How to Control Water Flow in Pour-Over Coffee? What Are the Common Mistakes?

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Many customers who visit FrontStreet Coffee often watch our baristas brew coffee and can't help but exclaim: "How can you control the water flow so perfectly?" "Why does my water flow come out like a fully opened tap when I brew at home, completely unable to extract the same coffee flavors I taste here?" In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will explain how to practice controlling pour-over water flow.

The Impact of Pour-Over Water Flow Control on Coffee Extraction

When the water column is too thick during pouring, the impact force is greater, which can easily disrupt the coffee bed structure in the cup, and it also means your brewing time will be correspondingly reduced, leading to under-extraction; some water will flow away through cracks in the coffee puck or along the funnel's edge, both of which will result in a coffee taste that is too light with imbalanced acidity and bitterness. Conversely, when the water column is too thin, its penetration force into the coffee grounds is insufficient, which will lengthen the overall extraction time, cause significant temperature drops, and reduce extraction rate. If the water column's penetration is poor, water will repeatedly saturate the same layer, which only accelerates the over-extraction of the first layer of particles, making the coffee liquid full of bitterness and off-flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee summarizes the above from experience: Large water flow techniques result in a relatively thinner mouthfeel and more monotonous flavor profile, with noticeable acidity that can feel overall flat and bland; small water flow techniques produce layered flavor complexity with noticeable sweet aftertaste, but can easily extract undesirable flavors.

How Should We Practice Pour-Over Water Flow Control?

1. Choose a Pour-Over Kettle That Suits You

The market offers a wide variety of pour-over kettles. FrontStreet Coffee recommends beginners use gooseneck kettles. The narrow, flat-cut spout of gooseneck kettles makes water flow easier to control and is suitable for beginners, while wide-mouth kettles are not easy to master for small water flows; narrow gooseneck spouts offer better water flow control and more diverse pouring techniques, requiring frequent practice, while wide-mouth kettles provide large and concentrated water flow, mostly used for large-flow brewing methods.

2. Kettle Holding Grip

As everyone knows, making a cup of pour-over coffee often takes more than two minutes. Incorrect kettle grip can strain your wrist and cause shaking after holding it for a while. FrontStreet Coffee suggests holding the kettle with your thumb on the handle and the other four fingers gripping the handle, with a stable grip that allows the kettle to remain unmoved when gently "poked" with your other hand. Remember, don't grip the handle too tightly and strain your hand!

3. Fixed Point Pouring Practice

Don't think this practice is silly and boring. As the saying goes, "three minutes on stage requires ten years of practice offstage." Only by building a solid foundation and developing muscle memory in your wrist can you achieve stable control over pour-over water flow. Start by pouring out all the water from the pour-over kettle at a small, steady flow rate, keeping the water column perpendicular to the horizontal line, and repeat this practice. Once you're comfortable, practice pouring all the water at a medium, steady flow rate, repeatedly. Finally, move to large water flow and practice repeatedly.

4. Practice Circular Pouring After Mastering Fixed Point Pouring

Once you can pour steadily at the center point, place a powder bowl/bottle cap/practice coffee beans in the center of the filter cup as an obstacle, then slowly pour in circles, practicing to maintain consistent water flow during the circular motion. Next, you can practice progressive circular pouring (following the spiral pattern of mosquito coils).

Why Doesn't Coffee Taste Good Even With Good Water Flow Control?

1. Coffee Bean Freshness

The freshness of coffee is crucial for the quality of pour-over coffee. If coffee beans are left for too long after roasting, it will lead to the loss of coffee flavor and aroma. FrontStreet Coffee's coffee beans have an optimal tasting period of 30 days. After 30 days, as aroma molecules decrease along with the release of carbon dioxide, coffee beans past their tasting period may taste bland and flat when brewed.

2. Pour-Over Coffee Grind Size

The finer the coffee beans are ground, the more easily the coffee powder accumulates at the bottom of the filter paper, creating greater extraction resistance, resulting in slower flow rate and longer extraction time. The extraction rate of substances contained in the coffee is higher, and the brewed coffee will be more intense or have woody and other off-flavors; the coarser the coffee beans are ground, the larger the gaps between powder layers, with less coffee powder in contact with hot water, weaker extraction resistance, faster coffee dripping speed, and lower extraction rate, so the coffee flavor is also lighter. FrontStreet Coffee recommends that light to medium roast coffee beans can use medium-fine grind (80% passing rate through Chinese standard #20 sieve); medium to dark roast coffee beans can use medium-coarse grind (70-75% passing rate through Chinese standard #20 sieve).

3. Brewing Water Temperature

FrontStreet Coffee suggests using water temperature of 90-91°C for brewing light to medium roast coffee beans, and 88-89°C for medium to dark roast coffee beans. With the same grind size, if the brewed coffee tastes bitter, burnt, or astringent, you can adjust by lowering the extraction water temperature; conversely, if it tastes thin or bland, it means many flavors are still left in the coffee grounds, so you might consider increasing the temperature.

4. Filter Cup

FrontStreet Coffee recommends beginners use the V60 filter cup. The V60 has a wider cup opening, and its unique spiral rib design allows air to be more easily discharged, thereby improving extraction quality. The mouthfeel might not be thick enough, but its high concentration brings out acidity and sweetness with distinct aromas, which is one of its major characteristics.

5. Coffee-to-Water Ratio

Based on SCA extraction theory, FrontStreet Coffee summarizes that a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio for pour-over coffee is most likely to achieve the golden cup extraction rate of 18%-22% and concentration of 1.15%-1.35%.

6. Total Brewing Extraction Time

In pour-over coffee extraction, the initial aroma and flavor are strong with high concentration. As the extraction liquid progresses, the taste and aroma will also fade. The amount of water poured will also affect the coffee's extraction time. If you pour a large amount of water, it will flow down quickly, naturally shortening the extraction time. FrontStreet Coffee generally uses 15 grams of coffee powder, with varying times depending on the bean, and with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, the brewing time will be within 2-2.5 minutes, making it less likely to cause over-extraction or under-extraction.

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Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473