How to Fix Uneven Pour-Over Coffee Extraction & Why the Three-Pour Method is Highly Recommended

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FrontStreet Coffee - Pour-over Coffee Extraction Introduction

Pour-over coffee may seem simple, but it's by no means easy to master. Common issues include "even with step-by-step guidance, I still made Yirgacheffe taste like Chinese herbal medicine," "I couldn't understand what the water-to-coffee ratio was from the beginning," and "water flow was inconsistent, sometimes strong, sometimes weak." Meanwhile, the dazzling array of pour-over equipment offers enthusiasts more choices: pure copper filter cups, luxury gold filter screens, cotton filter paper, Bluetooth electronic scales... While it hasn't reached the level of "once you start pour-over, three generations will be impoverished," it's still quite an expensive hobby.

The longer the extraction time, the more likely it is to cause over-extraction, extracting unnecessary and unpleasant woody fiber flavors that result in bitterness. However, most of the essence is actually extracted in the early stages. The efficiency of pour-over coffee extraction decreases as it progresses, with fewer flavor compounds being extracted later. Therefore, the accumulated water in the later stages actually has weak flavor and isn't very good (if you don't believe it, try collecting some residual liquid to taste). The final portion of light coffee liquid mainly serves to dilute the concentration, so it's not a pity to discard it. You just need to add some water to the extracted coffee liquid to achieve the same concentration and taste.

Adjust to a coarser grind. The main reason for water accumulation is still too fine a grind or too many fine particles, which clog the filter paper holes. So why not readjust the balance in terms of water temperature, grind size, and stirring? Grind coarser, then increase the water temperature, and add appropriate stirring to avoid water accumulation while achieving similar extraction results.

Three-Pour Technique

This is a segmented extraction method, an extension of the single-pour technique, where one portion of water is divided into three separate pours.

Although it's an extension, the effects are different. At the very least, it reduces the instability of water flow along the filter paper edges. Secondly, three separate pours can clearly distinguish the flavor residues from the front, middle, and back stages, allowing for extraction adjustment.

After blooming, increase the water amount each time. Usually, pour water when the retained liquid is about to drop to the level of the coffee grounds. Use small, medium, and large water flows for the three-stage extraction, with specific details depending on the condition of the coffee grounds.

This method mainly allows for segmentation, making it easier to identify the residual amount of remaining aromatic compounds, and can also create richer layers than the single-pour technique. The downside is that the requirements for controlling flow rate and water volume are relatively high.

Knowledge Point: Pour-over coffee has strong versatility. Dark-roasted espresso blends can also be used for pour-over, but if you really want to experience the charm of pour-over coffee, it's still recommended to choose specialty beans with cupping scores above 80 points.

In Brief: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research center, happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. Our unrestricted sharing is only to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three low-discount coffee activities every month because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends drink the best coffee at the lowest possible price. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years!

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