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Why Does FrontStreet Coffee Always Use Three-Stage Pour-Over Brewing? What Are the Advantages of Three-Stage Compared to Single-Pour Methods?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, To date, the extraction of pour-over coffee has given rise to countless brewing methods! From single-pour techniques, 4:6 method, volcano pour, Kono-style brewing, and so on—various different brewing approaches offer us more possibilities to explore. Yet, FrontStreet Coffee specifically focuses on the three-stage brewing method! This is surely something that many friends wonder about.

The Philosophy Behind Three-Stage Pour-Over Brewing

To date, the extraction of pour-over coffee has evolved into countless brewing methods! From single-pour techniques, four-six method, volcano pour, Kono-style brewing, and various other different approaches, these diverse brewing methods have provided us with more possibilities for experimentation. However, FrontStreet Coffee has chosen to focus specifically on three-stage brewing! This is likely a question that puzzles many friends: "With so many brewing methods in the world, why devote yourself to just one?" Or perhaps: "This particular coffee bean would taste better with a different brewing method, so why not change the approach?"

Why FrontStreet Coffee Sticks to Three-Stage Brewing

Indeed! Different brewing methods can bring out different expressions in coffee. One brewing method might make coffee richer, while another might make it sweeter. These methods developed around theory do indeed have such effects! However, three-stage brewing might not be suitable for showcasing all the characteristics of certain beans, nor might it necessarily make coffee taste sweeter! Yet, FrontStreet Coffee chose this method because three-stage brewing has broad applicability and extremely high reproducibility.

Each brewing method has corresponding theories and parameters supporting it. Friends who have visited FrontStreet Coffee's store know that our menu blackboard is filled with dozens of different beans to choose from. If FrontStreet Coffee wanted every bean to showcase "what we consider their characteristics," we would need to set up a separate brewing method for each one! And behind each of these brewing methods, there's also a series of parameter adjustments!

Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee needs a simple and clear brewing method that can accommodate most beans! It should be able to extract most of the characteristics of these beans while also allowing friends who purchase beans to replicate the process at home. "Three-stage brewing" serves exactly this purpose. Whether the coffee beans are dark or light roasted, whether processed conventionally or anaerobically, three-stage brewing can produce a cup of coffee with excellent both mouthfeel and flavor from these beans! Moreover, it doesn't require too many techniques or parameter adjustments—beginners can easily get started and brew a good cup of coffee.

What is Three-Stage Brewing?

As the name suggests, "three-stage brewing" means dividing the total water injection during brewing into three stages! Many friends mistakenly believe that three-stage brewing doesn't include the bloom stage, but that's not true! The first stage of three-stage brewing is actually the bloom, while the remaining two stages are the formal extraction phases where hot water extracts the coffee grounds. What we refer to as "three-stage brewing" without bloom is actually "three-pour method," which "cuts" the water injection into three pours, meaning a four-stage water pouring technique.

Advantages of Three-Stage Brewing

The advantages of three-stage brewing are very obvious—it doesn't require overly precise water flow control, nor does it demand too detailed mastery of theory. You only need to understand its general pouring method and parameters to brew a suitably flavored cup of coffee. For example, the single-pour method, while seemingly very simple (just inject all remaining water at once after the bloom to complete brewing), is actually quite complex to execute. If the water flow isn't properly controlled during pouring, it's easy to end up with extraction times that are too short or too long. Since there's no remedial method, you can only wait for a cup of under-extracted or over-extracted coffee. Other pouring methods face similar challenges—it's difficult to observe the water flow state during brewing, and even if you can observe it, timely corrections are challenging.

Three-stage brewing, however, not only allows you to visually observe the water flow state but also provides opportunities for timely extraction corrections. After completing the second stage of water injection, you can observe the drainage speed of this hot water and then determine whether this flow rate is reasonable based on the brewing time corresponding to that amount of coffee grounds. For example: if you find that the water level from the second stage drains too quickly, then the third stage of injection can use a smaller water flow to extend the extraction time, increase the coffee extraction rate, and avoid under-extraction; if the water level from the second stage drops too slowly, you can increase the water flow in the third stage to reduce the hot water extraction time, avoiding the bitter taste of over-extraction caused by excessive soaking time.

Beyond having a higher error tolerance, three-stage water pouring can also significantly express the flavor characteristics of the brewing subject (coffee beans). Additionally, through the water temperature changes during segmented pouring, you can achieve richer layers and fuller mouthfeel. These are the reasons why FrontStreet Coffee has remained dedicated to three-stage brewing~ (Note: we're dedicated to three-stage brewing, not that we can't use other brewing methods)