Hello everyone

(This post is similar to a recent Reddit post)

Hello all, so I have come here today to ask about pourovers. (TL'DR at end)

The reason is I bought (and will ship ~20th) the $65 bluebottle Yemen coffee. For such a high price and very unique opportunity I want to be prepared the best I can.

I currently have a --
Gooseneck Kettle (no Var.Temp)
Hario Scale
Lido E
Chemex (6-cup)
Infrared/Contact Thermometers
[AeroPress & FrenchPress are in a box somewhere]

I like my Chemex, I like the filter, but I know that its filter takes away oils/body/silt.

So my Q is: *What pourover will give me the "best" cup-- one where all the flavors are accounted for?*

Keep Chemex
Plastic/Ceramic/Metal/Glass V60
Katalina Wave (? building materials ?)
Beehouse
Clever
Chemex w/Kone

The more the merrier in terms of responses and recommendedations, and price isn't an issue.

TL'DR: To prepare for my Yemen coffee, I'm trying to decide if I should stick with my Chemex/paper.filter or if another method will bring out the BEST OVERALL cup, that can/will highlight the brighter tones and the deeper tones

I think you are most likely to get the best results with a method you are familiar with.

Besides sticking with your Chemex, of your other choices, I use and like the Clever dripper, which is more of a full immersion method than a pourover (I'm not really a pourover guy). It's very consistent and doesn't have much of a learning curve or require much in the way of technique. I more or less follow the Sweet Maria's guidelines, with small variations.

http://legacy.sweetmarias.com/Tip-Sheet ... per_SM.pdf

Some people don't like (or don't like the idea of) paper-filtered coffee, but I prefer it, as I like a cleaner cup. I use paper filters for Aeropress, drip, Clever and syphon, although I've never used a Chemex.

It really comes down to personal preference, which you discover by experimenting. Since you want to get the most out of your coffee right now, I'd stick with what you know and not worry about whether some other method might theoretically give you more of this or that.

i really like chemex, i think it provides a very clean cup. i just rarely use it because of the size, i have a 6 cup chemex and usually only brew around 250g, so i stick with v60-01. stick with what you know seems like a good advice. but it won't break bank to buy a plastic v60 and try it out a bit

Have you tried reaching out Blue Bottle about their preferred brewing method/parameters for this coffee?

I went with Kalita Wave 185 over the V60. My research led me to believe it was slightly more user-friendly and forgiving. You can pulse-pour, rather than needing a constant, steady pour as I understand a V60 may require. I do use a flow restrictor in my Bonavita kettle.

I have really enjoyed the Kalita. It's also great device for iced coffee (take your usual coffee/water ratio and divide the water into half ice cubes and pour over the other half).

In retrospect, I'd have gone with the stainless steel dripper rather than the glass. If (when?) I break my glass dripper I'll get the stainless.

1yay1 wrote:i really like chemex, i think it provides a very clean cup. i just rarely use it because of the size, i have a 6 cup chemex and usually only brew around 250g, so i stick with v60-01. stick with what you know seems like a good advice. but it won't break bank to buy a plastic v60 and try it out a bit

Nailed it...but if I brew a 38/600 in my chem, I get two excellent cups on the weekend, and the clarity and vibrancy in the cup is outstanding. For single pour methods, I use my Kalita wave with a 28/390 ratio.

With the same ratio of water to ground coffee, and similar drip times, my experience at a coffee shop is that the methods taste different so it's going to be to your preference. I like the Kalita because the water has a slower path to the cup so the grounds are immersed in the water longer. Since I like full immersion brewing (AP, FP), the Kalita is my favorite pourover.

I think the Kalita Wave or the V60 might be a good idea to be able to brew smaller batches with thinner filters to savor this special coffee. I have the glass Kalita Wave filters and a glass V60-02, the V60 is much thicker glass and really heats up after pre-heating and brewing when compared to the Kalita. I've read and I think I agree that the V60 can emphasize the brightness and acidity of a coffee; I had been brewing with the V60 for a bit to get a comparison but haven't brewed head to head so I can't really say that anything is jumping out.

The Kalita is probably easier to use with a less exacting technique required, but the V60 is a cone like the Chemex so you've probably got a pretty good pour technique already. The Kalita filters are more expensive, but there's some alternative filters on Amazon that fit that aren't as costly, but I haven't tried them out yet.

I bought the Kalita Wave Style set which has a small carafe like the Chemex and a metal spacer ring to hold the glass Kalita 185 filter holder that comes without the plastic ring on the base that would normally sit on your cup or coffee server. I like the carafe and I trade out the 185 filter holder for the V60-02 glass filter holder after popping off it's plastic base and brew into the carafe for morning coffee.

I received the BB Yemen when they first roasted it on the 9th of June, and have brewed it in both the V60 and kalita 155. I preferred it on the v60, but I also am more comfortable with brewing on a V60. Its a super clean natural coffee (oxymoron?)! get ready for tons of strawberry in the cup. I would go with whatever method you fell comfortable with. The only reason I would shy away from a 6 cup chemex is because its conducive to making large batches of coffee and you only get 6 ounces in this package.

THANKS EVERYONE!!

You guys have been very helpful, I got a v60 and brewed an awesome cup.