FOOD NEWS
How High To Hold The Kettle For An Outstanding Pour-Over Coffee
BY CORIN MJ BAE
For the best results with pour-over coffee, Blue Bottle Coffee Lab recommends holding the kettle 8 to 10 inches above the coffee, but this can vary depending on a few factors.
Pour-over coffee requires enough agitation to break up the coffee bed, but not so much that the filter gets clogged, making 8 to 10 inches a good guideline to follow.
However, factors like grind size, roast darkness, and brewer type can make a difference. Lighter coffees extract more slowly and benefit from higher pours that agitate the coffee bed.
Darker roasts, on the other hand, are prone to coming out too bitter and should only be agitated enough to get an even soak on the grinds without drawing out the brewing time.
Grind size also matters: The coarser the coffee, the slower it’ll extract. The last thing to keep in mind is the type of pour-over brewer that you have.
Bee house brewers have a slow flow rate that requires a lower pouring height, while faster brewers like the V60 benefit from a higher pour to introduce lots of agitation.