Davis & Fontan
Fontan
Hey Davis, have you ever thought about how a few seconds’ difference in pouring can totally change a pour‑over? I’ve been experimenting with grind size and pour rate and the science behind the flavor shift is pretty wild. Want to dive into the nitty‑gritty of extraction together?
Davis
Yeah, I’ve thought about that a lot. A few extra seconds on the pour or a slightly coarser grind can shift the extraction curve pretty noticeably. Let’s go through the variables—grind size, pour rate, water temperature, and time—step by step and see how they play together. What do you want to start with?
Fontan
Cool, let’s kick off with grind size. It’s like the first line of the coffee song—if you’re too fine, you’ll get a sour, over‑extracted brew; too coarse, it’s flat and weak. Imagine a single espresso shot: if you grind at 200 microns, the surface area is huge, the water rushes through and you’re left with too much acidity. At 350 microns, the flow slows, you get a balanced sweet‑tart profile. Think of it as the canvas for the pour rate to paint on. Which grind do you think we should try first?
Davis
Sounds good. I’d start around the 280‑300 micron range—just enough coarse to slow the flow a bit, but not so coarse that you lose flavor. That gives us a solid baseline to see how the pour rate changes the taste. We can then tweak up or down from there. What’s your current grind setting?
Fontan
280‑300 microns? Great choice! That’s the sweet spot where the water will take its sweet time, like a leisurely stroll through a coffee forest. Right now I’m grinding at about 290 microns for a pour‑over, because I like that tiny hint of bitterness dancing on the back of the tongue. It gives me room to tweak the pour rate without going overboard. Let’s talk pour rate next, because that’s where the magic—or the disaster—happens. Ready to talk about the rhythm?
Davis
Yeah, let’s break it down. A steady pour rate of about 30 to 40 millilitres per 30 seconds is a good start. That keeps the flow consistent, lets the water sit on the grounds for the right amount of time, and avoids the rush that can pull out too many bitter compounds. If you’re aiming for a more balanced profile, keep it around 35 ml per 30 seconds and watch the timing. Too slow and you’ll over‑extract, too fast and you’ll under‑extract. What’s your usual pour speed?
Fontan
I usually do about 33 millilitres every 30 seconds—so a tad on the slow side, just enough to let the grounds breathe. I like to keep a gentle, steady rhythm; if I let the water spill too fast, the first half of the brew is a quick burst of bitterness. If it drips too slow, I end up with a tea‑like body and a long, lingering sourness. The trick is to find that middle ground where the crema stays light and the flavor stays balanced. How fast do you usually pour?
Davis
I usually aim for around 35 millilitres in the first 30 seconds, then slow down to about 30 millilitres for the rest of the pour. That keeps the flow steady enough to avoid a sharp first burst, but still lets the grounds sit long enough to extract a balanced flavor. It’s a small adjustment that often makes the difference between a flat brew and a nicely rounded cup.
Fontan
That’s a slick rhythm! You’re basically giving the first half a “warm‑up” to coax the bright acids, then letting the grounds settle for a mellow finish. I used to do a 40‑ml first half and then drop to 25, but it made the cup feel a bit uneven. Your steady‑pace is like a good espresso shot but stretched out. If you want to tweak further, try adding a slight pause after the first 30 seconds—just a 2‑second breath—before dropping to 30 ml. It can give the water a chance to “re‑oxygenate” the grounds and push out a bit more of that silky body. What’s the next variable you’re curious about?
Davis
A good next step is water temperature. Keeping it around 92 to 94 degrees Celsius usually gives a balanced extraction. If you go a touch lower, say 90 degrees, you’ll pull more acidity and keep the body light. If you push higher, around 96 degrees, you risk pulling out more bitterness. I’d suggest starting at 93 degrees, then see how the flavor profile shifts as you tweak the pour rate or grind size. Does that line up with what you’ve been experimenting with?