Our 2024 pourover recipe

We assume most people buying and brewing our coffees, are likely doing pourovers, as opposed to espresso or other methods (although we do love our coffees on espresso), so we're super happy to finally be sharing our method with you.

The recipe we've developed and are continually improving on is quite unique, and while it may not bring out the best of every coffee, it is a trusty recipe that we've found leads to consistently enjoyable cups from our beans. This recipe is based on technique, with emphasis on agitation, flow, and pour height. Drawdown time is not an end-all-be-all here.

And if brewing our coffees, a crucial first step is degassing. Although we only sell coffees which we enjoy from the first or second day of cupping, our coffees typically require at least 35-45 days of rest before brewing. If possible, we recommend 60 days, as our coffees typically peak from then until the 90 day mark. Our omniroasting style leaves a lot more gas inside the coffee than other roast profiles, and those undesirable gassy notes will be very evident if not left to rest for a sufficient amount of time. Further advice regarding brewing our coffees without the above recommended degassing time will be provided throughout the recipe in italics.

• dripper - Origami Dripper Air S
• filter - Kalita Wave 155
• kettle - Fellow Stagg EKG or Brewista Artisan
• scale - Acaia Pearl
• grinder - EK43, Timemore 078(1:18-19ratio/13.5-14g:250g water recommended), Comandante C40 MK3 (around 22clicks, 1:18ratio recommended), TImemore C3
• other - Nucleus Paragon (optional, we created this recipe before starting to use Paragon)

We use the Origami Dripper Air as it fits Kalita wave filters flushly, while having a slope that isn't as steep as other flat-bottom drippers like the Orea, Kalita, Timemore, etc. With the wave filters, it goes from a high-bypass cone brewer to a low-bypass flat-bottom brewer. It also fits the Paragon, which we use at the brew bar, perfectly. We prefer the Air to the ceramic model because it's super light, convenient, and won't break. Technically, it also retains heat better throughout the brew. Regarding the kettle, our baristas like both the Stagg and the Brewista, but we choose to use the Stagg in shop because it's easier to control (more consistent across baristas) for our pouring style.

• 50g bloom for 30s, 105g slow circle pour (outer to inner) for around 20-30s, wait for water to nearly reach coffee bed, final 100g slow circle pour finishing in center for 255g finish at around 2:55~3:30
• bloom for 45~60s depending on how gassy
• ratio - 1:17-18 (14-15g coffee, 255g water)
• grind setting - relatively fine (10~11 on EK43, 9~11 on Timemore 078, 22~25 clicks on Comandante C40 MK3)*for time more or Comdandante, we would recommend a 1:18ratio(14g coffee 250g water).
• brew temperature - 93°C (from 90°C to 95°C based on preference)
• water - 100ppm (we use Aquacode, 1:6 ratio of Aquacode to distilled water)
• target TDS: usually 1.25-1.34 depending on the coffee, but ultimately the taste 

Grind your 14-15g of coffee, trying to mitigate fines and chaff depending on your grinder.

Place your filter and rinse with hot water, ideally as hot as your brew temp, but hot tap is okay, if you're more concerned about energy or waste.

Gently pour your grounds into the filter, as evenly as possible. Once in the filter, lift and tap the sides of your dripper until the bed is flat and evenly distributed. You can use WDT at this time if you prefer, but we don't at the shop.

 

• Set everything on your scale, and tare. Start your timer, and begin pouring 50g of water into the dripper, starting from the center, moving to the outside, and then back towards the center to finish. This 50g should be slightly aggressive and quick, finishing around 10-12 seconds. The goal here is just to sufficiently saturate the grounds, so give the dripper a few swirls to saturate as needed. Wait until your scale hits 0:30 to start the second pour.
• 45~60s bloom depending on the gassiness 

• Starting from the center and circling towards the outside, start pouring to quickly resaturate the coffee bed and raise the water level to around a total of 80-85g, and then slow down to a very slow and controlled circular pour moving in towards the center, finishing at 155g total.

 

• Once you reach 150g and you've gotten to the center of the pour, stop and wait for a semi-drawdown. Once the water level nearly reaches the coffee bed, we'll go in for the third and final pour.

3rd pour

• This pour will start just like the second pour, aiming to quickly resaturate the coffee bed with about 30-35g before transitioning into a slow circle pour. This circle pour will be slightly quicker than the second pour, aiming to hit the center by around 240-245g, finishing the last 10-15g with a center pour. Once 255g total is reached, we wait for drawdown.

• Depending on your preference, you may swirl the bed to finish the drawdown, but if you don't, you can study the finished coffee bed to see how your pour technique was. The ideal coffee bed should have clear walls of coffee on the outside of the dripper, with a flat circular bed towards the center. As mentioned, drawdown time does not matter too much, but typically our drawdowns are between 2:55 and 3:15.

• 50g bloom, center to outer, finish with outer to inner at 10-12 seconds
• swirl to saturate grounds evenly
• Main pour starts with 35-50g of water from the center to the outside, without stopping before the slow pour
• aggressive and quick to raise the water level and resaturate grounds
• Second pour after the resaturation finishes at 155g of total water. Outer to inner pour, slowly, maintaining the water level
• Third pour starts similar to the second pour, resaturating the grounds and then circle pour until 235-240g, finishing in the center until 255g total
• finish with center pour during last 10-15g of water
• Drawdown time between 2:55-3:15

• Maintain a steady stream and flowrate: vertical stream with as low of a flow as possible (without breaking the stream)
• Create a wall of grounds that leads to a flat center, this is done first with the start of the 2nd pour, to create the shape under the water, and then maintained with the slow circle pour
• Relatively quick drawdown (you shouldn't experience stalling or clogging) is ideal, and despite using a somewhat finer grind setting, this pour technique allows for a clear coffee bed without any cloudiness during the drawdown, which is observable with the very clean cup