The Kalita Wave Guide

The Kalita Wave Guide

The Kalita Wave is a pour over with a forgiving soul. Its flat bed and three-hole drain slow down the flow and even out the extraction, giving you more room for error than most drippers. What you get in the cup is clean, balanced, and true to the bean. A brewer that quietly does its job well.

What You'll Need

  • Kalita Wave dripper (155 or 185)
  • Kalita Wave filters (matching size)
  • Burr grinder
  • Gooseneck kettle
  • Kitchen scale
  • Timer
  • Server or mug

Recipe

  • Coffee: 20g
  • Water: 300ml
  • Water temperature: 90 to 93°C
  • Grind size: Medium
  • Total brew time: 3 to 3.5 minutes
  • Ratio: 1:15

Steps

1

Place the Wave filter in the dripper and set it over your server or mug. Rinse the filter thoroughly with hot water to remove any papery taste and preheat the dripper. Discard the rinse water.

2

Add 20g of medium ground coffee to the filter and give it a gentle shake to level the bed.

3

Place the whole setup on your scale and zero it. Start your timer and begin the bloom: pour 40ml of water evenly over the grounds in a slow, circular motion. Make sure all the coffee is saturated.

4

Let the bloom sit for 30 to 45 seconds. You will see the grounds bubble and expand as the gases release. This is a good sign.

5

Begin the second pour at 0:45. Pour slowly in gentle circles, working from the center outward and back in. Aim to reach 150ml total by the 1:15 mark.

6

Continue pouring in the same calm, circular pattern. Reach 300ml total by around the 2:00 mark. Keep the water level steady and avoid pouring directly onto the filter walls.

7

Allow the dripper to drain fully. Total brew time should land between 3:00 and 3:30. If it drains faster, go slightly finer. If it takes longer, go coarser.

Tips

✦︎

Keep your pours centered. The Wave filter is designed to slow down flow at the edges. Pouring directly on the filter walls bypasses this and leads to uneven extraction. Work in slow circles, center outward.

✦︎

A generous bloom matters here more than in most pour overs. The flat bed traps CO2 and a short or weak bloom will lead to channeling. Give it the full 45 seconds and pour enough water to wet every ground.

Recommended beans

1 3
Hario V60 Cold Brew Espresso French Press Coffee Maker AeroPress Kalita Wave Cafec Deep 27