Currently I have a standard Melitta Filter and a standard water kettle. I have read and heard that the pouring speed makes a big difference for the result but I can’t really control that very well with the spout of said kettle.
Currently the coffee tastes like a mix of under- and overextracted which is really confusing. I have tried different grind settings before but the issue persists.
Edit: The mix in over- and underextracted might also come from me not stirring before drinking the coffee.
Is there a way to improve this without getting a new kettle? What other things can I try?
Edit: I have now tried pouring with a Pyrex type measuring cup and it pours much better than the water kettle. Combined with stirring afterwards it noticeably improved the taste. The grinder I use is the Timemore C3 ESP pro.
Thanks everyone!
If you are dead set against getting a gooseneck kettle then try gently pour onto a spoon to break up the flow.
I use a gooseneck kettle and even with that I pour through a mini colander similar to the 0.85 Quart version in the following link to reduce agitation of the grounds.
https://www.amazon.com/Palksky-Small-Colander-Set-Micro-Perforations/
I used to use a Melitta filter brewer and it is very capable of making great cups if you have good beans and are able to pour correctly.
I use a hario air to do my pour over work as I didn’t want to replace my current kettle. It works great and I have used it for several diffent watering jobs around the house.
but I can’t really control that very well with the spout of said kettle.
Unfortunately this is just kind of a hard limit with non-gooseneck kettles.
You can do a lot to try to mitigate your issues, whether that’s transferring the water to something with a finer spout or different stirring technique. But a pourover setup benefits from a gooseneck. It lets you get the tip of the spout closer to the bed, which lets you control how heavy the flow is into the bed, which lets you control how aggressive the disruption of the bed is with your pour. Without the ability to control that you just have one fewer way to control your coffee brew, and it’s a particualrly crucial method of control. The limited aperture also helps control pour speed, which with normal kettles is precipitously difficult.
You could of course use a different brewer. An Aeropress, OXO Rapid Brewer, Clever Dripper, Moka pot, French press, and many other brewers are actually kind of a pain with a gooseneck, it’s great to just dump water and go on those. But those aren’t pourover and, generally, lack the control you’d get out of a full pourover setup.
I will say I think high end kettles are unnecessary. I don’t use one. While it’s certainly nice if a kettle hits a specific temperature accurately and quickly, I can boil water and let it cool down a bit before brewing. If necessary I do have accurate thermometers. I also tend toward lighter roasts, so the water being close to boiling is usually fine. It’s a little less control, but well past the point of diminishing returns and not worth $150.
If the goal is just good coffee you could probably rig together something with what’s on hand. You could also get a brewer that matches well to your current kettle. But if you’re putting up with the pain in the ass that is hand grinding and you want to make coffee a hobby, you should prioritize eventually getting a gooseneck kettle, electric or otherwise.
Thanks, this is pretty similar to the other advice. I am actually thinking about getting an aeropress right now. Will probably do that before getting a more expensive kettle
I’m just stopping in from all, and I just wanted to say I love this and appreciate how much knowledge and passion is here in this post. I’ve learned some things 💚
It was also quite helpful for me too. I didn’t think a spout of similar shape could get a much better pour.
Thank you for stopping by!
Longer first soak. Then pulse the pours afterwards.
A mix of over and under extraction could be a couple of things, but IMO the most likely culprits are either inconsistency in the grind or pouring technique.
If you have a mix of really fine and coarser particles in your grounds, that’ll definitely cause these problems. If you’re grinding at home, you can try getting some beans ground for pourover from a café to see if your grinder has this issue.
As for ensuring your pour is giving you an even extraction; start from the centre, pouring in a spiral until you reach the edge, making sure to water all the grounds. You can also give your pourover a swirl during the brew, I tend to do one right after pouring the water for the bloom, and one after my last pour.
The mix in over- and underextracted might also come from me not stirring before drinking the coffee.
I honestly prefer not stirring the coffee afterwards. I like the slightly different notes on the first sip vs the last, but maybe I’m a weirdo.
From what I tried now it was a combination of pouring technique and the absence of stirring that lead to this taste. I have now tried a pyrex for pouring like another person suggested, which worked very well.
I have the standard plastic Melitta pourover cone and I heat the water in a Pyrex. I’m also using Folgers (Colombian). I’m quite happy with my cups. I’d be curious what a coffee connoisseur thinks about it, but I’ve been doing it this way for years, this is how I take my coffee now. I’m not sure spending money to improve my coffee to the tastes of someone else would benefit me. (I don’t only drink Folgers. I’m also fond of Eight O’Clock and Chock Full’o Nuts, both Colombian varieties.)
Anyway, I think the pour speed affects the strength by letting the grounds soak longer. My Melitta cone holds about six ounces, and I boil 12 ounces (and let it cool to around the ideal extraction temp, but, it’s not a science). (And yes, I have enough grounds and a big enough cup to justify it.) So, that said, I could fill the cone with water, which shores the grounds up on the sides. What I prefer to do is pour around the edges, then swirl in, so the grounds are barely covered. Then, I just keep them wet, slowly pouring, so all the water is going through all those grounds. I definitely taste stronger coffee when I do it that way. But, if I’m going into work, I want a lighter coffee I can drink more quickly, so I will just pour faster.
It’s an efficient, considered routine that is giving you results you like. You’re brewing and drinking fresh, no time on a hot plate. You’ve messed around with pour speed, saturation, and bed distribution and dialed them in to match your preferences. I’d assume it’s well made coffee.
If you don’t grind your own beans that might be a change that could dramatically improve your results.
Do you just put the Pyrex in the microwave for heating?
Edit: I have tried the pyrex and it allows a much nicer and more controlled pour. Thank you very much
Yeah, I do. 12 ounces gets 3 and a half minutes, though I typically do 333 so I don’t have to move my finger as much.
There’s also the “two Pyrexes” issue where if it’s lowercase it’s better or something like that, I forget. I think I have the worse version. Either way it works fine. You could use any old measuring cup that isn’t metal (if you want to heat via microwave, I mean), but I like the glass/tempered glass one.
I’m pretty sure we only have one kind of pyrex in Germany but I just used a similar measuring cup made by a different company.
Thank you very much, the coffee tastes noticeably better now.
Taking a look at what Pyrex is available, Germany has the same “PYREX” versus "pyrex"problem. About 10 years ago private equity bought Pyrex and changed the glass formula which caused moderate temperature variation to break the glass. Think boiling temp to ambient temps.
The thing to look for is the logo. Before the buyout. Pyrex used all lowercase letters. After the buyout the logo changed to all capital letters. Lower case is the classic high durability pyrex.
Good to know, I haven’t seen either around very often. But that might be my region.
Folgers? Man, you gotta explore the world of beans more. I recommend Ethiopian, Jamaican Blue Mountain using light roasts.
Give it more steep time.
Something like the Clever Coffee Dripper allows better control over extraction time. Grind size does not matter as much too.
Can be used with #4 paper filters, or a reusable stainless-steel mesh filter.
In my experience, porcelain filters are unsuited for coffee extraction. They allow water to pass way too slowly and the pores get clogged making them even slower. Get something that allows you to use a standard paper filter. Also, make sure the water is boiling and stays boiling. A long neck kettle will help, but isn’t strictly necessary. The grinder you use is probably the most important part, you didn’t mention that. Stirring is necessary.
James Hoffmann recommends decreasing the temperature the darker the roast.
- Very light roasts: 95-100°C
- Light roasts: 92-100°C
- Medium roasts: 85-95°C
- Medium-dark roasts: 80-90°C
- Dark roasts: 80-85°C
☝️ I forgot that people enjoy pour over with beans other than light 😂.
By porcelain I meant the melitta type thing. It is the holder for paper filters. My grinder is the Timemore C3 ESP pro.
Ah, that’s much better then, those porcelain filters suck. Your grinder is fine, should be able to make delicious coffee. I’d recommend focusing on grind setting to make sure that you are hitting your time targets, and using very hot water. James Hoffman has some good videos on pourover techniques that would be worth watching. I think he even has one about using kettles without a long neck. Also, make sure your beans are fresh and high quality.
That piece of porcelain sucks up all the heat from your water. Invest in a cheap plastic V60. They cost just a few euros.
Get some decent paper filters for it. I would recommend Cafec ABACA (not the plus version!) but the Hario filters work fine as well.
Ideally you want to pour from a temperature controlled gooseneck kettle. That allows you to precisely control your pouring speed. They don’t have to be expensive. Alternatively you can get a Hario Drip Kettle Air for pouring.
And most importantly buy good coffee.
try to avoid churning up the bed while you’re pouring. aim for a 2-3 minute extraction time
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