How to brew coffee with the Kalita Wave dripper?

What is it the Kalita Wave dripper?

The brewing method Kalita Wave is another offering from Kalita Co., the family-owned Japanese company which has been making coffee equipment since the 1950s. Though it may seem technical when seen done by professional Baristas, the method of manual brewing with a Kalita Wave is quite simple and the Japanese have been accustomed to the practice in their homes for years.

Yet while similar to the Chemex or V60, the Kalita Wave has a markedly different extraction configuration. Rather than water dripping through a singular hole, it features a flat bottom with three extraction holes. This eliminates any channelling of water in the coffee bed, resulting in an extremely crisp cup. The Kalita Wave dripper also has minimal contact with the filter, allowing for consistency in temperature and an even dispersion of water.

How to brew filter coffee with Kalita Wave

Step 1: Wet the filter paper

To brew coffee with a Kalita Wave, place the brewer with the filter on top of your favourite mug and wet the filter paper with the hot water to cleanse it of its papery taste. After your filter empties, drain the water from the mug before starting the brewing process.

Step 2: Grind your coffee beans

For the tastiest filter coffee possible we recommend grinding the coffee beans freshly. Try to get a rough, equal ground coffee first – with a grinder with a disc, not a blade. By doing this, the coffee extraction is slower and more balanced, which allows the structure and flavours to thrive. For the Kalita Wave brewing method, the grind setting should be 7.5 on a scale of 10 (1 being espresso fine, 10 being French Press coarse).

Step 3: Put the ground coffee into the filter

Transfer the ground coffee into the filter paper on your Kalita Wave, which you previously placed on a weight scale to be able to measure the water to pour in. The best ratio between water and ground coffee depends on several variables, but the Kalita Wave works best between 14.5-16(ml) : 1(g). Have a play around with this and adjust to your own taste. Our today’s recipe is 20g of coffee for 320g of water for two full cups.

Step 4: Add hot water

This can be from the tap, but if you are a purist you want to go with filtered water. Bring the water up to boil and let it cool off for a few minutes. Do not add the boiling hot water immediately as you could burn the coffee.

Start pouring 30-40g of water with your gooseneck water kettle into the Kalita Wave filled with ground coffee and let it bloom for 30 seconds. Next, water in a constant stream for 20 seconds, pouring in a circular motion until 1cm below the top of the filter. Do not let the water recede completely and pour when the surface is almost about to go flat, repeat 3-5 times. At 2 minutes, proceed to fill the dripper all the way up to 320 grams.

Wait for the water to clear from the dripper, and you are ready to serve!

Pro Tip: When measuring the water you need, go ahead and fill the kettle to the top. This will allow enough margin to wet the filter, warm the server, and preheat the cup. The last thing you want is to run out of water while brewing.

Are you interested in learning other pour-over brewing methods? Check how to brew filter coffee with a Chemex, or the Hario V60!

Happy drinking!

The Bean Team