That barista at Blue Bottle in Austin showed me a pour over trick with kettle height

I always poured from like 6 inches up but she said get the spout right over the grounds, like barely an inch away. Anyone else been doing it wrong this whole time and feel dumb?

4 comments

4 Comments

karen3611mo ago

My buddy Mike tried this at his home setup after a barista told him the same thing. He was so used to the high pour that his first attempt he barely got water on the grounds since he held the kettle too far back. Now he swears his morning coffee tastes way less bitter and he feels like a total pro with that close pour.

kelly3851mo ago

I read that baristas train with a gooseneck kettle to control the flow, and @william_garcia's buddy probably just wasn't used to the low pour.

william_garcia1mo ago

My buddy jake tried it and burned his finger on the kettle.

jessica1301mo ago

yeah and @karen361's friend mike is right, that close pour thing takes some getting used to. you're so used to holding the kettle high that when you try to keep it low, the water just kinda sits there. i did the same thing my first time, barely wet the grounds. but after a week or so it clicks and you realize how much more control you actually have. burns happen but you learn to watch your hand placement.