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The Numbers You Inherited episode artwork

Aug 20, 2026 17 min

The Numbers You Inherited

from Everyday Beans Podcast - Mostly About Coffee and Other Stuff Hosted by Oaks, the coffee guy

Send us Fan Mail I've been following the same coffee "rules" for years, the 30 second bloom, the 1:16 ratio, the 200 to 205 degree water, and I never stopped to ask where any of it came from. In this episode I break down why I think most of us are running recipes we inherited from someone else instead of ones we actually tested. I walk through what happened when I finally questioned my own defaults: a coffee I almost gave up on because I stuck to a ratio that wasn't mine, a dark roast that came alive at a temperature I'd been told to avoid, and what changing grind size actually did to the cup. I also bring in an unexpected parallel from a completely different kitchen experiment I've been running on the side, because it turns out the same principle applies far beyond coffee. If you've ever wondered whether the brew ratio or bloom time you've been using is actually right for you, or if you're just repeating something you picked up online, this episode will give you a framework for testing it yourself. You'll learn why the "why" behind a recipe matters more than the recipe itself, how to run your own side by side comparisons without needing expensive gear, and why the most interesting coffee conversations I've had lately have been with people whose recipes look nothing like mine. This one is about giving yourself permission to question everything you've been told about brewing, and building a process that's actually yours. Support the show Go deeper than the episode, in the newsletter: https://itsmellsbetterthanittaste.com For tips, tricks and still trying to figure it out: https://www.youtube.com/@everyday-beans For good tasty coffee, check us out at: everydaybeans.com

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Send us Fan Mail I've been following the same coffee "rules" for years, the 30 second bloom, the 1:16 ratio, the 200 to 205 degree water, and I never stopped to ask where any of it came from. In this episode I break down why I think most of us are running recipes we inherited from someone else instead of ones we actually tested. I walk through what happened when I finally questioned my own defaults: a coffee I almost gave up on because I stuck to a ratio that wasn't mine, a dark roast that ca...

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The Numbers You Inherited

0:00 17:52

Chapters

  1. 0:19 Numbers we follow but never question
  2. 1:07 Just following the recipe, right?
  3. 1:50 Why a 30 second bloom? Testing the assumption
  4. 3:18 Refractometer, palate, and testing without permission
  5. 4:26 Ratios: why 1:16 isn't universal
  6. 5:36 The coffee I almost gave up on
  7. 6:35 Water temperature: why 200, why 205
  8. 7:34 Building a habit of retesting over time
  9. 8:32 You don't need special gear to question it
  10. 9:26 A detour into milk bread
  11. 13:11 Comparing notes: everyone's recipe is different
  12. 16:27 Go explore: closing thoughts

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This episode is 17 minutes long.

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This episode was published on August 20, 2026.

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