TOP THREE - Easy Tips For A Better Pour Over 

I lost the USB that came with it...

Same lol, too bad it wont be coming onto android until the summer though.

Annoyed Hario wont update the V60 to USB-C.

What is this? V60 1.2. USB?

I’m a big fan of note taking, and I highly recommend it. I know I’ve covered it in some other videos but that’s a great call. It’s super helpful.

Thanks, I always try to put out a variety of content. Some does well, others don’t, but it’s all just an exploration of coffee. Next weeks video is something I’ve never done, curious to see how it’s received!

@@Sprometheus : "Hey guys. Today we will be brewing a V60 using the vegetable stock from James Hoffman's most recent video..."

Hahaha, I see what you did there.

For sure! Thank you my friend!

Thanks Orrin! Those are the goals, glad it landed!

@@Sprometheus your welcome sir, perfect landing

Glad to hear my recipe helped you! It’s funny, I think I saw another person say the Kubomi really slows down their draw down. That’s one of those funny things about brewing coffee I guess. Enjoy the new grinder, I’ve heard great things about it!

Indeed. Spreading out into phases or slowing to match the draw down speed should extend the brew time overall. But remember, in terms of that a little goes a long way.

That’s a fact! Understanding brewing principles will only get you so far, knowing that tweaks are often needed is key to success.

It’s definitely on my list, I’ll get around to it for sure. Thanks for the reminder and the kind words.

Thanks Max, I appreciate you watching and the kind words my friend.

That was one trap I fell into when I started and it was pretty frustrating, but then I realized what really matters is how it tastes.

Thank you my friend! I appreciate that.

Agitation is good no matter the brewing method, so all good with me! I do love a nice BMW, also Porsches.

I saw a video from James Hoffmann, in which he said “from testing, swirling the dripper creates the best result”. That being said, he did not mention what type of testing was conducted. I’d recommend you watching his ultimate v60 technique video on RU-vid. I don’t use his exact recipe but still some of the stuff he mentioned really helped me creating a better cup of coffee.

They absolutely are! Both can kick up extraction by quite a bit. Personally I brew mostly light to medium coffees so I dive in straight off boil temp wise. Agitation I feel like is a little trickier because even your water can help agitate. So it’s all about finding they balance for the best extraction.

Haha I don’t see any reason not to, especially at home. In a cafe I wouldn’t recommend it.

You’re welcome, those are the Kruve Propel espresso glasses, you can find them here: www.kruveinc.com/products/propel-double-walled-espresso-glasses-with-thin-rim

Thank you for the link 🤣

For sure, and thanks for watching! To start, like I mentioned grind size is a big factor. Finer grind means water flows slower through it, and coarser means faster. Personally, I like to grind on the coarser side, and if I poured all the brew water in quickly it would just run through very fast, but I like to control the flow rate at which I pour the water in, which slows the brew time a bit. The filters can also make a difference in the flow as well. Like Cafecs light roast filters collect fines and slows the flow, the medium roast filters speed it up a bit. Honestly, In your case I would taste the brew and then decide what I need to change based on that. Is there a particular issue you’re trying to resolve in terms of taste?

@@Sprometheus ty for responding! specifically, i’m looking to create clarity in my brew

Thanks, here is the link to the cups. www.kruveinc.com/products/propel-double-walled-espresso-glasses-with-thin-rim

@@Sprometheus Thanks MUCH. Their collection of glassware is fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

You’re welcome, and thank you for watching! Do you mean like pouring pace and pattern?

@@Sprometheus yeah, pace, pattern, power (like heavy or light) could call it the three p’s of pouring. Despite having grind, ratio, temp etc dialled in I still get varying results in my cup, some great, some less than great, some borderline bad, figure it must come down to getting the pour itself right and then keeping it consistent, would love to see a video on the subject someday

For sure! I appreciate any comment, first or not haha. Thanks for watching.

I've seen it recommended to buy tonic water and lemon juice. Tonic water is bitter, lemon is acidic. Many confuse the two, but by tasting tonic water and lemon side by side you can learn to tell the difference.

Thanks, glad you found it helpful. Tasting over and under extraction is one of those things that can vary from person to person, and tastebud to tastebud. My best advice would be to taste and adjust based on that feedback instead of trying to pinpoint those somewhat vague terms. If it’s a little sour to your liking maybe fine up the grind a bit as it may need more contact time, and if it’s bitter coarsen it up a bit. I found Barista Hustle’s article about it to be the most helpful, if you haven’t seen it I’d recommend checking it out. www.baristahustle.com/blog/coffee-extraction-and-how-to-taste-it/

​@@Sprometheus Yes, I knew it was going to be hard! The difficulty I have is when it's close but not there yet, and so it's just a bit meh and generic. If it's way under extracted I'm fine recognising the insipid sourness; if it's way over, the bitterness is also clear enough. When it's close to being dialled in, though, I don't know if it needs more extraction to bring out the flavours that appear lacking, or am I getting over extracted bitter flavours that are overpowering and hiding the desirable sweeter fruity ones? Worse still I could be getting an inconsistent extraction and a bit of everything. In this sort of situation it's a bit of coin toss how I adjust the grind. If I've only got one bag of a particular coffee it's quite easy to use it up before nailing it.

@@ximono That's a good tip for learning the ends of the spectrum of flavours, but it seems harder when it's closer to the dialled in sweet spot but not there yet.

@@ntq1ty Definitely. You can even get both at once if you have a cheap grinder that's all over the place.

I’ve heard people having the experience both ways, in the end I recommend doing what tastes best. If it chokes up your draw down and over extracts the coffee then I’d avoid it.

Thank you my friend! And yes, your instinct is correct. If you’re using a larger dose it means the water is still getting a good amount of contact time, and bitterness is often a byproduct of over-extraction. So a coarser grind should knock that right out.

Thanks a lot man! I've watched almost every V60 video on RU-vid and couldn't find any that talked about this issue when changing doses (while keeping the same ratio, technique, temperature, etc.)

@@matiaschacana5768 for sure! Maybe that’s something I should cover in a future video.

@@Sprometheus It would be awesome! Also would like to know your thoughts on the Timemore Chestnut Slim hand grinder and how does it compare to the higher-end hand grinders (like the Comandante, Chestnut X, etc.) I've been thinking about upgrading my Hario Mini Slim Plus but I don't know if I should get the Chestnut Slim or save for a Comandante

@@matiaschacana5768 If you plan on brewing espresso, then Slim is not an option. For pourovers I would either go with cheapest Timemore (C2 or Slim), or with Comandante/Kinu. Both options would be a significant upgrade over Hario (dump it asap). Slim I think is the best bang for the buck, but higher end grinders will give you more fine tuning options. Regarding large v60 brews - it's very hard to achieve quality brew with more than 20g doses, I would use immersion (Clever, etc) or switch to batch brew.

Perhaps try higher water temperature? If you are using a light roast, even around 100C or 212F would be just fine. I find higher water temperature drastically decreases the brew time.

Yeah it’s possible it may speed up the fines migration, but I haven’t had that issue. It may depend on the grinder and how many fines it produces.

I've noticed that swirling at the end can speed up the drawdown, even if done carefully. Only stirring right after the last pour results in a slower drawdown / longer brew time. At least that's my experience, YMMV.

@@ximono Interesting. I've actually found the opposite. When I swirl at the end I find I can over extract and the micro fines clog the pores of the paper resulting in a slow drawdown. Try pouring in centre for the last half or quarter of the brew( this is not right or wrong but will result in a even faster drawdown) . But most importantly if you like the way your brews taste that's all that really matters.

@@lukesp5721 I actually wanted a slower brew, since I was using a relatively course grind. I'm using tabbed Hario filters that are smooth on the inside, so clogging hasn't been an issue. The beans themselves and how much fines they (and the grinder) produce also makes a big difference. There are so many factors involved, it's hard to get a clear picture of what goes on, to be honest. It feels like half science half art. But as you say, the end result is always what matters in the end.

What I find the most interesting about pour overs is that a rule that always seems to apply to one person is completely different from another. There are so many variables that can change why you should do when making a pourover, equipment used, filters, quality of grinder, pouring pace, your recipe not even to mention preference. It's why pourovers are so different from person to person, which can be frustrating but I also find it super cool that people can have so widely different techniques yet still achieve the most important thing; a good cup of coffee

So this thread is exactly the points I try to make in videos like this. So many of these experiences vary by so many different variables, and some that are pretty much impossible to specify. So I think it’s important to know and understand the brewing basics, and use them as you see fit. It’s rare there’s a one size fits all thing in coffee.

I haven’t, that sounds intense. Is there a video or something on that? I’ve never heard of it.

Thanks for watching. I live in small apartment and make do with what I have. If I recorded my talking portions by the coffee bar it would be super echoey.

The most difficult cup of coffee to make is the one before you've had a cup of coffee. At least for me it's impossible to make a good cup of coffee before I've had a cup of coffee. I call it the coffee paradox. The second cup is the one that counts.

That’s an important factor in the quality of the final cup, and the potential for a mess and hot water burns.

Bitter is often a taste associated with over extraction, but 3:30 doesn’t seem too long especially for that large of a dose. What are you brewing on?

The speed at which you add water to the slurry.

Google translate didn't give me any info on what this says, but I hope you enjoyed the video my friend.

@@Sprometheus he’s asking if there’s any recommendations on electric grinder that can grind light roast single origin espresso. Hope that helps 🙌🏼

@@DominicHong ahh thank you!

I’m pretty partial to the Niche at the moment, but as long as you go with a burr grinder you should be pretty well set for drip. Espresso on the other hand requires something a little more adjustable so you can really fine tune.

@@Sprometheus Thank you for your reply. I am an audience from Taiwan and I often watch your videos. It’s great.

That’s a fact!

Thanks for watching AJ!

@@Sprometheus thank you for great content every week!

@@MrAnd_001 you’re very welcome!