Pour Over Secrets

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Whether you use a Chemex, Hario, Clever or a simple plastic mellita filter. There are really 3 tips to get the best cup.

  1. Water Temperature: It is essential to use a kettle that gives you a known temperature. I like to be in the range of 198-204F for most coffees. Lower water temperatures will result in a sour cup and higher temperatures causes bitterness in the cup. To get a consistent cup try to budget for a kettle with temperature controls like a BonaVia.
  2. Grind Setting: Coffee grind and grind consistency varies over different grinders from a basic burrs grinder at $50 to a Vario at $400+. However, the goal of the grind is to be a medium grind so that you can prepare a pour over in 3 minutes.
  3. Contact Time: This is the time for how long hot water is actually in contact with the coffee grounds. I reccommend this to be 3 minutes and the grind has to be adjusted accordingly for the following pouring steps.
    • Pre-infusion: Just Gently pour the hot water, wet the grounds and observe the bloom as the grounds expand and release trapped Co2 from the coffee and hence the aroma. 45sec.
    • Initial Drip Pour: 2 – 3 partial pours to drip for 25sec intervals
    • Final Pour: LAst pour to make volume and let it all drip through and complete in 3 mins. total

Importantly in the pouring process never let the grounds ever dry up, keep pouring and then adjust the grind accordingly as per cup completion time.