A cafe's cold brew tastes strong but not sharp. Which knob likely changed?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: More coffee per water
More coffee per water ✓ — Right. Strength is mostly total dissolved solids, and full-immersion modeling shows TDS is controlled strongly by the water-to-coffee ratio. A cafe can make a bolder cold brew by using more coffee per unit water, then dilute to service strength. That can raise body without recreating the sharp hot-brew acid profile.
Less acidic brew water — Not quite. Water acidity can affect perceived acidity, but baristas do not usually tune a batch like a lab buffer. Coffee studies separate acidity measures, TDS, and sensory attributes. For a practical strong-but-smooth cup, dose ratio is the more direct knob.
Longer steeping time — Not quite. Longer steeping can increase extraction, but it does not explain strong-without-sharp as directly as brew ratio. Extra time can also raise acidity or less-clean notes. The practical knob for a bolder cold brew that can still be diluted smoothly is how much coffee met how much water.
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