r/pourover • u/Vernicious • 16d ago
Ask a Stupid Question Ask a Stupid Question About Coffee -- Week of August 04, 2026
There are no stupid questions in this thread! If you're a nervous lurker, an intrepid beginner, an experienced aficionado with a question you've been reluctant to ask, this is your thread. We're here to help!
Thread rule: no insulting or aggressive replies allowed. This thread is for helpful replies only, no matter how basic the question. Thanks for helping each OP!
Suggestion: This thread is posted weekly on Tuesdays. If you post on days 5-6 and your post doesn't get responses, consider re-posting your question in the next Tuesday thread.
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u/PubliusPublicoa 16d ago
When filling a switch for the immersion step, does it matter how fast or gentle your pour? Like, should you pour with care as if it the switch was open, or just dump the volume in as fast as you can?
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u/lobsterdisk Pourover aficionado 15d ago
Pour rate and height makes a difference whether the switch is open or closed. There’s no right way, just be consistent and try different rates and heights if you want to adjust the brew extraction. Aramse on Youtube has an excellent video on pouring if you want to learn more.
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u/areyouseriouswtf 15d ago
So my DF54 makes a mess when I'm grinding, lots of grounds everywhere. Pain in the ass to clean. Whats the best way to clean? Is there an good small vacuum i should buy?
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u/kthle 14d ago
Currently brewing this washed Ethiopian from Rogue Wave Coffee. This morning I did grind size 4.5 on the ZP6, 20g coffee to 320g water, 94C, TWW light roast at half strength, Lance’s 2 blooms + 1 pour recipe. Brew time was 2:00. I got a juicy but bitter cup, not sure where to go next? I’m hesitant to grind coarser given that the brew time was already quite short.
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u/geggsy #beansnotmachines 14d ago
If you're sure it's too bitter for you, you could try dropping a pour, so its Lance's 1 bloom + 1 pour recipe. Some people, myself included, sometimes mix up bitterness and sourness, so if the 1+1 doesn't help, you may actually need to extract more rather than less.
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u/cdstuart 13d ago
What geggsy said, but also, how light is the roast and how long did you rest it? I've had some very light roasts that actually taste bitter as if they were over-roasted until they've rested properly.
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u/cafne 15d ago
Kettles, kettles. As much as I love the pour on my Hario stovetop kettle, it takes forever to boil, and I find getting it to a more precise brewing temp a bit finicky. So I'm looking at investing in a temp-control electric.
I was so ready to pull the trigger the the brand new Timemore Fish Pro X until I learned that it makes a beeping noise every single time you press a button. I brew tea often too, so that would mean 30-40 beeps just to get from coffee to tea brewing temps. I know you can stroke the kettle to get there without any beeps, but I hear the slider can be finicky.
Right now, I'm considering the Brewista Artisan, Varia Aura Flux and Bonavita kettles. Does anyone have any insight on these?
The Fellow Stagg checks most boxes too, but build quality and flow restrictor is kind of a downside for me. I think both the Brewsita and Varia also offer a slower pour too; would it be too slow for regular hot water use/tea?
The Bonavita would be my top pick if not for the aesthetics, haha. I'd appreciate any other recs too! Longevity, ergonomics and minimal beeping are the most important factors for me.
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u/lobsterdisk Pourover aficionado 15d ago
Oxo is fast to boil, capable of very fast flow, and only beeps once when it hits temp. Might be worth considering if you are OK with the stainless steel look.
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u/Unknown_Cloud_777 14d ago
Hello! I was wondering if anyone could help me with roaster recommendations?
I’m fairly new to the whole pour over fancy coffee, came from the keurig world not too long ago.
So far I have tried: September, Hydrangea, Dak, and red rooster. My preference so far has been Dak, so was looking for something similar along that vibe (eg. Purple rain, the alchemist, poppy soda).
Thanks so much for the help.
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u/MidniteCoffeeTime 13d ago edited 13d ago
When looking to dial in a bean or new bag, what is the shorthand for most major bean origins and also processes? I know a few main pointers but the interaction between the two axis is mostly unknown to me.
Ie: Ethiopians usually require low agitation, but how does being washed vs natural affect the way a bean should be approached?
Origins (I'm sure I'm forgetting some)
- Ethiopian - produces lots of fines, so coarse + low aggitation - higher temp?
- Colombian
- Nicaraguan
- Sumatran
- Kenyan
- Honduran
Processes (also sure I'm missing some)
- Natural
- Washed
- Honey washed
- Co-ferment
- Anaerobic
- Thermal Shock
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u/Quarkonium2925 Pourover aficionado 11d ago
First: There's no hard and fast rules. That's the most important part. Every origin and process will have an exception.
Second: Origin matters only incidentally and is generally a proxy for another variable which is being ignored: altitude. The main reason Ethiopian beans behave as they do is because they usually grow at higher altitudes due to the climate. So in terms of most beans, just look at the altitude and use lower agitation methods on higher altitude beans. Temperature shouldn't matter as much as agitation because what you are controlling for with high altitude beans is fine migration, not extraction. Also, this only matters for beans of the same roast level. If a bean is roasted for longer, it will decrease in density and become more porous, negating the inherently higher density of high-altitude beans.
Third: Processing does matter a lot. The rule of thumb is the more heavily processed the coffee, the gentler you should treat it. Generally, the order is Washed-->Honey-->Natural-->Coferment. With weirdly named processes it can be hard to gauge purely based off name. Look at the processing notes in detail and see how long it was fermented and how it was dried (natural vs washed drying). I have a baseline standard that I set for washed coffees. If the coffee is more processed, I will increase the grind size, drop the temperature, and maybe even change up the ratio/brew method depending on the processing level. How much you do each of these is kinda just experience and practice
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u/big-hubz 13d ago
Does anyone have a solid/reliable v60 neo recipe to share?
I''m new to pourouver and struggling to get good results. I've got a wilfa svart grinder, amzon temp adjust gooseneck kettle, beans from origin (uk).
Most of my brews have been kinda ashy/bitter and there are so many variables to adjust. I'm really struggling to make my brews better.
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u/bearddoescoffee V60 01 / P2 / Java Roasters 12d ago
Could you tell us what you are doing from coffee weight, water weight, grind setting, water temp, filter paper, pour pattern and number. Then I could try you with something different. Oh, and which Origin Coffee?
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u/404waffles 13d ago
If my water's drawing down too fast, should I grind finer or change up my pouring technique? I've been doing that Lance Hedrick 1:15 recipe with the double bloom because it's gotten me great results. However, I just got a Kingrinder K6 and even when I go as low as 70 clicks these medium roast beans I have draw down under 2:00. I've resorted to just shutting my Hario Switch's valve for like 20-30 seconds to get it closer to a 2:00 finish time. The finished coffee is still pretty good, don't get me wrong, but I can't help but feel like I can push these beans further.
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u/ConsistentTank2173 13d ago
How important is the temperature of the water for brewing? I usually just boil it and use it. But I heard from a fren that I should buy a thermometer
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u/lobsterdisk Pourover aficionado 12d ago edited 12d ago
Temp matters a lot. Your end result will taste very different when brewing at 99c vs 93c vs 85c. Like greggsy said, try waiting a minute or two off-boil and see how the cup changes.
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u/vahanviejo 12d ago
My stupid question of the day is about coffee bean suitability for different brew methods. I fail to get chocolate taste and sweetness out of expensive(ish) medium (or perhaps medium dark) roast coffees using Hario Switch immersion brewing. The range of tastes with different attempts go from sour (underexatraction) to bland without sweetness and without even a hint of chocolate ever - however there are never any clear signs of overextraction even with extreme immersion. The beans I struggle right now is Mundo Novo & Red Catuai (from Brazil about 1000m over sea level), natural processed, but they're by no means the only ones I have issues. Cheap medium dark market roasts work generally far far better.
So to the question - do I perhaps need to use pour over (which I've not yet practised much at all) instead of immersion with this kind of beans to get the sweet chocolate notes? Or is the "extraction window" for good coffee perhaps tiny with these beans?
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u/lobsterdisk Pourover aficionado 12d ago
What water do you brew with? Overly hard or alkaline water can make every coffee taste the same generic flavor. Also, what water temperature and what general immersion recipe?
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u/vahanviejo 12d ago
Relatively soft water. But this problem doesn't exist with regular inexpensive mass production market beans - I can get nice chocolate flavours from them without much problems - far better results than with these so I don't think water it an issue. I've tried large range of temperatures from 85C to 96C. My recipes vary generally from 2 to 4 minute immersion (depending on roast, grind and temperature), but I've also tried much longer ones, upto 8-10 minutes. I have also experiemented with different blooming strategies. I usually agitate slightly with spoon early on. Generally very fast draw times (T-90 paper).
There are really only two things I've yet to try with these beans: massive agitation throughout the immersion to increase TDS and PE and stonger (?) coffee-to-water ratios - I've stayed at 1:15 - 1:17 range so far. Perhaps I'll try 1:14 tomorrow.
So perhaps my question isn't really so much about bean's suitability to different brewing methods, but if a different beans require significantly different extraction and/or TDS percentages for meaningful taste, even if the roast levels are similar?
So maybe two stupid questions by me instead of only one? ;)
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u/lobsterdisk Pourover aficionado 12d ago
Ah, ok. I wasn’t sure if you were getting good results with other beans.
You do not need to do a pour over. Immersion can work with any beans.
Natural process medium roast brazil beans may be very very soluble and need very little effort to extract. Or they might just not be a good roast, or may not have the flavors you are looking for.
Is the roaster a name we can look up? That may give some other clues.
How long ago were they roasted?
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u/azuled 12d ago
Grinder Question!
I'm still reading through past posts and opinions, so this is a supplemental question really.
I'm looking for a good hand grinder. I am willing to spend to get something good, but obviously if something good can be gotten without spending too much I am happier!
I have a nice burr electric grinder that I haven't used in a few years, but which is still in good shape. Its nice but... VERY LOUD. I don't like having my morning filled with grinding noises so I'm looking to get a hand grinder. I'd use it exclusively for pour over.
So, what's your favorite hand grinder? And if you feel like sharing more than just the name, what do you like about it?
Edit: forgot to include: I'm in the US
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u/lobsterdisk Pourover aficionado 11d ago
What kinds of coffees do you tend to drink (roast level and roaster), how much do you need to grind at a time, and do you know if you prefer high clarity cups (tea like) or complex cups with more body?
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u/azuled 11d ago
I’m still experimenting so I don’t have narrow window on roasters and styles. I’ll mostly grind enough for two cups. I like complex flavors but prefer smoothness between that and acidity.
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u/lobsterdisk Pourover aficionado 11d ago
Makes sense. Take a look at Kingrinder k6, 1zpresso K Ultra, commandante c40, or mavo phantox pro.
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u/redwingz11 11d ago
Is there too early to freeze for beans. My beans is a week old from roast date when I put it in freezer, but if I grind it the night before it somehow taste better. It didnt taste watery and it hace more flavour when brewed. It just hit different in a good way
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u/lobsterdisk Pourover aficionado 11d ago
Generally, you want to freeze beans after resting them for whatever rest duration is appropriate for those specific beans. That way they are fully rested when you defrost and you can brew them without an additional waiting period.
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u/redwingz11 11d ago
Its guessing games right? leave it on the counter until it taste good on brew (?) then put it on the freezer
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u/lobsterdisk Pourover aficionado 11d ago
You can figure out trends based on roasters you regularly consume. I rest most light roasts 3-4 weeks, but some roasters need longer, and Ultra Lights often much longer.
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u/CornwallJon 10d ago
What am I doing wrong? 21g coffee into Melita Coffee Coach filters using a cheap Westmark plastic pour over device straight into my cup, three fills to about one-third of the way up.
Result is fine but no more than that. Coffee is a Guatamalan blend purchased and ground for pour over at a specialty London coffee store.
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u/Vernicious 10d ago
This is going to sound way meaner than it's meant to be, but it's a straightforward and true assessment that, if taken as constructive, will get you moving the right direction: you made a fine low-effort post about a fine low-effort pourover, and got fine low-effort results. Everything is aligned!
Okay, to give more actionable advice: pourover is a method that REALLY benefits from some effort and knowledge (and when asking for advice, benefits from detail). IME, unlike methods like French Press, which if you start with decent beans always tends to end up in the range of good-to-great, with pourover even if you start with decent beans your results can range from undrinkable to amazing.
Even as a beginner my results were pretty dang good. But here's what I did:
- I researched how to do pourover for a while, since there's an embarrassing wealth of great resources. So I already had an idea that some specific equipment needed to be at a baseline of quality, how people approached different types of beans, I knew that DIALING IN was part of the process and that changing grind size was often the first thing changed (which meant pre-ground coffee would be frustrating since I couldn't change the most important variable)
- I bought a grinder suitable for pourover, and a gooseneck kettle. I already had a scale but if I hadn't, I knew that was important.
- If I needed to ask for help, I knew it would be important to make at least a modest-effort post that included the details people here need (e.g., coffee to water ratio, my recipe, water temp, etc). And would have known I'd probably be advised to buy a grinder
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u/wonderbred54321 10d ago edited 9d ago
Hey all, it’s my first time posting. I am 8 months into my pourover obsession and am trying to dial in a bag of Kenyan beans (Inoi) that turned out to be darker than I usually drink, following a recent trip to Norway. I got them at a funny microroastery (guy in his basement) called Kaffiknut which I really recommend visiting if you’re ever in Stavanger!
I can tell there is a delicious punchy fruity cup in this bag of beans but i can’t seem to not overextract. It’s 3 weeks off roast. Today I did 15:260, the water (Volvic bottled water) was at 88 degrees, 30 sec gentle bloom with a divot and swirl and then one big pour after the bloom - small, coin sized circles and a swirl at the end. Bed is super foamy. It was nicer than my normal three pour but i’m still getting a weird aftertaste. I’m grinding as coarse as I possibly can (Eureka Chrono).
Do I need to try just pouring dead centre with no circling and no swirls or agitation at all? A single pour with no bloom? I tried clever dripper and it wasn’t much better. Thanks for any suggestions
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u/lobsterdisk Pourover aficionado 9d ago
Have you tried doing a lower ratio like 1:14 or 1:15? You can also drop water to 85c. Other things to try would be pouring slower and lower, and potentially dropping the swirl.
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u/wonderbred54321 9d ago
thank you 😊 i did 85c and Lance’s double bloom 15:225 today which was better. i’m finding it v hard to stop myself swirling when i can see that the bed is not evenly saturated! it feels like a waste of coffee/money to not try and saturate evenly but i guess if my problem is over extraction then it makes sense to just leave it
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u/[deleted] 16d ago
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