A bloom question I thought I understood

[Pipe And Punch]

Brewer and filter: Hario Switch 03; Hario 03 paper
Grinder, burr and calibration: Timemore C3; S2C conical burr; 18 clicks
Bean, roaster, process and roast date: Ethiopia Bombe; SEY Coffee; natural; roast date 2026-07-17
Dose and water mass: 18.0 g coffee; 288 g water
Temperature and water profile: 96°C; Lotus-style remineralized distilled water, moderate hardness / low alkalinity
Pour/agitation schedule: 63 g bloom for 40 s, then three pours; no stirring after bloom
Drawdown time: 3:45
Expected and perceived flavour: expected berry sweetness; perceived cup is sharp at first and hollow as it cools
Changes already tested: tested 2°C lower water temperature; same grind and pouring schedule

I am trying not to solve this by buying another object. The symptom has repeated three times, and the current log is below. I would rather change one variable, brew again, and report back.

[Pipe And Punch]

I tested one change from the opening post and it moved the cup, but did not finish the job. Next variable: extend the bloom by 15 seconds. Why: it changes concentration while leaving the rest of the recipe readable. Expected result: more even early flow and a sweeter cup as it cools. I will report the actual result rather than stack another change on top.

[Choro Radio]

I have used Ethiopia Bombe on the same Hario Switch 03 / Timemore C3 combination. Change: lower water temperature by 2°C. Why: the present agitation can be creating fines migration and choking the bed. Expected result: a flatter bed and less drying finish. Keep everything else exactly where it is for one brew.

[Ringside And Rescue]

Same Hario Switch 03 and grinder here, different but similarly light coffee. Change: grind one small step coarser. Why: this coffee may still be releasing enough gas to disturb the early extraction. Expected result: slightly more body without making the cup muddier. That should tell you whether the behaviour belongs to the setup rather than this exact bag.

[Crowd Wok]

Controlled-test suggestion: increase dose by 0.5 g while keeping water fixed. Why: the last part of the brew may be adding dryness without useful sweetness. Expected result: less sharpness while keeping roughly the same sweetness. Do two brews if you have enough coffee, one current recipe and one changed variable, and taste them side by side as they cool

[Ringside And Rescue]

One variable only: extend the bloom by 15 seconds. Why: the current cup sounds more like excess late extraction than a lack of strength. Expected result: similar total time but less stalling near the end. I would not buy anything until that test gives you a direction.

[Wok-Dough]

One variable only: increase dose by 0.5 g while keeping water fixed. Why: it changes concentration while leaving the rest of the recipe readable. Expected result: less bitterness in the last third of the cup. I would not buy anything until that test gives you a direction.

[Choro Radio]

One variable only: increase dose by 0.5 g while keeping water fixed. Why: the last part of the brew may be adding dryness without useful sweetness. Expected result: more even early flow and a sweeter cup as it cools. I would not buy anything until that test gives you a direction.

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