Kalita Wave Brew Guide
At a Glance
- Total brew time: 3:30
- Serves: 1-2
- Yield: 1 mug
- Mugs per 12oz bag: 16
- Cup characteristics: Intricate and balanced
What You Need
- Kalita Wave dripper
- Kalita Wave filter
- 21 grams (3-5 tbsp) Craft Coffee beans
- 300 mL water, plus additional for rinsing
- Kettle (gooseneck preferred)
- Timer
- Mug or brewing vessel (over 16 ounces)
- Burr grinder (recommended)
- Scale (recommended)
Before You Brew
- For best results, we strongly recommend starting with whole bean coffee and grinding with a burr grinder immediately before brewing. If you grind your coffee too soon, it will quickly lose many of the compounds that give it such delightful aromas and flavors.
- While it may seem complicated, we think using a scale actually makes brewing easier by taking any guesswork out of the equation.
- Compared to a traditional kettle, a gooseneck kettle gives you optimal control over how fast you’re pouring and where the water hits the coffee.
Step by Step
Step 1
Heat your water to 205 degrees by bringing it to a boil and letting it sit for 30 seconds.
Step 2
Place the filter inside the dripper and set the dripper on top of your mug.
Step 3
If using pre-ground coffee skip to Step 4. Otherwise, weigh out your whole bean coffee and grind it on a medium setting. See our guide on how to grind your coffee for reference.
Step 4
Pour your ground coffee into the filter. Gently shake the dripper back and forth to settle the grounds, then set it back on top of your mug.
Step 5
Time: 0:00-0:45
Start your timer and slowly pour just enough water over the grounds to wet them evenly (40 grams). This step is called the bloom. Hot water forces the coffee to release trapped gases, leading to expansion of the coffee bed, bubbling at the surface, and wonderful aromas for you to enjoy.
Let it sit until your timer reads 45 seconds.
Step 6
Time: 0:45-1:00
Begin pouring again in a steady spiraling pattern until the water level is about halfway up your filter or your scale reads 150 grams. Pause and wait for the level to drop by half an inch.
Step 7
Time: 1:00-2:00
Once the water level drops by half an inch, pour a quick “pulse” of water (about 40 grams) to bring it back up. Pour quickly enough to raise the water level within 5 seconds, but make sure to keep the stream of water moving continuously.
Continue with this pulsing method (3-4 more times) until your timer reads 2:00 or your scale reads 300 grams.
Step 8
Time: 2:00-2:30
Allow all the water to drain through the filter. If your final time was longer than 3:00, your grind was probably too fine. If your final time was shorter than 2:00, your grind was probably too coarse. Make a small adjustment to the grind next time you brew - practice makes perfect!
Remove the filter from the dripper and discard the grounds.