Exercise 1 - solution

1. Grind size: too fine gives a bitter, harsh over-extracted taste and slow filtering; too coarse gives weak coffee.
2. Water temperature: the article says aromatic oils are released at 96 C and bitter acids once water reaches boiling, so water that is too hot risks bitterness. Too cool is not covered by the chapter (check).
3. Brew time: methods differ widely (about 4-7 min French press, 8-24 hours cold brew). Too long or too short for the method is not described in the chapter, though by extension a longer time extracts more (check).
4. Ratio: 15-18 parts water to 1 part coffee. Too little coffee gives a weak cup (the article says an overly coarse grind gives weak coffee unless more coffee is used); the effect of too much coffee is not described (check).