This month, I’ve been playing with my latest coffee brewer, a stainless steel pour-over coffee filter made by Java Maestro. What makes this particular pour-over coffee brewer interesting is that it doesn’t require a paper filter—the dripper is the filter.
There are two benefits to not needing a paper filter. The first is economical. Not having to buy filters is one less expense. The second benefit is that you get all the oils from coffee in the cup. This gives the coffee a richness that is sometimes sacrificed with paper-filtered coffee.
However, paper filters benefit by keeping all the coffee grounds out of the cup, which results in a cleaner cup of coffee. The Java Maestro Pour Over Coffee Dripper does such an excellent job with filtering that it not only makes a rich cup of coffee but also a clean one.
The Java Maestro Pour Over Coffee Dripper
#1 Heat Water
I strongly recommend getting a Bonavita 1-liter Variable Temperature Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle for this brewing method. As with any pour-over coffee, you are responsible for making sure the coffee is saturated with hot water. Being able to control the water flow will make that task much easier.
#2 Hot Water Rinse
The Java Maestro is made of stainless steel. Before you start brewing, give it a quick rinse of hot water from the sink. This will preheat the dripper and minimize heat loss.
#3 Place Brewer over Mug
The Pour-Over Coffee Dripper is a one-mug-at-a-time brewer. The only question is how big a mug you’ll be using. If you are not weighing as you add water, there is a risk you could add too much water and cause a mess. There is a tiny visible hole in the brewer where you can view the progress of your pour-over. This is not ideal. A glass mug or jar would be a better approach.
#4 Add Ground Coffee
Grind your coffee medium-fine.
The Java Maestro Pour Over Coffee Dripper includes a scooper that also serves as a coffee bag clip. Use 3 scoops for a single 12-ounce mug. If you lose the scooper or want to use a gram scale, I use 20 grams of coffee and 310 grams of water. That works out to a 15.5 to 1 ratio (water to coffee).
#5 Add Hot Water
With the kettle, you’ll be adding coffee in the 195 F—205 F range. For more information about brewing temperature, see section #2 in the article Hacking Dark Roast—Tips on Brewing a Better Bold Coffee.
For the initial pour, add enough water to cover the coffee grounds and allow them to bloom. For those weighing, this works out to about double the weight of the ground coffee. So, if we use 20 grams of coffee, the initial pour will be 40 grams of water.
Let the coffee sit for 20 seconds, and then continue pouring the remainder of the water. The water will be poured slowly in a circular motion, even and smooth.
#6 Remove the Filter and Enjoy
Once all the coffee has exited the brewer, you are done. Enjoy your coffee.
#7 Cleanup
Empty the used grounds into a compost bin or set them aside for gardening. You can wash the filter with hot, soapy water. It is also dishwasher-friendly.
Additional Coffee Filtering
While playing with the Pour Over Coffee Dripper, we discovered the filter was so good that it could be used as an additional filter for other coffee brewing methods. Full immersion brewing methods such as the French Press or some cold brewing methods sometimes have a little grit, which are those loose grounds that sneak past the filter.
Using the Java Maestro as an additional filter will improve the flavor of your French Press and Swedish Egg Coffee.
Disclosure: INeedCoffee was sent this product at no cost.