Pourover Instruction

Thanks for filling out our better coffee questionnaire.

Sounds like you’re doing a lot of things right. Good to see that you’re using the V60 and a burr grinder. That’s what I use at home most of the time.

After I started using a Comandante, I sold my Baratza Virtuoso because I enjoy the manual grinding each morning and the coffee is a bit better because of the consistent grind size.

Interesting that your favorite coffee is Kenyan. We have had some tasty Kenyans in the past, but the Kenyan auction system drives the prices up to a point where it’s difficult for me to find excellent coffees at a reasonable price. I’ve really enjoyed the clarity and variety in our Panama coffees  I think because it’s so close, I’ve been able to become friends with the coffee growers and that helps when buying coffee.

So, probably the ideal flavor note you’d be looking for in a great washed Kenyan is blackcurrant. Depending on how the coffee is roasted, you’ll need to adjust your grind size so that you get a decent flow rate through the filter so that when you pour slowly, you don’t get a lot of pooling. Very light roasted coffees act like a sieve, so they’re difficult to brew in my opinion. Also, in my experience, the lighter the roast, the higher you’ll want your water temp. But I’d say start with 200 and work up and down 1-2º from there to see the variations in taste. 

As far as your method, I suggest letting the coffee bloom for half a minute or so before continuing your pour to brew the coffee. 

Ratio of coffee to water is a big one, and everyone has a different opinion. We use 1:12 at the DoubleShot, and that’s usually what I do at home. But most people recommend a much more water-heavy ratio. I sometimes enjoy doing a 1:10 just to get a stronger cup. But you might try 1:12 and see what you think.

If you aren’t using a scale, I recommend this one: DoubleShotCoffee.com