This is our Kalita Wave brewing guide.
The Kalita Wave is a pour-over coffee maker from the company of the same name. It differs from the Hario V60 in that its bottom has 3 small holes instead of one large hole. This allows the coffee to be extracted more evenly.
On the walls of Kalita there are horizontal grooves rather than ribs. The company produces pleated paper filters. According to connoisseurs, coffee brewed in a Kalita Wave is more aromatic and tastier than coffee brewed in a Hario. But the Kalita Wave's filters are many times more expensive.
The design and shape of the filter distinguishes Kalita Wave from other pour-over coffee makers. It has a flat rather than tapered bottom, with three small holes for slower, more even extraction.
It is difficult to say whether the Kalita Wave is better than Chemex and Hario models. Rather, it is a matter of taste and habit. Perhaps it suits you better than others if you're able to make the best coffee in it.
Check out this video to learn more:
Kalita Wave Brewing Guide
To prepare coffee in the Kalita pour-over, you will need:
- Pure filtered or bottled water.
- A good coffee grinder, preferably manual.
- Scales with timer for more precision and more controlled results.
- Kalita Wave and corresponding filters.
- Gooseneck kettle.
- Freshly roasted coffee.
So, once your equipment is ready, you can start brewing. We will show you how to brew Kalita Wave coffee correctly in the steps below.
1. Grind Coffee
A medium-coarse grind is ideal for the Wave dripper. The grind is slightly coarser than a normal filter grind, but not as coarse as for a French press. It should look like coarsely ground cornmeal.
2. Heat water
Heat water and measure out the required amount of coffee beans. The optimal water temperature for making coffee in the Kalita Wave is 195-205°F (90-96°C). To achieve this temperature, you need to either bring the water to a boil and then cool it for 1-2 minutes, or use a good thermometer for water. If the water is too hot, it will result in bitter coffee.
3. Place a filter
Place a filter paper in the Kalita Wave coffee maker and pour some hot water on the bottom. It is not necessary to fill the filter walls because the hot water will rise along the edges and because, by doing so, you will destroy the integrity of the structured filter and the extraction will no longer be so uniform.
4. Place the ground coffee
Place the ground coffee in the filter. We recommend following the SCA Gold Cup Standard, a 1:16 ratio. But don’t be afraid to experiment. We have found that 1:15 and 1:17 can also taste great depending on the coffee, grinder, and taste preferences.
5. Pre-wetting
Start your timer and at the same time gently pour 2 fl oz (60 ml) of water over the ground coffee. The pre-wetting (blooming) process is used to release gas from the ground coffee before starting extraction. Pre-wetting for 30 to 45 seconds.
6. Pour hot water
After pre-wetting, start pouring the hot water in in gentle, circular movements. These should be concentric circles from the center to the edges. Pour 1.5 fl oz (40 grams of water) and keep the water level above the ground coffee. After two or three pours, a small pool will form above the layer of coffee.
Continue pouring 1.5 fl oz (40 ml) at a time until you have poured all the water. Ideally, the brew time is 3.5 to 4 minutes. If it takes longer, increase the grind size; if it takes less brew time, decrease the grind size.
7. Final steps
Wait until all the water has completely passed through the coffee grounds and then remove the filter. Pour coffee into cups. So your coffee is ready. Enjoy it!
