Understanding Pour-Over Coffee Classification and Mastering the Three-Stage Brewing Technique for a Smooth, Non-Sour Flavor

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FrontStreet Coffee - Hand-Drip Coffee Extraction Introduction

The world-famous filter brewing method for coffee owes its existence to a German housewife, Bentz Melitta. She invented the coffee drip method over 100 years ago, rewriting the history of coffee consumption in Germany and around the world.

Bentz Melitta was born in 1873 in Dresden. As a homemaker, she loved "Schölchen Heeßen" (Saxon dialect for "a cup of coffee" - eine Tasse Kaffee) — freshly brewed coffee.

However, she was a perfectionist who despised coffee grounds stuck between her teeth. One day, she had a brilliant idea: she punched a hole in the bottom of a copper bowl, took a piece of blotting paper from her son's schoolbag, placed it over the hole, and poured hot water. Instantly, the fragrant coffee dripped through the blotting paper into the pot. In this way, she invented a filtration method that could remove grounds while preserving the authentic aroma of coffee.

Before this invention, people used cloth bags to filter coffee grounds. However, cloth filters were both difficult to clean and unhygienic after multiple uses. The coffee grounds trapped in the cloth's fibers could easily compromise the original authentic taste of the coffee.

On June 20, 1908, Melitta registered her invention at the Royal Patent Office: a copper coffee filter with an arched bottom and an outlet hole — the world's first drip coffee filter. With very little money, Melitta Bentz established the "Melitta Company" in her residence and used her own signature "Melitta" as the product trademark.

What is the Three-Stage Pouring Method?

The brewing is divided into three stages, with extraction time using two minutes as an example.

Choose 15 grams of coffee powder with a 1:14 water-to-coffee ratio.

(For single-origin coffee beans, water temperature of 88-90°C is recommended as a versatile range)

First Stage

Initial pour is 30 grams (called blooming) (Blooming time: 25-30 seconds) (Time display: 30-35 seconds)

Second Stage

Pour to 100 grams (usually shows 50-55 seconds on timer) then pause for 5-10 seconds

Third Stage

Increase pouring speed until reaching 215 grams (normally shows 1 minute 30 seconds on timer), then stop pouring. Wait until the 2-minute extraction time is complete, then remove the cup. (We strongly recommend 2-minute extraction for better flavor consistency)

Flavor Profile of Three-Stage Brewing

Tends toward multi-layered complexity, with smooth texture and solid body. Bright and straightforward.

Knowledge point: Compared to the single-pour method, this creates richer layers, allowing for distinct appreciation of the coffee's front, middle, and back-end flavors. The technique involves increasing water volume after blooming, typically pouring when the coffee liquid level is about to drop to the surface of the coffee bed, using small, medium, and large water flows for three-stage extraction.

Conclusion

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research establishment dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. Our unreserved sharing is aimed at helping more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three low-discount coffee events every month because FrontStreet Coffee wants to enable more friends to enjoy the best coffee at the lowest prices — this has been our mission for the past six years!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473