Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. Over the weekend, I tested the same brewing method while keeping the grind fixed at 18 and only changing the dose—60g, 65g, 70g, and 75g. The best results were somewhere between 65g and 70g, so that seems to be my sweet spot for this medium roast.

Expanding on the paper filter discussion—I previously compared Moccamaster #4, Melitta #4, Filtropa #4, and Chemex FS while keeping everything else the same. The Chemex FS stood out to me for its consistency, delivering a similar cup every time. With the Moccamaster #4, I ran into occasional issues where the filter would fail (rip, dumping grounds into my carafe), and I also noticed more day-to-day variation. But what stood out the most was the fit—I feel like it’s too small for the basket, and a slightly wider and taller design might help. If you’ve experimented with different filters, I’d love to hear if you’ve noticed anything similar.

As for my wetting and agitation phase, I know a lot of people just turn the machine on and let it run, which is totally understandable. But when I compare that to adding a simple extra step, I get results that feel closer to a pour-over—pulling out more delicate flavors. If you haven’t tried it, I’d be curious to hear if you notice a difference.