Bypass (Brewing Method)

Bypass is a brewing technique where coffee is brewed at a higher-than-final concentration, then diluted with a measured volume of water (the 'bypass water') before serving. The key advantage: it decouples extraction yield from TDS (total dissolved solids), allowing the brewer to optimize flavor development at a high extraction ratio while adjusting the final strength independently. It is particularly effective with batch brewers and Chemex, where adding bypass water after brewing achieves a precise TDS target without altering grind size or dose.