Japanese Drip Method: Flattened Wide Spout Kettle vs. Pointed Gooseneck Kettle - Which is Better?

FrontStreet Coffee Explains the Differences Between Flattened Wide-Spout Kettles and Pointed Crane-Neck Kettles for Japanese-Style Drip Brewing

The drip method, as the name suggests, involves brewing through water droplets, much like an hourglass, dripping drop by drop onto the coffee grounds. This method is quite time-consuming but visually stunning and has a rhythmic quality. First, water is used to concentrate on moistening the coffee grounds bit by bit for pre-infusion. When about one-third has dripped through, you can begin pouring water. When the water level reaches the top of the coffee grounds, pause briefly, and when the water level drops to halfway, pour again.

Because the gooseneck kettle needs to release water in a drop-by-drop manner, it's suitable to choose flattened wide-spout kettles or wide-spout crane-neck kettles. The advantage of these types of pour-over kettles is their high controllability over water flow thickness, making them more adaptable to the drip pouring method.

We often see two types of kettles used in French and Japanese-style drip methods: the flattened wide-spout kettle and the pointed crane-neck kettle. So what are the differences between them?

Flattened Wide-Spout Kettle:

It allows for better control over water flow thickness, with a larger water column. It can be difficult to control when trying to achieve a thin water stream, potentially resulting in a thicker water flow than intended. This is a kettle type that requires practice. Once mastered, you can vary the water flow size as needed, and it's not too difficult to brew multiple servings simultaneously in daily use. (Challenging to control)

Pointed Crane-Neck Kettle:

The advantage is that both large and small water column flows are smooth and stable. Combined with water temperature variations and changes in pouring height, it can create more refined and detailed layers in the coffee. The difficulty lies in the extremely challenging control of small water flows during operation. Although experts can use this type of kettle for drop-by-drop pouring, it's indeed difficult for most users to handle.

When paired with a conical filter, its ribs stop at less than half the filter's height. This design allows the filter paper to fully adhere to the cup wall after absorbing water, greatly limiting the exhaust space. This method is more suitable for medium-roasted or darker coffee beans.

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