Brew Guide: Kalita Wave

Brewing with the Kalita Wave is all about control and consistency, starting with its flat-bottom design. The three small outlet holes and nearly vertical sides guide water evenly through the coffee bed, promoting uniform extraction. This results in a cup with good body and a clean, balanced flavor. Its forgiving nature makes it a great choice for beginners and experienced brewers alike.

Recipe:

Coffee: 25g

Yield: 400g

Brew Time: 4 minutes

Step 1: Grind Setting

Choose a medium-fine grind size for pour-over brewing. The grind should resemble granulated sugar or beach sand. The exact grind size may vary depending on your preference and the specific coffee beans you're using.

Step 2: Prepare Equipments

Rinse the filter with hot water before brewing. This helps remove any papery taste and preheats both the brewer and the vessel, ensuring a more consistent extraction. Make sure the filter maintains its shape during rinsing.

Person pouring ground coffee into a coffee filter set in a pour-over coffee maker.

Step 3: Add your Ground Coffee to the Filter

We recommend using 25g of coffee, spreading it evenly, and tapping it gently to distribute the ground coffee. For accurate measurements, remember to zero out the digital scale using the tare function before you begin.

Coffee brewing in a glass pour-over with a paper filter, placed on a gray tray.

Step 4: Blooming

For your initial pour by pouring 50g of water in a circular motion, starting from the center and gradually moving outward. Allow the coffee to bloom for 30 seconds before proceeding with the next pour.

Pour-over coffee being prepared with hot water poured over coffee grounds in a paper filter, above a glass carafe.

Step 5: Pouring

After your initial pour, continue by adding 50g of water every 15 seconds until your final pour. This steady, interval-based approach helps maintain consistency in extraction and gives you greater control over the flavor development throughout the brew. As you pour, aim to direct the water onto the coffee bed itself, avoiding the edges of the filter.

Hot black coffee being poured from a glass pitcher into a pink ceramic mug.

Step 6: Final Pour

At the two-minute mark, proceed with your final pour of 50g, bringing the total water input to 400g. Allow the water to fully draw down through the coffee bed without any agitation. The entire brew should complete around the four-minute mark, resulting in a balanced, flavorful cup with a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio.