach peak readiness sooner than lighter ones, thanks to the lower density created by longer roast times and higher heat. But don’t lock yourself into precise ranges you read online.

And, since you’ve stuck with me through this rant, here are a couple of tricks if you just can’t wait for a new roast to rest. Keep in mind, the coffee still won’t be at its best, but I get it—you’re excited and want to taste it. First, grind your dose and let it sit out for about 15 minutes. This stales it slightly, in a controlled way, and can help release some CO₂ so you get a hint of the coffee’s future flavor. It’s not a replacement for proper resting, but it can help.

Second, brew with cooler water—around 70 °C for the bloom, then 80–85 °C for the rest of your pours. This helps avoid extracting some of the bitter compounds that are more soluble at higher temperatures. And before you message me saying your coffee still tastes flat one day post-roast with this method—I know. This isn’t magic. It’s just a way to get a little closer to the coffee’s potential when you are too damn impatient to wait.

Dark Roast Shaming

Warning, this section is pure rant territory. Knock it off! Stop giving people death stares because they pour milk into a dark roast. Stop calling it “Starsucks” (™) like it’s some clever, insider burn. And for the love of everything, stop telling people they’re not drinking “real coffee” just because it doesn’t come from your favorite specialty roaster.

There are different types of coffee and different types of flavors. You love specialty? Awesome. Drink it, preach it, bathe in it. But your friend is allowed to enjoy the bold, roasty punch of a dark roast, or the frosty, dessert-like joy of a Frappuccino. Turning up your nose doesn’t make you a coffee sage—it makes you that person. And here’s the kicker: it pushes people away from specialty coffee, not toward it.

If you’re sneering at anyone who isn’t sipping a carbonic macerated Panama Gesha, fermented for 72 hours under the gentle sway of a bodhi tree and hydrated exclusively with the tears of two-week-old babies… congratulations, you’re a snob. You’re not here to protect specialty coffee—you’re here to cosplay as someone important. Hate to break it to you, but there are folks who knew about specialty coffee long before you learned how to pronounce “Ethiopia Yirgacheffe.”

Here’s the better move: promote specialty coffee by inviting people in, not pushing them out. Share how it’s not just about flavor but also about sustainability, fairness, and respect for the craft. And if they want to talk about it at Starbucks? Bring your own cup and sit down with them. We need to understand that different roasts levels have different purposes. Light roasts may be your go to when you want a complex and fruity cup. A medium roast can be super balanced with high sweetness and some fruit notes with a chocolate finish. And dark roasts can really hit the spot when a cappuccino is made to perfection. They all have a place, because as much as coffee quality is measured by bean quality, taste preferences are subjective.

Little confession: I still love those tiny Starbucks cans at gas stations— the double-shot espressos with cream in the green and brown can. Soooo goood.

Tamp Pressure

A lot of my content can apply to many brewing methods, but I tend to focus more on pour-over discussions. This one, though, is specifically about espresso. Tamp pressure refers to how firmly you press the tamper to compact the coffee grounds in the portafilter before pulling a shot. This matters because it helps ensure even extraction and reduces the chances of channeling. A proper tamp levels the coffee bed, breaks up clumps, compresses the grounds for uniform spacing, and more.

Some people argue that 30 pounds of pressure is enough—basically, a firm push from any reasonably capable arm. Others say you should tamp with as much force as possible—get a press and push until the coffee turns into a diamond. There’s some truth buried in both camps, but here’s the real takeaway: tamp pressure matters… up to a point. You can only compress coffee so far before there’s no more room to go. I’m not here to debate whether 30 pounds is “perfect” or “good enough.” I’m here to point out that consistency and technique matter far more than the exact number. You should tamp with enough force that you feel the bed stop moving under you. Don’t overdo it and risk injury—just make sure your shoulder is over your elbow, your arm is at 90 degrees, and you’re leaning your body weight into the tamp. That’s plenty.

What you really need to focus on is applying the same amount of pressure every time and keeping the tamp level, for quality and consistency. If you just drop the tamper in and tap the surface, you’re going to have problems with channeling. But if you keep your posture correct and apply consistent, adequate force each time, you’ll be fine. The two big reasons for all this are: avoiding injury over time by using proper form, and ensuring you apply even pressure so the coffee bed is flat. If you pull a shot on an uneven bed, you’ll almost guarantee channeling—and end up with a shot that’s under-extracted, over-extracted, or both.

So next time you’re making espresso, skip the pre-workout, put down the protein shake, and resist the urge to smash the puck into oblivion. Focus instead on correct body position, adequate pressure, and a consistent, level tamp.

Filter Types

The typical coffee drinker, as I once was, might think a filter’s only job is to keep coffee grounds out of the cup. In reality, it does much more. A filter controls how many fines make it into the brew, which affects not only mouthfeel but also the balance of sweetness and acidity. Higher TDS often leads to a more sour or bitter cup (I’ll dive deeper into this in a future post—so keep an eye out). It also manages the oils that pass through, which can greatly influence body and texture. Fewer oils can create a cleaner, brighter cup, if that’s what you enjoy. Depending on the type of filtration you use, not just type of filter paper but if you decide to use cloth or filter, you can manage the amount of fines and oils to intentionally target the body and flavor you like.

The type of filtration you choose—whether paper, cloth, or metal—lets you intentionally target the body and flavor you prefer by controlling fines and oils. Even within paper filters, factors like shape, material, and thickness can significantly change the result. A thicker filter slows the flow, increasing contact time with the coffee if all other variables remain the same. Using a wave filter rather than a flat filter influences the amount of bypass and significantly changes the body of the cup. The material can also influence flavor for some people, and many swear they can taste the difference between bleached and unbleached paper.

Brew Time Targets

Brew time can be useful—up to a point. Many people aim for a set target like two or three minutes, and that works fine if you’re repeating a recipe with the same beans. But once you start changing coffees or other variables, brew time becomes more of a loose guide than a reliable target. Sure, if your usual three-minute brew suddenly takes seven minutes to draw down, that’s a sign you might need to adjust your grind, dose, or another variable. But I can brew a coffee in under three minutes and get an excellent cup, and I can brew the same coffee in five minutes and get a different but equally great result.

Brew time is influenced by so many factors—grind size, water temperature, agitation, dose, brewer type, filter type—that it’s too inconsistent to be your go-to standard across all brews. Instead, focus on dialing in those other variables and use brew time as a supporting reference, not the main target for predicting a good cup.

Single Origin vs. Blends

There are some people who simply refuse to drink blends and swear single origin is the only way. In reality, both have significance—not just for the drinker, but also for the roaster or café that sells them. Single origin coffees are great because you know exactly where they came from, they can have a unique and clean taste, and you have a target to chase if you find one you really like. Interestingly enough, these points can also be true for blends—at least to a point.

Some people avoid blends because they have a purist mindset, which is perfectly fine if that’s their preference. But blends can be unique and interesting, and they’re often more regularly available than a single origin. With blends, the roaster can substitute part of the mix with a similar bean when one becomes unavailable, helping maintain consistency. So if you find a blend you love, you can buy it again and again throughout the year. You can’t say the same about a single origin.

Some people also avoid blends because they feel the roaster might use subpar beans to make them, as a way to salvage lots. But a good roaster chooses beans that complement each other and elevate the overall quality and complexity. I love when I find a blend I really enjoy because I know I can get another bag. When I find a single origin I love, it’s a bit depressing—I might be able to grab one more bag, but likely not for long.

Part of what makes coffee special is its uniqueness and ability to surprise. I love single origins for that. But I also like having a solid blend I can lean on for consistency and a great cup when I’m not in the mood to explore. So don’t sleep on blends—find at least one solid option you can rely on when you just want a guaranteed great cup.

Shade Grown Coffee

Shade-grown coffee has long been promoted as a commendable and sustainable way to cultivate coffee, but the reality is more complex. There are clear benefits, definite drawbacks, and even some controversies surrounding it, making the decision to pursue shade-grown coffee—whether as a producer, seller, or buyer—less straightforward.

One of its biggest advantages is its role in protecting biodiversity. Instead of replacing diverse landscapes with monocultures, shade-grown farms create mini-ecosystems where a wide variety of plants, insects, and animals can thrive. The canopy shields the soil, reduces erosion, improves water retention, and helps regulate temperature. A healthy shade environment can also encourage beneficial insect populations, suppress weeds, and reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers. In some cases, the slower ripening of coffee cherries under shade can lead to more complex flavors, making it appealing for sustainability and the consumer.

However, these benefits come with trade-offs. Shade-grown coffee typically has lower yields, producing fewer cherries per hectare and resulting in smaller harvests. Maintaining both the coffee plants and the shade trees adds to labor and operational costs, and the increased humidity under a dense canopy can raise the risk of fungal diseases. For producers, these factors can make shade-grown coffee more expensive and challenging to manage.

There are also controversies tied to how shade-grown coffee is marketed and certified. The term “shade-grown” isn’t always regulated, meaning some coffees labeled as such may have minimal canopy cover, leaving buyers paying a premium for something they’re not truly getting. While certifications like Bird Friendly or Rainforest Alliance set clearer standards, many small farmers can’t afford the certification process, even if their coffee meets criteria. This can leave them excluded from the price premiums consumers may pay for this certification and piece of mind. Adding to the complexity, shade-grown coffee is sometimes idealized by Western consumers as inherently more sustainable, but for many farmers—especially in regions where higher-yield, sun-grown coffee is more profitable—maintaining or transitioning to shade systems simply isn’t financially viable.

Shade-grown coffee can be an incredible product that supports global environmental health, but it comes with real burdens for the farmer and significant barriers to entry. For it to work long-term, it has to balance environmental ideals with economic realities.

Health Effects

Coffee has been labeled as healthy and unhealthy over the years, sometimes with hypocritical statements. Over time it has become one of the most studied drinks in the world, and research shows it can have real health benefits, up to a point.

Coffee has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, and even some liver diseases like cirrhosis and fatty liver. These statements have been supported by various research studies and even meta-analysis. Moderate coffee drinkers also tend to have a slightly lower risk of stroke, heart failure, and even death from all causes. It can quickly boost focus, reaction time, and short-term memory. If you’re active, caffeine can help you work out longer and feel less tired in the gym or on the field. Plus, coffee is loaded with antioxidants, which help protect your cells from damage.

Of course, it’s not all perfect. Too much coffee can cause some people to feel anxious, jittery, or disrupt their sleep. Although, this isn't actually the coffee but the caffeine within the coffee. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others, and if you drink it regularly, you can develop a dependence (cue the withdrawal headaches). Coffee can also cause temporary blood pressure spikes and sometimes upset your stomach. But these negative impacts can mostly be managed by an appropriate coffee consumption, or daily caffeine intake. For most healthy adults, 3–4 cups a day seems to be the sweet spot for enjoying the perks without overdoing it.

And now the complete myths...

2nd Most Sold Commodity

No, for god sakes stop saying this. I still see this statement in recent articles and literature, and it is completely false. It was often cited from Mark Pendergrast’s 1999 book Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World. However, the author later corrected this, stating he had seen it in some earlier studies form the 1970's or 1980's, which were mistaken. Since then it continues to be circulated. The truth is, coffee is currently not even in the top 5 commodities traded globally.

Dark Roast Has More Caffeine

Caffeine content is mostly determined by bean type and dose, not roast level. In fact, light roasts typically retain more caffeine by weight because less is burned off during roasting. Any difference in caffeine due to roast level is negligible, and not significant once you account for bean density, weight, and dose. One thing that can be true is that cold brew coffee has more caffeine than a hot pour over. But this is due to dose. Cold brew uses a much tighter ratio due to the colder water being less efficient at extracting coffee compounds. So the larger dose results in higher caffeine content when compared ounce for ounce.

Coffee Dehydrates You

While caffeine is mildly diuretic, coffee still contributes to your daily hydration. Unless you're consuming huge amounts, it won't cause dehydration. And even if you do consume large amounts of coffee, it is not dehydrating you, it is simply making you urinate more often so you need to replenish liquids more often. But coffee itself is not dehydrating, and you can count those 2-4 cups towards your daily water intake!

Decaf Has No Caffeine

Decaf still contains small amounts of caffeine, usually 2–5 mg per 8 oz cup (compared to 80–100 mg in regular coffee). Enough to matter for very caffeine-sensitive people. This is the same as the myth that non-alcoholic beer contains no alcohol. Fun fact, the alcohol powers that be created the definition for "non-alcoholic", and in the U.S. it means less than .5% alcohol. It other countries it can mean as high as 1.2% alcohol. So just like this, decaf coffee contains caffeine.

Coffee Should Be Brewed with Boiling Water

Boiling water (212°F / 100°C) can scald coffee, especially light roasts. The ideal range is 195°F to 205°F (90°C–96°C). Personally, I never go over 94°C. However, this number range varies depending on your elevation. The higher elevation you go the higher temperature you have to reach for boiling.

Freshly Roasted Coffee Is Always Best

Most coffee needs a few days to degas after roasting—especially espresso beans. Some people will swear the coffee tastes "fine" within 24 hours after roasting. I find it is flat in 99% of cases and although not bad per se, it is not as complex as it is meant to be. I suggest you always allow coffee to off-gas the CO2 , which can make the coffee difficult to extract and bitter.

You Should Store Coffee in the Fridge

Fridge contains moisture and odors—bad for coffee. All the points we discuss about the freezer above do not apply to the fridge, at least not so easily. If you store your coffee in an airtight container and put it in the fridge, it will absolutely slow the degradation process. But it is much riskier and much less effective than putting it in the freezer, so there is really no point.

Adding Salt to Coffee Improves Flavor

Actually, not totally a myth. While salt can technically reduce bitterness, it's masking a problem (poor roast, over-extraction, bad beans). It isn't really making the coffee taste better, it is just covering up some of the bad flavor. But if you have a bitter cup of coffee because you are at a random diner, feel free to add a pinch of salt to make it bearable. But if you are doing this at home, you have issues...

More Coffee Grounds = Stronger Coffee

Strong coffee is a result of higher dose, tighter ratio, hotter water, lower bypass, and more. The best way to get a stronger cup of coffee is to increase dose or decrease brew water. Strength should come from brew method and correct ratio, not just more coffee. Overdosing can lead to over-extraction, bitterness, and imbalance.

Coffee Stunts Your Growth

I'm going to make this last one short and sweet. There's no scientific evidence linking coffee to stunted growth. The myth likely came from outdated fears about caffeine and bone health, which have since been debunked.

Well there you go, we went over some of the more common misconceptions and myths, and now you can sound smarter to other nerds. The next volume will dive more into some of the more macro influences on coffee flavor, such as origin, varietal, and processing. I hope the information so far has provided at least a couple of nuggets you have been able to apply to your brewing process. Leave a comment below on any other myths, misconceptions, or controversies I didn't mention in this post. And thank you.