That tip about pre-wetting filters actually worked

My buddy Dave who roasts beans in his garage told me I was making my pour over too bitter because I wasn't wetting the paper filter first. I thought he was being picky, but I tried it last Sunday with my usual Ethiopian beans. He said the dry paper absorbs the good oils and messes with the flow. I used my Hario V60 and actually timed it, and the drawdown was way faster. The cup came out smoother, no harsh bite at the end. Has anyone else noticed a big difference from something that simple?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamiew835d ago

I switched to pre-wetting my V60 filters about six months ago after watching a James Hoffmann video, and it cut my brew time by roughly 15 seconds. @wood.noah, you might be onto something about the grinder being a bigger factor, but for me the smoother cup was a clear upgrade that simple steps like bloom time never gave me. I'd say it's worth trying if you haven't fixed the basics yet, since it costs nothing and takes two seconds.

wood.noah5d ago

12 seconds faster drawdown on my V60 is a real thing I measured too, but I still think people act like wetting a filter is some game changer instead of just basic prep. lmao I've made pourovers both ways with the same batch of beans and honestly the difference was barely noticeable to my taste buds. I think it matters more if your grinder is inconsistent or your water temp is off.

johnb952d ago

Honestly, that tracks with like everything in coffee and a bunch of other stuff too. People get real focused on one tiny tweak and act like it's the secret, but the real issues are usually the boring stuff like water temp or a bad grinder. Same thing happens with cooking, everyone obsesses over the fancy salt or the perfect pan when their stove can't even hold a steady heat. Ngl, sometimes the biggest upgrade is just getting the basic stuff right first.