As much as I love and look forward to brewing coffee early in the morning next to a campfire or even at a trailhead before I ride, most often when I am making coffee it is at home. Usually my first cup is brewed before the sun is up. With my eyes still blurry it would seem that the wisest thing to do would be to click a button and poof … coffee pours out of some contraption and into my cup. But for me, it’s a process. One that I love too. Not only that, but the process includes regularly experimenting with new ways to brew coffee.
Enter the Kalita Wave.
Making coffee either with the Aeropress or some pourover set-up is the normal routine. I do mix things up from time to time with homemade cortados with my manual ROK espresso maker. But for the most part the very first thing I want is straight up coffee … black coffee.
Over the years I’ve continued to collect different devices and contraptions in which to brew coffee with. Sure, some are gimmicky but they’re all a lot of fun. The Hario v60 has been a mainstay for years, but recently I picked up the Kalita Wave. I hesitated because, well, I already have numerous devices and contraptions to make pourovers at home. Why bother with another one? But I did.
The thing that immediately strikes me about the Kalita Wave is the elegant beauty of its design. A few weeks ago I walked into a coffee shop in San Francisco and the very first thing that caught my eye (more than the pastries) was the collection of Kalita Waves ready to go for pourovers (see pic below). It fit the decor and vibe of the place.
Having the Kalita Wave at home has been a great addition to our collection. Compared to most pourover drippers, the Wave is unique in that it has a flat bottom which provides more of a consistency in extraction. Of late the brewing recipe I’ve been using is …
15g of coffee.
Ground at the 14 setting on my Baratza Encore.
Water temp at 205 degrees.
Brew with 225g of water (1:15 ratio).
After I pre-rinse the filter I add my coffee, zero my scale, start the timer, and begin to pour the water over the coffee grounds. I usually pour about 60g of water and then wait for 30 seconds for the coffee to bloom.
Then I continue to pour water slowly in circles until I hit 225g of water. Once done and the coffee drips through it is time to enjoy.
The Kalita Wave is a great addition to my collection at home. It is now part of my regular rotation sharing time with my Aeropress. If you haven’t yet, give it a shot. You won’t be disappointed. A great way to get started would be to also pick up a bag of our Trail Builders Blend. If you have your own recipe for brewing with the Kalita Wave we’d love to hear! Share in the comments below.
Words by Sean Benesh
Photos by Grant Benesh