Pour-Over Coffee Technique: Introduction to the Meteor Shower Method - How to Brew Dark Roast Bitter Coffee Beans?

Today, FrontStreet Coffee continues to share an interesting pour-over brewing method—the "Meteorite Pour"! This name comes from the fact that after brewing, the coffee grounds form a deep crater like a meteorite impact site. Let's take a closer look at how this brewing method works!

When to Use This Method

This brewing method is particularly suitable for dark-roasted coffee beans. It leverages the characteristic of dark-roasted beans being fluffy and easily absorbent. When the beans are fresh, they release gas upon contact with water, allowing water to diffuse to the periphery even when continuously pouring in the center.

FrontStreet Coffee has previously explained a characteristic of center pouring: in a conical filter, the coffee grounds are thicker in the center than around the edges. Therefore, center pouring actually allows water to pass through more coffee grounds, extracting a richer coffee liquid.

Because of this, medium-dark roasted coffee beans using this method can better express a fragrant and mellow taste profile.

Brewing Parameters

For brewing parameters, use a coarse grind for pour-over, approximately 65% retention on a #20 sieve. Water temperature should be controlled around 86-88°C, with a coffee-to-water ratio of approximately 1:12. (The following water injection amounts will be described as multiples of the coffee amount—1:12 ratio means 12 parts total water)

Brewing Steps

Part 1: Bloom Stage

The first part is the bloom stage. First, inject 2 parts of water and let it bloom for 30 seconds. During blooming, make sure to thoroughly wet all the coffee grounds. Under normal circumstances, the coffee grounds will puff up into a large "hamburger."

Part 2: Point Pouring

The second part involves pouring in a dotting manner. First, pour a little water in the center to release some coffee foam. This step is to check the gas emission situation in the grounds layer. If coffee foam gushes out, it indicates the coffee is still quite fresh, and you'll need a smaller, slower water flow with multiple pour segments.

When the grounds layer is about to sink, continue injecting some water in a "dotting" manner to keep the hamburger expanded. Repeat continuously until 6 parts of water have been injected in this section.

Part 3: Circular Expansion

In the third part, slowly expand outward with a small water stream in a circular motion until the outer foam turns light brown, then circle back to the center. Maintain small circular pouring throughout this process. The water amount for this part is 4 parts.

Final Result

Next, simply wait for all the coffee liquid to finish dripping, and we'll see the meteorite crater.

Interested friends can try this themselves. After all, one of the joys for pour-over coffee enthusiasts is experimenting with something different!