How to Brew with the Kalita Wave

A quirky name. Unique-looking filters. A much easier technique than the Hario V60. The Japanese Kalita Wave has got all the credentials to become your new favorite pour over coffee maker! Learning how to brew with the Kalita Wave will allow you to start the day with a smooth, well-balanced cup of joe. 

Not only that: with it being so light and portable, you can easily chuck it in your backpack to enjoy your usual coffee on your next holiday or camping trip. #CoffeeDream

How to Brew with the Kalita Wave to Make the Perfect Pour Over Coffee

You’ll need:

• Kalita Wave (shocker, right?), either the 155 or 185 model 
• Kalita Wave filters (other models won’t work!)
• medium coffee grounds
• gooseneck kettle for the best results
• scale
• timer 
• spoon

1. Boil the water

Since it shouldn’t actually be boiling but rather reach between 195 and 205°F, variable-temperature kettles are the best choice for pour over methods. Alternatively, wait around a minute after boiling the water, so that it cools down slightly by the time you start brewing. Perhaps you can grind your coffee beans, in the meantime?

PRO TIP: pour some hot water onto the bottom of the filter to avoid a papery taste, and fill up your mug so that your coffee stays piping hot.

2. Calculate the right coffee-to-water ratio

For the best Kalita Wave recipe, aim for a 1:15 ratio, adding 15g of water for every gram of coffee. A 1:14 ratio will be slightly stronger, whereas 1:16 a bit weaker, and so on. We’re going to use 20g of grounds and add 300g of water to make a 10.5oz mug of coffee. 

Add the grounds to the filter inside your Kalita Wave and shake it to make sure that they’re leveled.

3. Let it bloom

Balance your Kalita Wave on top of the mug (don’t forget to chuck the water, if you’ve followed our pro tip), place everything onto the scale, and tare it. Ready?

Start the timer and pour around 50g of water onto the bed of grounds in a circular way (starting from the center) for around 10 seconds. Once you’ve covered them completely, let them bloom for half a minute. This will allow your fresh grounds to degas, losing the trapped CO2. 

Done? Great. Now give them a quick stir.

4. Show off your pulse-pouring game

Continue pouring the water in a circular way, adding around 150g within a minute. Then, to get to the 300g needed for this recipe, keep topping up by pulse-pouring it at 25-50g intervals. This will help you ensure an even extraction. By the time all the water has dripped through, it will have taken around 3 minutes. Not too long to wait for a delicious cup of coffee, right?

5. Know how to tweak it

Hopefully, you’ll like your cup of coffee just the way it is, but don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t taste exactly as you wanted it.

If your Kalita Wave coffee tastes a bit too sour or weak, it’s probably under-extracted: next time try a slightly finer grind, hotter water, or a lower coffee-to-water ratio (tweak one variable at the time!).

If, on the contrary, it’s too bitter, a bit burnt and not strong enough for you, it’s over-extracted: go for a coarser grind, a lower water temperature (still within the 195-205°F range), or a higher ratio. Easy!

Now that you’ve learned how to brew with the Kalita Wave, you can show off your incredible pulse-pouring skills next time you’ve got guests round. We know you can’t wait!