Sherry Hsu won the 2022 World Brewers Cup, becoming the first Taiwanese woman to take the championship title.

Her work extends beyond competition. Since winning the title, Sherry has continued visiting coffee-producing regions around the world, coaching brewers from different countries, sharing her experience with coffee professionals and competitors.

She also founded Sherry Selection, a curated coffee brand focused on making specialty coffee more approachable for everyday drinkers.  

Why the Same Coffee Can Taste Different

Why can the same coffee taste noticeably different depending on who brews it?

Sweetness, clarity, and flavor complexity are influenced not only by the beans themselves, but also by grinding and brewing variables.

During the 1Zpresso brewing session at the Taiwan International Coffee Show, Sherry shared her thoughts on brewing while preparing coffee live for the audience.

From grinder characteristics and fines production to pouring structure and water temperature, she explained how different variables can influence sweetness, flavor layering, and clarity in the cup. Through the session, she explored several key questions:

• What role do fines play during extraction?
• How should grinder selection relate to flavor preference?
• How do pouring rhythm and flow rate influence body and clarity?

These small adjustments often play an important role in how different coffees express themselves during brewing.  

1Zpresso: The Grinder Sherry Used to Win WBrC

At the beginning of the demonstration, Sherry mentioned that she used a 1Zpresso K Series grinder during her winning run at the 2022 World Brewers Cup Championship.  She also introduced several design features of the 1Zpresso K-Ultra.

• Foldable Handle Design

The foldable crank handle makes the grinder more compact for travel, while the extended handle provides more leverage during grinding.  According to Sherry, this becomes especially noticeable when grinding finer settings for espresso or moka pot brewing, where grinding resistance becomes more noticeable. 

• External Adjustment Dial

The external adjustment ring allows grind size changes to be made more quickly and intuitively.  

The K-Ultra Grinding Characteristics and Flavor Presentation

When discussing the grinding characteristics of the K-Ultra, Sherry noted that the grinder produces slightly more fines [1] compared to the ZP6 [2] .

According to her observations, this can contribute to a fuller sweetness profile in pour over brewing.

She also mentioned that the slightly higher fines content allows the K-Ultra to work across both pour over and espresso brewing styles, since espresso extraction generally benefits from having a certain amount of fines present.  

Editor’s Notes:

1. The 1Zpresso K-Ultra is designed as a multi-purpose grinder within the 1Zpresso lineup, supporting a wide range of brewing methods, including espresso, moka pot, pour over, siphon, AeroPress, French press, and cold brew. 
2. The 1Zpresso ZP6 was developed specifically for pour over brewing and is known for its relatively low fines production within the 1Zpresso lineup. It was also used by 2023 World Brewers Cup Champion Carlos Medina during competition.

How Fines Influence Coffee Flavor

Sherry mentioned that fines are not necessarily a negative factor during brewing. In moderate amounts, fines may contribute to:

• Increased sweetness
• Higher concentration
• More layered flavor presentation 

At the same time, higher amounts of fines may also create challenges during extraction, including:

• Over-extraction
• Increased bitterness
• Unwanted flavors
• Slower drawdown or filter clogging

Choosing a Grinder Based on Flavor Preference

Sherry explained that grinders designed for both espresso and pour over generally produce more fines than grinders designed specifically for pour over brewing.

When choosing a grinder, she suggested considering the flavor profile you prefer.

If You Prefer：

• Sweeter, fuller cups  -> A grinder that retains some fines may be a better fit.
• Cleaner and more clarity-focused cups  -> A grinder with lower fines production may be more suitable.

WBrC Champion Sherry’s Pour Over Recipe

During the live demonstration, Sherry used several coffees to explain the brewing structure and parameters she commonly uses for pour over brewing. She used the 1Zpresso K-Ultra at grind setting 7, which she also mentioned is her preferred setting for cupping.  

Brewing Parameters

• Coffee dose: 15g
• Total water: 230ml
• Grind setting: K-Ultra 7

Water Temperature and Pour Structure

• Bloom 1:3 coffee-to-water ratio at 94°C
• First Pour Bring the total ratio to approximately 1:7 to 1:9 at 94°C
• Second Pour Finish around 1:15 to 1:16 using 75°C water

One detail Sherry highlighted was the lower water temperature used during the final phase of extraction.  

Brewing Techniques Sherry Shared 

Beyond the brewing recipe itself, Sherry also shared several techniques she commonly uses during pour over brewing. These included adjustments related to grinding speed, pouring structure, flow rate, and extraction control.  

Grinding Speed and Fines Production

Sherry mentioned a detail that is often overlooked during grinding:

Grinding speed and applied force may influence the amount of fines produced. Grinding faster or applying more force may create slightly more fines, while slower and steadier grinding may reduce fines production somewhat.The differences are subtle, but they may become noticeable when making more detailed brewing adjustments.  

Pulse Pouring and Flow Rate Control

Sherry uses staged pouring to control extraction pacing throughout the brew.

For the bloom phase, she uses a 1:3 ratio to help fully saturate the coffee bed. During later pours, she also adjusts water flow by changing the size of the water stream. A larger stream allows water to pass through the coffee bed more quickly. She mentioned that using a larger stream during the final stage may help keep the final stage of extraction cleaner. She shared two common flow rate ranges she often uses:

• Faster flow: approximately 10g per second or higher
• Slower flow: approximately 3 to 5g per second

Center Pouring to Reduce Late-Stage Extraction

Toward the end of brewing, Sherry sometimes changes her pouring structure depending on the extraction characteristics of the coffee. In some cases, she switches from circular pouring to a center-only pour during the final stage.

She explained that continuous circular pouring creates more agitation throughout different parts of the coffee bed, while center pouring keeps the coffee bed more stable. When most of the coffee’s primary flavors have already been extracted earlier in the brew, reducing agitation may help keep the later stage of extraction gentler. In some situations, she also combines center pouring with lower water temperatures to reduce the risk of over-extraction and bitterness during the final stage of brewing.  

World Champion Sherry’s Review on 1Zpresso K-Ultra

During the Taiwan International Coffee Show demonstration, Sherry used different brewing examples to share her observations on how grinder characteristics can influence flavor.

According to her experience, the 1Zpresso K-Ultra produces a grind profile with a certain amount of fines, which can contribute to fuller sweetness, more concentration, and more layered flavors.

She also noted that this grinding characteristic allows the grinder to work across both pour over and espresso brewing styles.

From the foldable handle design to the smooth bearing structure, the grinder is also designed to remain comfortable to use when grinding finer settings for espresso or moka pot brewing.

Throughout the session, Sherry emphasized how coffee flavor is shaped by the interaction of multiple variables, including grind distribution, fines production, pouring rhythm, water temperature, and extraction control.

By understanding these variables, brewers can make more informed adjustments during brewing and better explore how different coffees respond to changes in extraction.