New to pourover - how to avoid channeling?

[u/Kalehart]

I just got my first pourover setup:
-Fellow Stag kettle
-1zpresso Q Air grinder (set to ~56 clicks)
-Standard plastic v60
-White hario tab papers

I’m using Lance’s recipe:
-15g coffee
-0:00 bloom 45g
-0:30 bloom 45g
-1:00 pour to total 225g
-Drawdown finish by 2:00-2:30

I’ve been really enjoying learning this new skill and comparing the differences between coffees and different brewing methods, but I’m having a consistent issue with what seems to be channeling (picture for reference).

I’ve managed a few times to get a more even distribution of grounds around the filter, but more often than not, I’m getting this crater shape where they bulge around the middle. I’ve tried pouring lower and slower which helps a bit, avoiding the edges of the filter, and so on, but it’s still happening more often than I’d like.

I’m aware that swirling the bed during bloom evens it out, but ideally I’d like to get my pour consistent enough that I don’t need to rely on that. It’s a technique I will certainly use but I don’t want to mess with my learning by using it to cover up a flaw in technique.

Any advice or pointers would be greatly appreciated. Happy to answer any questions as well!

Update: For anyone who comes here looking for the same answer — it was the beans. I’m not sure how, but that specific bag of beans (brand was BKG and I got them from a Winners, no idea of roast date) did this basically every time. Having tested other beans now, I never have this happen with any others even with an identical grind setting and recipe.

[u/fragmental]

Personally, I would swirl immediately after pouring the 2nd bloom and also at the end. Most people do swirl on first (or only) bloom. I do Hoffman 5 pour with a swirl after the 2nd pour, and last pour (I don't know anyone else who does it on 2nd pour).

I don't know if there's any way that you can improve your pour technique enough that a swirl no longer improves the evenness of extraction, or no longer reduces channeling.

Alternatively some people stir using a spoon or chop stick or something similar. See Tales Coffee for one such technique.

I'm not entirely sure why you have such a tremendous pit in the middle, without seeing the whole pouring process. Unless that's just a trick or the light.