Regarding pour-over coffee, Front Street says it is a brewing method that can highlight the original flavors of specialty coffee. For beginners, choosing a suitable brewing device is especially important, and here Front Street recommends the Clever Coffee Dripper. The reason for recommending this device is that it is very easy to use, and you don't need too many brewing techniques or skills. This is very friendly for beginners. No matter what processing method the coffee is, it can handle the situation well, and the brewed coffee has a round and solid mouthfeel. So what is the difference between the Clever Coffee Dripper and our common V60 dripper?
Clever Coffee Dripper
The Clever Coffee Dripper originated in Taiwan. Its full name is "Clever Coffee Dripper," and it is a dripper with a controllable switch valve at the bottom. Because the name contains "Clever," and because the cup is convenient to use, "Clever Cup" has become its alternative name. (In principle, only this brand Mr. Clever's dripper can be called a "Clever Cup"; similar cups from other brands can only be called "switch cups" or "Clever-type cups.") "Coffee Dripper" indicates that this cup can be used as a pour-over dripper. Because the name contains "Clever," and because the cup is convenient to use, "Clever Cup" has become its alternative name.
The Clever Cup combines the advantages of a French press and a pour-over kettle: simple, convenient, and easy to use. If it is difficult to master a stable stream of water for the time being, and you cannot accept the fine particles from a French press, then the Clever Cup is a choice that is easy to operate and also balances flavor. In just five minutes, whether you are a coffee expert or a beginner, you can easily get a cup of high-quality good coffee.
The Principle of the Clever Cup
The key to the design is the piston valve at the bottom of the dripper. After hot water is poured into the dripper, the water pressure causes the piston valve to automatically seal and stop the water, allowing the coffee grounds to fully steep in it. After steeping is complete, place the dripper on a mug, and the base is pressed, causing the piston valve to open, and the coffee slowly flows into the cup.
The Clever Cup extracts by steeping, so it actually does not require much skill. If it is difficult to master a stable stream of water for the time being, and you cannot accept the fine particles from a French press, then the Clever Cup is a choice that is easy to operate, retains the coffee oils for a full and round flavor, and also takes into account the filtering function of a pour-over dripper, completely filtering out coffee grounds to avoid interfering with the mouthfeel.
The secret of the Clever Cup is that there is a piston at the bottom of the cup. Normally it is in a lowered state (there are four feet below, letting it stay suspended). After water is poured in, it closes under pressure, and the piston firmly blocks the water flow. When placed on a container, the piston below is pushed up, and the coffee flows out.
Next, Front Street brews the natural-process Red Cherry from Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia.
Region: Ethiopia · Yirgacheffe
Altitude: 1700-2200m
Processing method: Natural process
Variety: Local heirloom varieties
Front Street Brewing Parameters
Dose: 15g
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Water temperature: 90-91°C
Grind size: EK43s setting 9.5 (slightly finer than granulated sugar)
1. Fold the filter paper, place it on the Clever Cup, and wet the filter paper with hot water so that it fits against the wall of the cup.
2. Pour the ground coffee into the cup, add 225ml of hot water (93°C), put on the lid, and wait 4 minutes.
3. After 4 minutes, place the Clever Cup on a sharing pot. The piston valve will open automatically, allowing all the coffee liquid to drip into the sharing pot. At this point, you can taste the coffee.
V60 Dripper
The V60 dripper, designed by the Japanese company Hario, can be said to be one of the must-have devices for every pour-over beginner. The name V60 comes from the meaning of its conical 60-degree angle, which is quite intuitive. The 60-degree acute angle is a figure that Hario obtained through continuous verification. It allows the coffee grounds to be distributed in a concentrated way, and when pouring water, it also allows the water to flow toward the center of the dripper, ensuring sufficient contact time between water and coffee grounds, thereby extracting a suitable coffee liquid.
The Principle of the V60 Dripper
Another structural feature of the V60 dripper is the ribs on the inner side of the body. The spiral shape extends all the way from the bottom to the top. Its function is to guide the flow, leaving enough gap between the filter paper and the dripper, so that the water flow has good mobility and a relatively fast flow rate. It is also one of the drippers with a faster water flow rate among many drippers. In addition, the ribs of the V60 dripper turn clockwise. When pouring water clockwise, the water flows more smoothly along the ridges. If pouring counterclockwise, it will slow down the flow rate. The large hole at the bottom of the V60 dripper is also intended to promote the water flow rate.
FrontStreet Coffee generally uses the V60 dripper for brewing light-to-medium roasted coffee. The V60 conical dripper has a relatively large opening, and together with its unique spiral curved ribs, it makes it easier for air to escape, thereby improving extraction quality. The mouthfeel may not be thick enough, but the acidity, sweetness, and distinct aroma brought out by its high concentration are one of its major characteristics.
Front Street Brewing Parameters
Dose: 15g
Water temperature: 90-91°C
Grind size: EK43s setting 10 (granulated sugar size)
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Front Street brewing method: For the first stage, pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour 95g (the electronic scale shows about 125g), finishing the pour in about 1 minute. When the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, pour the remaining 100g (the electronic scale shows about 225g), finishing the pour in about 1 minute 40 seconds. Dripping is completed in 1 minute 55 seconds to 2 minutes. Remove the dripper and complete the extraction.
[Clever Cup brewing flavor] Citrus acidity, juice-like mouthfeel, full-bodied, smooth, fermented wine aroma, honey finish.
[V60 brewing flavor] A faint fermented wine aroma, citrus aroma, honey sweetness, cocoa flavor, and a long-lasting finish.
Comparing the brewed flavors, the Clever Cup brewing can better extract the flavors in the coffee, with a rich and intense mouthfeel, while by comparison the V60 brewing shows a fresh and light flavor.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
