How To Dial In Pour Over Coffee
Mastering pour over coffee is a journey of understanding the intricacies of brewing and how certain variables interact with each other to produce different tastes in your cup of coffee. The Aji Filter, known for its fast flow rate, adds an interesting dimension to this process, especially when paired with the right coffee dripper.
What is Dialing in?
Dialing in coffee refers to the process of adjusting various brewing variables to achieve the desired taste. Dialing in coffee is about finding the sweet spot where all elements of the coffee aroma, body, acidity, and flavour come together harmoniously.
This is done by a process of incrementally adjusting each variable to alter the taste of your coffee for the best possible cup.
Understanding Brewing Variables to dial in Pour Over Coffee
Several key variables impact the outcome of your pour over coffee, while there are many more than this here are some of the variables that can make the biggest impact.
Grind size: Finer grinds increase extraction but can lead to bitterness if over-extracted. Coarser grinds reduce the risk of over-extraction but may result in under-extraction, yielding a weak, sour cup.
Water temperature: Ideal brewing temperatures range between 90°C to 96°C, extracting the right balance of flavors.
Brew ratio: The coffee-to-water ratio is critical. A common starting point is 1:16 (coffee:water), but this can be adjusted based on personal preference and coffee characteristics.
Brew time: The contact time between the water and coffee grounds should be controlled to avoid under or over-extraction.
Pour technique: The method and speed of pouring water over the coffee grounds can influence the extraction process.
Understanding the Aji Filter
The Aji Filter stands out for its fast flow rate, which poses both a challenge and an opportunity in dialing in pour over coffee. Its design encourages a quicker brew time, necessitating adjustments in other variables to compensate for the rapid flow and ensure even extraction.
This fast flow rate is particularly good for allowing you to grind coffee finer than usual and extracting higher. As well as this you are avoiding any chance of stalling or choking in your pour over coffee. With stalling avoided you can now adjust your variables according to taste and not to your brew time.
Choosing a Coffee Dripper
When using the Aji Filter, selecting a coffee dripper with low bypass can help avoid brews that taste watered down or weak. A dripper with low bypass minimises the amount of water that flows around (instead of through) the bed of coffee grounds, thus increasing the contact time and a more even extraction.
While bypass is not necessary a negative variable we found best results brewing Aji Filters with low bypass drippers.
Using a low bypass brewer as it helps balance the extraction by allowing the water more time to interact with the coffee grounds, extracting a fuller range of flavors.
Changing Your Variables to accentuate Different Coffees
Experimenting with the brewing variables allows you to highlight different characteristics of your coffee. For instance, a finer grind size paired with a slower pour rate can accentuate a coffee's acidity, while a coarser grind with a faster pour could bring out a smooth, rich body. Adjusting the water temperature can also enhance different flavour notes, with cooler water highlighting brighter, acidic notes and hotter water emphasising deeper, sweeter notes.
The art of dialing-in pour over coffee, especially with the Aji Filter, is a testament to the intricate dance between control and creativity in coffee brewing. By understanding and adjusting your brewing variables, you can customise your cup of coffee tailored to your personal taste preferences.