As a mom of a two-year-old, I watch my son doing his little-kid thing every day...getting into everything, only stopping long enough to switch that attention span to a new object of wonder. Boy, is he busy. Me too.
As we become adults with jobs, families, and homes to manage, the word “busy” takes on greater significance. However, in some ways, we’re not so different from children. We’re still into everything, we rarely stop, and we usually don’t listen when we’re told we need to slow down.
That’s where coffee comes in. The drink that has caffeine and is cherished for getting us adults to do the exact opposite of slowing down in the morning? Yes, that coffee. Bear with me.
Third-Wave Coffee
There’s one thing we can’t say enough at Coletti: Slow down. Life is meant to be savored. So is coffee. There are people out there who already do coffee our way, or more accurately, the way it was done before electric drip, drive-thrus, and Keurigs. We’ve adapted traditional brewing methods because we love the range of tastes one can create and we appreciate the care that goes into it.
There’s a particular old brewing method that has made a big comeback in recent years. If you frequent coffeehouses, you may have heard of it or you might already enjoy it on a regular basis. I’m talking about pour-over, also known as hand pouring. Craft Beverage Jobs has a nicely done article explaining how pour-over is part of the third wave of coffee. And if you’re like me (and probably most people)—just now discovering that coffee came in waves—the article also explains the meaning of the term and what the first two waves meant for coffee drinking.
Slower Brewing Yields More Control
While you can likely find a coffeehouse in your city doing pour-overs, the best place to start is at home. We offer a sweet little kit to get you started. It comes with a handy fridge magnet listing the seven steps we recommend for the optimal pour-over experience.
Pour-over is a methodical way to brew. If you’re thinking “But that’s slower!” you’re right. That’s part of the allure. It’s not as slow as you fear, either. Hand pouring takes an average of four minutes once you’ve heated the water to the appropriate temperature. So it might take some planning, like heating the water while you’re brushing your teeth. Then take a couple minutes to listen to a favorite song or the news while you’re pouring. The end result is worth it.
The defining trait of this brewing method is control. With pour-over coffee, you control the usual suspects like bean variety and grind, but you also control one crucial piece of the puzzle that many other brewing methods don’t allow: exposure of the water to the grounds. In this article from Serious Eats, coffee pundit Nick Cho nicely elucidates the steps, in line with our guidelines, to making perfect pour over. And if you'd like to see the pour-over method in action from beginning to end, check out our YouTube tutorial.
There’s no time better than now to slow down. Seriously, give it a try. Stop what you’re doing, clear your mind, and just breathe. Do it for 30 seconds. It feels good, doesn’t it? Imagine starting every day that way with your favorite morning elixir.
Are you a pour-over pro or a recent convert? Let us know why you love this brewing method in the comments!
