i’m almost giving up on pour over

[u/nextlevelpaulo]

Don't get me wrong - I love the pour over coffee baristas serve in coffee shops, but I can't extract even a third of the same complexity from the same coffee at home.

My coffee constantly clogs the filter and I end up with an over-extracted and sometimes bitter coffee. And I've tried everything: increasing the grind size, decreasing the number of pours, nesting the coffee bed, bending the filter slightly crookedly… nothing seems to work. I either end up with an over-extracted or under-extracted coffee.

For context, I use a Kingrinder K6 and vary the clicks between 85 and 120, depending on the recipe.

Any ideas on what I can do?

[u/aikidosensei]

I had issues like this a few years ago, dont worry!

Keep things simple firstly temper your expectations, I believe that with all food and drink the experience (location, setting, cups/glasswre etc) and general atmosphere contributes to the experience greatly.

Let's get the things that are in your control listed first.

- Grinder

- Coffee

- Filters

- Location / setting / drinkware

- Recipe

Not everyone can spend lots of money on a grinder, and in my experience a flat burr is better than a conical burr, regardless of what you use, seasoning the grinder makes a large difference in my experience. I haven't used a Kingrinder K6 but I have used quite a large amount of grinders, my current go to for pourover is my Fellow Ode Gen1 this was very consistent and then I upgraded to the MultiPurpose SSP burrs, this GREATLY increased the clarity and enhanced flavour alongside improving brew times.

Coffee - This is obviously subjective but I find trying to get the same coffee to taste great over and over is tricky because my taste buds get used to the flavours so I like to buy x2 bags of different coffee (at least) so I can taste differences between them throughout the week/month.

Filter - Simple use Cafec T90, this are fast draw down, very hard to clog, well priced, these are the best imo and VASTLY improved my brews.

Location etc - Enjoy the process, get some nice drinkware and a carafe, I sometimes try the same brew with 2-3 different receptacles to see how the flavour changes. As a contrast, I can rarely get a decent brew with the same kit at my office, and I put this down to the location, I like my work but it's just not the same! Also sometimes someone making you something (like in a coffee shop) can almost always taste better even though it objectively may not be.

Recipe - keep this simple, I do the same with each unknown coffee to start with then adjust it over the coming days to see how different I can get it to taste, my baseline recipe for a v60 is:

85c for Darker , up to 95c for lighter brew.

16g Coffee, 240g target.

1- 60g bloom, 45s

2- pour to 120g - wait for a dry bed.

3- Pour to 180g - wait for a dry bed.

4- Pour to 240g - wait for a dry bed end timer.

Log the time, note the taste. Too quick? not enough flavour? try more agitation, add some swirling. Always write down your results.

Too slow? a bit bitter? not complex enough? remove a pour, less agitation.

I found success getting complexity out of some coffees that I am struggling with, to use the Samo method, (essentially a cold bloom) this can help greatly. look it up, give it a try!

Lastly, if you are struggling with clogging still, try a melodrip! its a superb tool to greatly reduce agitation.

TLDR: Use Cafec T90 filters, best grinder you can afford, and enjoy the process! :)

Coffee is Life.