Introduction to Single-Pour Pour-Over Coffee Brewing Process - Differences Between Single-Pour and Three-Pour Methods

The Art of Single-Pour Coffee Brewing: Mastering the Fundamentals

Among coffee brewing techniques, the "single-pour" method is often the first approach many beginners encounter. After some "diligent" practice, they find this method neither impressive nor sufficiently challenging, and thus gravitate toward more "complex" techniques.

For those unfamiliar with the single-pour method, it's worth taking a moment to understand this technique [Link]. Isn't the single-pour method simply about continuing to pour the remaining water after the bloom until you're done? What's so challenging about that? If there's any technical skill involved, it lies in controlling the water flow during pouring.

Is it truly that simple? This is somewhat similar to learning a language. In university, many people choose Japanese as an elective second foreign language, often because it seems easy to get started. Both China and Japan belong to the Sinosphere, with cultures closely connected across water. When learning Japanese, there's a natural advantage compared to Latin-based languages. However, it's precisely these advantages that might lead us to mistakenly believe Japanese is a simple language. In reality, compared to English, Japanese is easy to learn but difficult to master. Once you've grasped the basics, you'll encounter numerous peculiar grammar rules and honorific expressions—English subordinate clauses pale in comparison to these challenges.

But I digress. The single-pour method, like Japanese, is easy to learn but difficult to master. Its "ease of learning" lies in its straightforward operation. Unlike other brewing methods that require precise timing for water pouring or more refined water control, the single-pour method only demands mastery of bloom water quantity, bloom time, and pouring stability after blooming. There's no excessive comprehension or judgment required during the process.

At the same time, the single-pour method has a solid scientific foundation. The first pour uses a small amount of water to allow the coffee grounds to fully absorb water and release gases, making it easier for subsequent water to extract coffee compounds. The second pour is primarily responsible for extracting the coffee's flavor compounds. With this approach, you've completed a cup of coffee, and this brewing principle applies to coffee beans of all roast levels. In other words, once you've fully mastered the single-pour method, you can brew coffee beans from around the world.

The Challenge of Mastery

Now, let's address the "difficult to master" aspect. The challenge of the single-pour method doesn't lie in the brewing process itself, but rather in the understanding of coffee bean information before brewing and the precision of brewing parameters. Coffee bean information includes origin, altitude, processing method, roast level, and so on. Parameters include water temperature, coffee-to-water ratio, grind size, and more. To master the single-pour method and brew a delicious cup of coffee, one must learn to formulate extraction parameters based on the coffee bean information.

Many people limit their understanding of brewing techniques to how to pour water to achieve good taste. When one pouring method doesn't yield good results, they switch to another. Their parameters rely entirely on others' recommendations (or they use the same parameters for all types of beans).

Many people (including FrontStreet Coffee) when distinguishing between single-pour and multi-pour methods, often describe single-pour coffee as cleaner with more prominent acidity and slightly lighter body, while multi-pour methods express more sweetness and fuller body. While such descriptions might seem correct, they actually have a premise: they're compared using the same parameters. If parameters suitable for multi-pour brewing are used, then multi-pour will undoubtedly taste better than single-pour. Conversely, if parameters suitable for single-pour brewing are used, they might not be appropriate for multi-pour methods.

Another aspect of the seemingly simple single-pour method that's more challenging than other approaches is mastering the bloom time, or judging whether the coffee grounds have been fully saturated.

Most people adhere to the 30-second bloom rule. But if you consider whether coffee beans on day 4 and day 14 after roasting are in the same state, you'll realize that 30 seconds is just a reference. When the single-pour method extracts coffee from fully saturated grounds, it produces delicate aromas, lively sweet and sour notes, and a smooth mouthfeel. However, in many cases, single-pour coffee exhibits thin body and sharp acidity, largely due to incomplete blooming. Think back—during your pouring after blooming, were there still bubbles emerging from the coffee bed? Those bubbles are proof that the coffee grounds weren't fully saturated.

At this point, you might recall why so many coffee shops don't use the single-pour method for their coffee. Is it because it's too simple?

Focus to Perfection

"Concentrate on one point to reach the pinnacle of achievement."

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473