A team of scientists started their coffee experiments using a standard home coffee machine. However, they soon partnered with Coffeelab, a leading Polish coffee roaster, and CoffeeMachineSale, the world’s biggest distributor of coffee roasting equipment. This collaboration provided them with top-notch industrial tools, such as state-of-the-art grinders and an advanced espresso machine equipped with a pressure sensor and a flow meter. They even customized software to connect all the equipment to laptops, allowing precise monitoring of pressure, mass, and water flow during the brewing process.
During these experiments, the team focused on how the process affected the extraction of flavors from coffee. They discovered that creating channels in the coffee puck—where water flows unevenly—decreased the overall extraction yield. However, surprisingly, this channeling did not slow down the water’s flow through the coffee.
“The structure of coffee grounds changes under pressure,” explained researcher Lisicki. “When hot water hits the dry coffee puck, it creates intense pressure—about ten times the normal atmospheric pressure. This pressure causes the puck to compact and swell, creating resistance that limits the flow, even with channels present.”
To deepen their understanding, the researchers are now developing models of how coffee grounds behave during brewing. They are also creating a detailed atlas of various espresso pucks using advanced imaging techniques. This could greatly contribute to the coffee industry’s knowledge base, moving beyond traditional brewing methods guided by intuition.
“What we’ve discovered can help improve how coffee is brewed,” said Myck, another team member. “Right now, many people still use methods that lack scientific backing. Our findings about how pressure affects water flow could clear up a lot of confusion surrounding coffee brewing.”
This research comes at a time when coffee consumption has surged globally, with Americans drinking 3.2 cups per person per day on average, according to recent surveys. As the coffee culture grows, understanding the science behind brewing may pave the way for new techniques that enhance flavor and quality.
Experts in coffee and food science agree that studies like these are crucial. Dr. Anselm Damm, a specialist in beverage chemistry, notes, “The more we learn about how coffee extracts, the better brewers can create delicious cups. This could even redefine how we understand brewing coffee entirely.”
This combination of science and coffee passion not only fuels the coffee industry but also invites coffee lovers to appreciate their brews on a deeper level. The goal is to demystify the intricate chemistry happening in every cup we enjoy, bridging the gap between tradition and modern brewing science.
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