Had to fix my pour-over setup after a cafe visit last Tuesday

I was at a little shop in Portland called Three Winds and watched the barista do this slow circular pour from way up high. I always just dumped water in the middle and let it sit. He handed me the cup and it tasted way cleaner than anything I make at home. So I got home and tried raising my kettle spout about 6 inches higher and slowing my pour to a trickle. First cup came out bitter and weak. Second cup I got the water temp down and it was better but still not right. How long did it take you guys to nail a consistent pour technique when you switched from dumping to doing it right?

2 comments

2 Comments

skyler_white951mo ago

Took me about two weeks of daily practice to get the rhythm down.

lee.diana1mo ago

I read somewhere that raising the kettle too high can introduce air bubbles that mess with the extraction, which might explain that bitter first cup. How do you even know when you've got the height right?