How-to Make a Pour Over at Home with the Clever Dripper
Are you hesitant about trying pour-over coffee, worried it's too complex or costly? Let's change that perception! Enter the Clever Dripper: an innovative brewing device that blends the simplicity of a French press with the refinement of pour-over brewing. Its steep-and-release mechanism gives you precise control over the brewing process, allowing for a mess-free transfer of your perfectly extracted coffee directly into your mug or decanter. Ideal for coffee enthusiasts and shops alike, the Clever Dripper is an affordable, low-maintenance introduction to the world of pour-overs.
If you've been avoiding pour-overs due to time constraints, the Clever Dripper offers a convenient solution. Its 'set it and forget it' approach is so straightforward, that you'll find yourself crafting a cup of coffee that can rival any specialty coffee shop’s pour-over, and with minimal effort!
Our recipe below utilizes the large Clever Dripper and an electric water kettle. While a scale isn't mandatory, using one ensures consistent and repeatable results, enhancing your coffee experience.
What you’ll need to brew Coffee with the Clever Dripper:
#4 White Melitta Filters (You can find these at your local grocery store)
Decanter or 16oz mug
Hot Water Kettle
Scale in grams
20g of your favorite coffee beans (We prefer our Farmstead Blend)
instructions
step 1 - Boil your Water
Fill your kettle with quality water and heat your water to around 205°F (96°C). This temperature is ideal for extracting the flavors without over-extracting. While waiting for the water to reach temperature, go ahead and set your Clever Dripper on top of your decanter or mug.
Step 2 - Grind your coffee
Grind your coffee to a medium-coarse consistency, similar to sea salt. This grind size works well with the immersion brewing method.
Step 3 - Rinse the Filter
Open the filter and fold the seams to allow the filter to sit flush in the dripper. Carefully rinse the filter a couple of times with hot water in order to remove a papery taste. This will also help in heating the brewer and decanter so that your coffee doesn’t drastically drop in temperature.
Step 4 - Add Coffee To the Dripper
While leaving the decanter with hot water, remove and place the Clever dripper on a scale and tare. Go ahead and add the coffee into the Clever Dripper and make sure it reads 20 grams. If so, great….tare!
Step 5 - Brew Your Coffee
With the kettle, carefully pour the hot water over the bed of coffee ensuring all the grounds are wet until you get to a weight of 320 grams (RATIO 1:16). Cover the brewer with the lid and wait for 2.5 minutes.
Step 6 - Empty The Clever Dripper
Empty the decanter of hot water. At 2:30, carefully place the Clever Dripper onto the decanter and watch the brewer release the brewed coffee! The draw down should somewhere between 1 to 2 minutes to avoid overextraction. If you prefer clarity, then grind coarser and draw down should be closer to 1 minute. If you prefer mouthfeel, go a little finer on the grind.
Step 7 - Enjoy your delicious cup of coffee
Swirl the decanter to aerate the coffee. Pour coffee into your favorite mug and ENJOY!
The Clever Dripper is an excellent choice for those who love the full-bodied flavor of immersion brewing but desire the clean cup of a pour-over. This guide should get you started, but remember, coffee brewing is an art. Feel free to experiment and adjust the parameters to suit your taste. Enjoy the process and your delicious cup of coffee!