Why do some recipes recommend 175F water?

Water temperature is one of the most powerful levers for controlling the flavor of your coffee. While the traditional "gold standard" for brewing often falls between 195F and 205F, lower temperatures, such as 175F, serve a very specific purpose in the professional and enthusiast world. When we lower the temperature, we change the solubility of the various compounds within the coffee bean.

Higher temperatures are highly efficient at extracting both the desirable acids and sugars, as well as the later-extracting, bitter alkaloids. If you are brewing a darker roast, the cellular structure of the bean is already quite fragile and brittle due to the roasting process. At standard boiling temperatures, these beans can release too much bitterness too quickly, resulting in a harsh, burnt-tasting cup. A cooler water temperature of 175F acts as a "brake," slowing down the extraction and preventing those bitter notes from dominating the palate.

This technique is also frequently used in immersion brewing methods or specific cold-process variations, where the goal is to emphasize the syrupy body and sweetness of the coffee. By keeping the water cooler, you are essentially limiting the extraction to the more easily dissolved sugars and lighter aromatic compounds, yielding a cup that feels rounder, smoother, and less sharp.

In practice, you should experiment with lower temperatures if you find your favorite coffee is consistently tasting harsh or overly bitter. It is a simple, free way to adjust your recipe without changing your equipment. If you are using a lighter roast, however, you may find that 175F is too cool, leaving the cup under-extracted and sour. Start by lowering your water temperature by 5-10 degrees at a time to see how it shifts the balance of flavor in your specific brew.