On my recent trip through Portland, I noticed a certain technique for hand drip coffee that seemed ubiquitous regardless of brewing device. What I found interesting, was how it differed from my home technique. I have always stuck with the traditional "x" amount of coffee for "y" amount of brew water; where "y" represented the desired beverage volume. When I ordered my first drip coffee at Stumptown, they brewed it in a Chemex. They weighed the coffee, placed the Chemex on a scale, and poured the water in a controlled fashion until they had their target amount of brew water. The surprise came in when they removed the filter before it was finished dripping. It seemed like they were wasting coffee or perhaps not getting the concentration correct. I saw this same technique employed with a v60 at Public Domain where they poured me a most excellent Esmeralda Mario Carnival, and again at Water Avenue.

I looked up their brewing guide online, and now it makes more sense. It calls for more coffee than I would normally use for the desired beverage volume, but instead, the amount of coffee one would use for the volume of brew water! OK - nooow I get it, brew water does not equal beverage volume. I find that this method produces a nice cup with a steady and consistent draw down. Curious if anyone else brews their hand drip in this fashion?

Cheers,
~j

That's the way I've always seen it done here with pour-over coffee.

So would it change the extraction if they let it all drip to the cup?

jammin wrote:I looked up their brewing guide online, and now it makes more sense. It calls for more coffee than I would normally use for the desired beverage volume, but instead, the amount of coffee one would use for the volume of brew water!

According to the Stumptown guide:

We recommend 23 prams of fresh ground coffee (0.8oz or about three rounded tablespoons) to make 8 oz of brewed coffee.

23 "prams" yields a ratio of 1:10 of coffee grinds:beverage weight. IIRC coffee grinds absorb about twice their weight in water, and a ratio of 1:15 would be more in line with the SCAA standard (1:17 coffee grinds:brew water weight).

Weighing the coffee beverage rather than the brew water may be easier in a commercial setting, especially if the drip apparatus is suspended above the cup. In my office, where drip coffee is more practical than espresso, I typically brew 12oz of coffee beverage using 25g of coffee grinds, and find the 1:15 ratio to be ample brew strength.

It's a little like the Coava Kone. Just bought one and no complains.

http://coava.myshopify.com/blogs/kone

Speaking for us (Public Domain,) when we make v60 pour-overs, we are extracting to a target volume (aprox. 14oz of yield measured by the pinch in the neck of our decanters.) We continue to fill the cone and allow a constant flow until we hit our target volume, then pull the decanter out of the flow. Our reasoning here is that by keeping the slurry at the same volume we minimize temperature loss in the brew. On the other hand, we brew our Chemexs on a scale, pouring to a specific brew-water weight, stir the slurry and allow it to drain completely. The only time we will dispose of brew water is if the last ounce or two choke at the end of the brew.

Interesting point. For a while now, I've been using input measurements (brew water volume & grounds weight) rather than output for my vacpot, and have found it to be quite consistent. FWIW, I typically use 55g/1200ml with a total brew time (including soak & drawdown) of about 4 minutes. For lighter roasts at City to City+, which is what I've been roasting and drinking lately, this produces a wonderfully full cup.

PDCoffee wrote:Speaking for us (Public Domain,) when we make v60 pour-overs, we are extracting to a target volume (aprox. 14oz of yield measured by the pinch in the neck of our decanters.) We continue to fill the cone and allow a constant flow until we hit our target volume, then pull the decanter out of the flow. Our reasoning here is that by keeping the slurry at the same volume we minimize temperature loss in the brew. On the other hand, we brew our Chemexs on a scale, pouring to a specific brew-water weight, stir the slurry and allow it to drain completely. The only time we will dispose of brew water is if the last ounce or two choke at the end of the brew.

Noah,

Thank you for contributing. I stopped by your shop on my visit through portland and had a couple terrific shots and a cap to go - AND a bag of Honduras from Coava(amazing). Your description matches up with what I have seen at Public Domain and Stumptown as well. The reasoning behind it makes sense to me. I look forward to stopping by again next fall when I get back from overseas.

cheers,
~j

Sherman wrote:For a while now, I've been using input measurements (brew water volume & grounds weight) rather than output for my vacpot, and have found it to be quite consistent. FWIW, I typically use 55g/1200ml with a total brew time (including soak & drawdown) of about 4 minutes. For lighter roasts at City to City+, which is what I've been roasting and drinking lately, this produces a wonderfully full cup.

55g/1200ml is a coffee:water ratio of 1:22. This is far lower than the generally accepted standard of 1:17.* I suspect I would find your vac pot brew weak and overextracted.

4 minutes is on the long side for typical vac pot brewing. If you have not already done so, try more coffee, a finer grind, and a shorter extraction time.

It goes without saying that you should follow your own taste buds. If you have already experimented with standard brewing parameters, and really do prefer it "your" way, please ignore this post.

* Scott Rao in Everything But Espresso suggests "a brew ratio of 1:17... should be nearly optimal for most coffees and palates." (p.17) The SCAA recommends 60g/1000ml.

Sherman wrote

vacpot, and have found it to be quite consistent. FWIW, I typically use 55g/1200ml with a total brew time (including soak & drawdown) of about 4 minutes

I've been using 23 gr for 12 oz. final cup, brewing for 45 sec, a la SM.
Stumptown

We recommend 8 grams (0.28 oz or about one rounded tablespoon) coffee per 4 oz of water.

and their technique also uses a short brew time http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/guides/4#

Marvin