Pourover brewer basics [video]

Coffee preparation techniques besides espresso like pourover.
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HB
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#1: Post by HB »

While most days I drink straight espressos, I also enjoy other brew preparation methods at least few times a week like French press or vacuum brewer. After reading many positive comments about the Hario (pourover) brewer the last year or two, I've added the V60 to my rotation.

At first I followed the precise instructions detailed in Terroir's brewing with the Hario v60 02 dripper (PDF). But for those who are bleary-eyed in the morning, I recommend Peter's simplified presentation:
Dan Kehn

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Marshall
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#2: Post by Marshall »

Of course it's not just the technique. It's the equipment, too. The slow dripping Melitta Bonmac filter is much more forgiving than the fast-running Hario.
Marshall
Los Angeles

PeterG
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#3: Post by PeterG »

Yes, I agree with Marshall. The pourover cones we make with Japanese manufacturer Bonmac are designed with flow rate in mind.... I find the V60 WAY too fast (that hole is gigantic) which makes it tough to brew coffee well unless you're really paying attention. The small-hole Bonmac home dripper (our white one) has a smaller hole- like a flow restrictor- which makes the "sweet spot" of brewing way bigger and easier to hit.

I'm curious to know what equipment and procedure Home Baristas use.... we're constantly "preaching" to people that they can brew coffee at home with a minimum of equipment and fuss. I'm always trying to do better at that. I'd love to learn more about what everyone does, with the goal of making coffee better!

I had a little brewing clinic with my mother-in-law this morning. She's using a blade grinder, 4-cup Cuisinart, and the coffee I gave her 6 months ago (sigh...)

Peter G
counter culture coffee

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Boldjava
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#4: Post by Boldjava »

PeterG wrote:I find the V60 WAY too fast (that hole is gigantic) which makes it tough to brew coffee well unless you're really paying attention. The small-hole Bonmac home dripper (our white one) has a smaller hole- like a flow restrictor- which makes the "sweet spot" of brewing way bigger and easier to hit.
I go in the opposite direction. I work with Hario and Paiko kettles which offer me the control over the flow. I use Hario V60 and Beehouse cones; Melitta whites or Gen 2 KONE.

I *want* to control the flow with the kettle; I don't want the cone to be determinative of the pour rate. I have a German Friesling Cilio 6 cup porcelain cone that had a tiny one hole restricter. It met its match in a friend's drill bit (OK, two of them) and now it flows sufficiently for adequate kettle control.

B|Java
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Bluecold
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#5: Post by Bluecold »

I like to brew on a scale. That way, I can fill an entire kettle with water and have much less temperature loss while brewing. That is, if I do a manual pourover. I brew way too little coffee.
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yakster
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#6: Post by yakster »

I transfer the hot water to a pouring kettle (re-purposed olive oil pouring can) when I'm doing pour-over in a Chemex with the Kone filter. This gives me the control to pour in the center and adjust the pour rate, I aim for about a 3:30 pour after a 45 second bloom. I pour with the Chemex on a scale and typically use a 16:1 water to coffee ratio. I really liked the Bonavita electric kettle and would consider buying one if I were doing pourover more often.

For smaller batches when only one or two people want brewed coffee, I'll go to the Clever brewer with paper filters. This is an easy way to brew two cups, especially for beginners and it's the method I'm teaching my niece. I find that there's no need for a scale for two cups, you just fill to below the top of the filter for about 450 ml for two 200 ml cups, but if I'm brewing only one cup in the Clever, I do use a scale because I find it impossible to estimate half of the inverted cone shape of the Clever so I'll fill it to 225 ml for a single 200 ml cup using about 12 to 14 grams per 200 ml cup.

On the weekends I'll brew coffee in a stovetop siphon brewer with a glass filter rod, usually while I'm standing at the stove anyway fixing breakfast for the family. I mount the funnel to the base when the water just starts to bubble and let the water rise and cut back the element to below medium to reduce the turbulence before I pitch and dunk the grounds. I remove the siphon from the element after two minutes to start the draw-down.
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Sam21
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#7: Post by Sam21 »

On most mornings, I brew in my V60 or Woodneck. I favor the V60 a bit due to the slight edge it gains in the cleanup department. Most of the time, I make 240ml cups using these methods. On the weekends, I like to experiment with other brew methods such as my Hario siphon, my french press, and my aeropress.

My base method for the V60 is pretty simple, but definitely took me time to perfect. My preferred dose for a 240ml cup is 18g of beans. I use 92C water and grind at a medium-fine setting on my Preciso. I use a Hario Buono kettle with a flow restrictor, a salter scale, and a towel for my pour over method. Here is my daily V60 method:

1. Boil water and thoroughly wet the paper filter. I use a thermometer when heating my water so I actually stop it around 96C rather than letting it reach a full boil. After the V60 and carafe are fully heated, I dump the preheat water into my mug.

2. I grind 18g of coffee at a 19-22 setting on my Preciso and add that to the V60. I settle the grounds and then make a deep divot in the center of the grounds bed.

3. At this point, the water is down to 92C and I am ready to begin my pre-infusion. I begin my pour in the center of the divot and slowly spiral outwards until the grounds are evenly and fully saturated. At this dose, I aim for 35-40ml of water. I'll get some very light drips out of the filter, but nothing more. I allow the coffee to bloom for 20 seconds. *note* I tare the scale after the pre-infusion and do not count the amount in the 240ml yield.

4. When 20 seconds is up, I start my main pour in the middle and slowly spiral out and in being sure to leave a buffer between the pour and the walls of the filter. The flow restrictor that I use in my kettle allows me to keep a continuous slow pour while not forcing the grounds "slurry" to rise much past the initial bloom. I aim to have my pour completed by 1:30-1:40 and allow mixture to drain for the last 20-30 seconds.

The control of flow rate is very important with the V60, as it offers very little resistance compared to a typical dripper. I purchased a flow restrictor from Barismo that has made flow rate control a piece of cake! If I were to adapt this method for a 360ml cup, I would aim for a 35 second bloom with ~50ml of water, a main pour going from 0:35-2:25 and a draw down that lasts 20-35 seconds depending on when the pour ended.

I use a combination of grind and steady flow rate to hit my times. The resulting cups are very sweet and properly extracted. If I find that a cup is slightly under or over extracted, or the timing is off, I adjust the grind size.

The important pieces of the pour over equation are definitely grind size, water temp, and brew length. Everything else is dependent on the type of dripper, i.e. Chemex, V60, Woodneck, Kone, etc.

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Marshall
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#8: Post by Marshall »

First thing in the morning? I'd have to have a cup of coffee to make your cup of coffee. :D
Marshall
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ex trahere
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#9: Post by ex trahere »

Maybe try pouring more slowly? The water will flow through as fast or slow as you pour it (assuming your grind is dialed in).

Yes, V60s require one to pay attention when utilizing them to prepare coffee. I personally enjoy that part.
PeterG wrote:Yes, I agree with Marshall. The pourover cones we make with Japanese manufacturer Bonmac are designed with flow rate in mind.... I find the V60 WAY too fast (that hole is gigantic) which makes it tough to brew coffee well unless you're really paying attention. The small-hole Bonmac home dripper (our white one) has a smaller hole- like a flow restrictor- which makes the "sweet spot" of brewing way bigger and easier to hit.

I'm curious to know what equipment and procedure Home Baristas use.... we're constantly "preaching" to people that they can brew coffee at home with a minimum of equipment and fuss. I'm always trying to do better at that. I'd love to learn more about what everyone does, with the goal of making coffee better!

I had a little brewing clinic with my mother-in-law this morning. She's using a blade grinder, 4-cup Cuisinart, and the coffee I gave her 6 months ago (sigh...)

Peter G
A posse ad esse
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endlesscycles
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#10: Post by endlesscycles »

PeterG wrote:Yes, I agree with Marshall. The pourover cones we make with Japanese manufacturer Bonmac are designed with flow rate in mind.... I find the V60 WAY too fast (that hole is gigantic) which makes it tough to brew coffee well unless you're really paying attention. The small-hole Bonmac home dripper (our white one) has a smaller hole- like a flow restrictor- which makes the "sweet spot" of brewing way bigger and easier to hit.
...
Peter G

I don't think the hole in the filter cone is the effective restriction, rather I find the filter itself to be what dictates flow rate. Even your Bonmac will drain rapidly with no filter in place, so it being the last element in the chain, the filter cone hole area has very little effect on brew time.

As an experiment, invert the cone an inch on a Hario filter to fit your Bonmac and see that it brews quite fast.
-Marshall Hance
Asheville, NC

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