This is the exact same reason I use a clever to taste sample batches. I have experimented with bee house drippers, an SCA rated Oxo machine brewer, aeropress, and traditional french press. The clever gets the consistency, clarity, and depth I want when really trying to evaluate a roast
Thanks for the comment nvalley. Yea, i think the combination of the immersion with a filter is a home run. I'm glad you are having a positive experience with the Clever and it provides the consistency you need to evaluate your roasts!
I always loved trying different coffee and through the years always bought my coffee from a local roaster who got coffee from all over. So roasting it myself now is so fantastic. I just want to get to understand what us happening during the different phases of roasting. Im sure the air roaster is different than drum roasting
generally air roaster can roast faster because they are using pretty much 100% convection. The roasts are generally more evenly roasted as well. Timing is different but the science is still the same. Heat applied to coffee beans over time right? How much time we spend in the browning phase and development phase will influence what our coffee tastes like. I talk about 50% or less of the roast time being spent in the dry phase. This was a Rao statement i learned quite a while ago but after much experience I found that when roasting on a drum roaster, too much heat upfront causes roasting defects and just as important, can create too much momentum. We can't slow down the roast quick enough and our coffee can't develop properly through the phases. This is also possible for air roasters. A good book to read (it is short) is Rob Hoos - Modulating the flavor profile of coffee - affiliate link here amzn.to/3vWAeoV The book really helped me understand the impact time over temperature can have on flavor. I highly recommend the book.
@@VirtualCoffeeLab thank you so much for that! I will check it out. Ill be watching your videos as well. I really .ike the way you explain the processes!
I couldn’t agree with you more! For years I was experimenting with espresso. I have owned lever machines and super automatics. The super automatic was a truly professional unit that I obtained used. I loved it because it did make a very good cup consistently. Eventually I could no longer get spare parts for it. A friend gave me the clever dripper as a gift at about that time. I was pleasantly surprised! I roast at home and enjoy that process very much, and at the same time I get a very good cup of coffee from the clever dripper.
Is the "Lever" machine an espresso maker? I'm glad you find the Clever helpful. The convenience and consistency is a huge factor for me. It is interesting he hear how people come to use the Clever Dripper. You have a great friend you gave you one! Thanks for watching and for your comments oldgrumpus.
I first experienced the Clever dripper and best cup of coffee ever when at Truth Coffee in South Africa. Upon returning from my trip, I ordered one with my next batch of Sweet Maria’s coffee and never looked back. Been discussing getting two more for my work coffee club to stop fussing with the Chemex where the technique can influence our cup much more dramatically.
My family and I would brew 3 different coffees using separate Clever Drippers. We could then share a "flight" of coffee together and talk about the different notes. Yea, the Clever Dripper would be a great idea for a work coffee club.
I wanted to add that Cafec filters (Trapezoid 103 which are identical in size to generic #4s) speed up drawdowns for me. I do medium fine coffee first (25g) and 400ml of water in my Clever (L) - after 3 minutes of steeping, my drawdown is around 60 seconds. It helps to not stir a lot and a decent grinder that doesn't produce a lot of fines can also speed things up. Love your channel!
Thanks for sharing JD. Great info. I've changed up my Clever Dripper brewing over the last year or so. I'm putting the water in first, then the grounds, stirring the grounds in, and steeping for 3:15 minutes. I get a full drawdown in about a minute or less (sometimes 45 seconds) depending on my coffee. Do you think the Trapezoid filters are the difference? I'm currently using standard #4. The water-first method seems to suspend the grounds in the water a little more so the first half of the drawdown is pretty quick. Thank you for your encouraging words. I'm glad my videos have been helpful!
@@VirtualCoffeeLab I do think the Cafec filters speed up the drawdown time - have tried Melitta, Filtropa, Kalita, Hario (folded at the bottom point) and Cafec. I get a richer cup when I do coffee first...perhaps if I were to grind finer, the water first method would taste just as good though one has to be careful stirring grounds into a mostly full dripper :)
I would add that the Aeropress is also a very forgiving brewer. I have lately been using an Espro P0 French Press and I really like the results as well.
Thanks for sharing that Jamie. Honestly I think i've used the aeropress once or twice. Is it as simple and quick as the Clever Dripper? I'm not saying one is better than the other because I don't really know and that wasn't the point of my video. I'm thinking of my day to day use, brew size (350 grams of water) and most importantly "technique". Seems like there has been a lot of talk about technique with the aeropress and even an international competition.
@@VirtualCoffeeLab The Aeropress is pretty easy, but you can't do a full 350 g of water, so the Clever would be better for that use case. I think just about any immersion brewer is simple and repeatable if controlled for coffee/water ratio, water temp and time. Like all things coffee, some people have come up with really complicated ways to use the Aeropress, but it is just a French press with a paper filter.
8:22 merry Christmas @Virtualcoffeelab! Mike just got the clever dripper today for Christmas. I have been trying different roast levels with an Ethiopian natural that I liked but seemed to keep getting a brightness almost an underdeveloped lemon rind at a very light roast and I almost thought it needed to be a shade darker but boy I tired it in the clever dripper this morning and it was like unlocking the flavor wheel of coffee of my dreams! The sweetness, blueberry, candied strawberry and chocolate lingering finish were all loud and clear. Unbelievable. Also this video helped nudge my wife to purchase it for me for Christmas!! Merry Christmas again! I love your content especially for the home roasters we are a small community. I love to learn from you!
Hi Jeston. Merry Christmas to you as well. Thanks for the encouraging message. I'm glad you had a great roasting experience and brewing experience. I love the clever dripper and as you can see, it is much more forgiving when it comes to brewing methods. I am happy my video was helpful to you!
Agree! I use switch instead same approach just steep it, but still open to test my roast on different brewer so I do have idea how it taste on different approach.
Yep. I'm not saying we should only use the Clever, but when it comes to figuring out our roast issues, the brew method is one less variable I need to worry about . I enjoy the Kalita as another filter brew method.
My two daughters use the clever dripper to make iced coffee nearly every morning. I go through stages of using it as well in a rotation of drippers. If time is short it's probably the fastest least fussy way to get a tasty cup rolling in the morning. You can make toast or a bagel during the process.
That's funny. I have not thought of that. I wonder how big a breakfast you could conjour up in 4 minutes or less. Our family makes home made Liege Waffles. It takes about 4 minutes in the maker to get it done. One of the best pairings with coffee, except for my favorite Kouign Amann! Thanks for sharing M.
Interesting idea. I’ve signed up for a “home brewing” class tomorrow because I’ve begun to think that my V60 brew recipe is negatively effecting my coffee experience and I want to improve my technique. It didn’t dawn on me to use my clever dripper to get a more consistent brew. I will try it!
@@VirtualCoffeeLab I tried it today and was impressed with the results. Will need to tweak my grind size and recipe but it performed better than my v60. The class is a “home brewing 101” at my local coffee shop. I’m hoping I might learn a thing or two to sharpen my v60 technique. Thanks for all your great content. I’m running a freshroast SR540 and just hooked it up to artisan. It’s like a whole new world is opening up to my roasting game and your videos are the most helpful content I’ve found.
I’m currently using a Hario Switch and Aeropress for my drip coffee and I drink a lot of espresso. I do find that the brew method definitely plays a role and I’m always hoping that the stars align to give me a decent cup of coffee.
I haven’t been using the clever dripper for my daily for quite some time now. I am using my Kalita 155 stainless brewer and the aeropress. I find both give great results. You are right, brewing makes a huge impact on the cup. You can roast great coffee and if your grinder is not great or the brew method is off, that coffee will suffer
@@VirtualCoffeeLab I would add that I haven’t used my regular V60 since I got my Switch and haven’t used my Chemexes in ages. I tried to modify a Switch recipe kinda like your Clever recipe this morning by filling it up with water first then putting the coffee in and stirring it up (I did that for the first pour of water, let it bloom, drained, then added the rest of the water). It came out good and it was a much stronger brew than otherwise so I suppose the extraction was higher although I didn’t measure it. I’ve got an Orea V3 coming hopefully next week and I’ve heard good things about it. That will be just one more variable. There is too much to keep track of. Water temp, brew method, brew recipe, filter paper type, pour style etc. maybe the good old days of Juan Valdez and Folgers wasn’t so bad.
I started with a pseudo-espresso from a 3-in-1 machine that brews from pods and from a pressurized basket, then Phin filters, then into Kalita 155, then a V60. My issue with these brewing methods aside from the Phin is that they are not very forgiving. Just get your grind size a bit off, or your tamping is not as even as possible, or you let the grounds get exposed to air during the 3rd pour, etc.. and your cup will taste off. I was thinking between going with the Clever or the Aeropress since both involve immersion, but I finally went with the Clever dripper because of the capacity. Very simple process, very forgiving in terms of everything, and you're almost guaranteed a good cup of coffee everytime you use it, provided that you are using fresh and good quality beans. Since the time I've had the Clever, I almost never use the other drippers I have except for the Phin.
Cool story and spot on. I love the ease of use and consistency as well. I’compiling a list of hacks to share in a future video. Great brewer, especially for someone who is a home roaster and is trying to figure out their roast! Thanks for sharing!
Hi ASMR, thanks for watching my video. V60 is a great method. I enjoy the clever dripper because it is very forgiving and gives consistently good results.
Nice video Mike. I was a V60 pour-over brewer for a few years until I learned about the Clever Dripper (CD) from you a few months back. I just thought I would get the CD and give it a try a few times - just for fun. With the V60, I was having some inconsistency in the brewed coffee taste. I was new to roasting and I would always get confused trying to figure out if my roasting method was off a little (or a lot) or my brewing method was inconsistent. I really needed to be able to brew consistently to help me evaluate my roasting trials and errors. But like you said, brewing with the V60 has its own set of tricky procedures that unless followed very closely and consistently can lead to an inconsistency in coffee flavor. So, I tried the CD and after a couple of brews I KNEW I would use it as my go-to brewing method. Compared to the V60, the CD makes much smoother brews, and it's almost impossible to get a bitter cup - at least I have never gotten one! My first comment on the taste using CD brewing was how much it reminded me of that from a French Press - smooth. Coupled with a better taste in my opinion, the CD is also much simpler to use, simply because there are less steps to do. I did learn that when I brew decaf I have roasted, I need to ALWAYS pour the water in before the coffee grounds - always. If I don't do that, my draw down time (the time for the coffee to drain into the cup) is significantly increased. I am thinking the reason for that may be that my roasted Columbian Decaf might be less dense than my non-decafs and my grinder might just produce more powder when it grinds those beans. I have found that for a grounds-first technique to taste its best, I need my water pour-in to be slower and more gradual, and not a dump-in. Not sure why that is, but I'm glad I learned that. For non-decaf coffees, both methods (water-first vs coffee-first) seem to result in about the same flavor, but I am still evaluating that. If I was forced to always use only one method, I definitely would happily use the water-first method.
Thanks for sharing Lou. Yes, I remember us talking about the Clever Dripper. I'm glad it has been helpful for you. When it comes to roast evaluation, without getting involved in a full blown cupping, the clever driper delivers consistency and helps me focus in and compare roast to roast. I think for a home roaster it is killing two birds with one stone. We get a method for consistent evaluation and we get to drink a full cup of delicious coffee at the same time, avoiding the cupping scenario. Yea, for me, the water first has been a winner all the way around. Density affecting the draw down eh? Interesting.
I have the similar Hario Switch. Instead of flow being triggered by placing it on a decanter, it has a switch that you flip. I prefer that but you also have to be fully aware of the switch position or you can end up with a mess on your counter. Anyway I love the results. I always enjoyed French press coffee except for the silt. This gives me that profile but filtered.
I was having the issue of a similar, not so excellent flavor, in every roast I made. I found out, after buying a new grinder, that it was indeed my grinder. It created far too many fines. It didn't matter which way I brewed it, it always had this distinct signature to it. But, yes. I really enjoy tasting the coffee at different grind size settings, using different brew methods, different amounts of time after roast. I currently use immersion on the inverted AeroPress as the go to way of brewing. I'm interested in trying this one after watching the video. Thanks a bunch for the info!
Thank you! Very helpful. I see you must be using a Fellow Ode grinder, based on the dispenser your grounds were in. I recently bought one and am very happy with it! What setting do you use for immersion brewing, such as the Clever Dripper or French Press? I'm using a setting at 4.5 with my French press. I have the standard burr set. BTW, I do a 75g/liter coffee to water ratio for immersion, per James Hoffmann's recommendation. Quite happy with this brew strength.
Hi Mark, yes, I have a Fellow Ode with the standard burr set. I was about a 4.5 but now I have moved to a 4 for my clever. Medium fine i think might be a good descriptor but I can do that because the Clever is a filtered immersion brew so I can go a little finer. I'm glad you are getting good results. I've always done a 23-25 gram dose per 350 grams of water for my clever. I get a nice big cup of coffee ;-)
I use an old stovetop double chamber vacuum pot (nicro) as my brewing method, because with this immersion system, temperature is ideal at 195-205 degrees and held there, plus i get agitation of the grounds with the steam coming through the connecting tube, and i can control time very precisely. when i remove the stainless steel pot from the heating surface, i wrap it with a water soaked wash cloth that condenses the steam in the lower chamber almost immediately, suctioning the liquid from the top funnel through the metal filter to the bottom pot in 30 seconds or so. the clever dripper looks convenient for smaller amounts of liquid, but i don't see how temperature above 195 degrees would be maintained very long. and there's no agitation unless you remove the lid and stir it. i can see how it would be very convenient and easy to use in your circumstances however.
Hi Paul, interesting. The Nicro sounds like a mix between the Moka Pot and a percolator. With regards to your comment about water temp, that doesn't seem to be an issue with the Clever Dripper that I have noticed. I use water around 203 and the coffee is too hot to drink after the brew. When using the "water first" method, the grounds seem to be suspended in the water and ultimately during the "draw" water flows through the grounds bed, all of which appears to provide a good extraction. There isn't any agitation with some of the popular brew methods like V60 or Kalita or even a traditional drip coffee. I'm not saying that is good or bad, just comparing the different brew methods as I consider "agitation". I saw the Nico for sale on ebay for about 65 bucks. The pot looks like an old "Bunn" carafe without the top. Pretty cool.
I am wondering what you think about doing a long and low temperature roast. Does that over roast the coffee or is it a more gentle way to roast a bean ? I have had interesting results on 2 roasts using this method on my fresh roast sr540
great question. Depending on the bean you will get different results. Lower and slower roasts generally make a less complex cup based on my experience. How long of a roast are we talking about?
@@VirtualCoffeeLab thanks for your reply. Since im so new to roasting im really on a safari with all the variables. My last roast with the sr540 was some sumatra i got from sweet Maria's. We did a long slow 15 minute roast which only went to 430 degrees and a second crack. We stopped it at 2nd crack. We were going for a city 2 roast. It was dark but not shiny. Amazingly the coffee held on to some sweet notes and there was not any burned taste or oily beans. But we feel it lacks some depth in the flavor. I kept the heat at 1 and 2 during the roast. 2 to get it to first crack which was at a record low temp of 380 on the machine.
The time to first crack was an amazing 12 minutes at 354 degrees and settings fan 6 and heat 1. Normally on other roasts I was getting to first crack at 390 to 415 degrees at 6 to 9 minutes on the 9 heat range.
ok, so that is a 3 minute development. How long to get to dry? I should have asked that before, sorry. The reason I ask it because of a statement Joe Morocco said. Joe worked for cafe imports and then mill city roasters. He did many of their roasting school videos. Joe said in one of his videos that the length of the dry phase has no impact on flavor and their was science behind his statement. I never found the source on that statement. Anyway, I'm curious about the dry time event.
Hello ASMR, I have used an aeropress a couple of times. I have not used it enough to offer an opinion. There are many who love the aeropress as their favorite brewing device.
Good morning Mike, I have a question regarding my clever dripper. The last two brews I have done haven't drawed down quickly and I think that may be why the coffee hasn't tasted very well. It is a dark roast and I have ground to a medium grind. I'm thinking that I need to go to a medium coarse. The other possibility is that the beans themselves (which I haven't roasted) are stale. Any thoughts on this? My inclination is to go a bit coarser and use fresher beans.
Hi Tom, How long is it taking you to dispense your coffee from the dripper? I wouldn't go coarser. There has been some discussion of how decaf coffee and coffee that is darker roast draw slower. A couple of things to consider. First, me sure to try the water first approach, which I think you are doing. Second, do not swirl much at all. just a little movement of the water to break the crust from the edge. Third, if these don't help with your draw, time, then compensate your time so maybe start your draw 15 seconds earlier.
@@VirtualCoffeeLab Hi Mike, I will time the drawdown tomorrow morning to get an accurate time. I think its more than a minuter. Also, I noticed that I have grounds sticking to the sides of the dripper, so I will stir the water less aggressively. I have to say I had a very good cup this morning, as I stopped the dripper a bit earlier.
Good morning Mike, I timed my drawdown this morning and it took at least 2 minutes. I still have a fair amount of crust on the sides. My grind looks more like powder than what I see on yours, for example and I have it on medium (javapresse hand grinder). @@VirtualCoffeeLab
Unfortunately I don't have a great answer Tom. Fresher beans, water first, then grounds, then at 3 minutes, swirl just enough to break the grounds away from the side and then dispense. Darker roasts do take longer. My draw takes on average about a minute. What filter are you using? The standard generic #4 is what i am using. The brand name stuff usually takes longer.
@@VirtualCoffeeLab Thanks Mike, you have been a great help. I do use a #4 filter. I also received filters with the clever dripper which they say were made specifically. I have enough info to make it work and am actually enjoying the process. Blessings, Tom
Been a fan of the Clever for YEARS and recently bought a new one since my old one cracked and started leaking at the bottom. It is my go-to method for most of my morning brews and is the easiest way to get consistent results. I completely agree that the Clever is a good way to evaluate roasts, for the reasons you mentioned. I find that the V60 can accentuate certain notes in a coffee while obscuring others, while the Clever sort of levels the playing field and makes all things equal.
How does one make 2 mugs (ceramic, not see-through) of coffee with a Clever dripper and minimal other stuff? All videos conveniently show one mug/cup only.
Hi Gerald. Thanks for watching and for your question. If you are making a Clever for 2 people then maybe consider dispensing into a glass carafe like the thumbnail of this video and then pour into your mugs. The other option would be to brew two smaller batches OR buy another Clever, one for each mug.
Hi Ed, Not sure where I first heard of the water first. I know a viewer of this channel suggested it to me and I also saw it on James Baileys' @Workshop Coffee channel. Not sure if I was directed to it by James Hoffman of just found it myself. Either way it was a game changer for me as far as consistent draw down times.
Our parents and grandparents used electric percolators that shpritzed boiling water on coffee grounds, and they were perfectly content. Enough already.
My parents use Maxwell House dark roast and an electric percolator every day and are perfectly happy. I would rather go without coffee than enjoy that with them. There are always going to be reasons to prefer (or avoid) a certain prep method for hot coffee. But the clever is a simple, consistent, delicious, and inexpensive way to brew a sample size coffee. It's a method that makes it really easy to control almost every variable. That helps us focus on tasting when roasting single origin coffees and identifying differences between batches. The clever eliminates a lot of the fussiness, faff, and technique required for the pourover methods that maybe this comment was really aimed at.
Thanks for your comment. My intent for this video was not to promote another brewing method as the best or only way to brew. It was to help the home roaster who is seeking to taste their coffee and determine what changes they might want to make to their roast, then roast again and compare. If you are content with a percolator I am excited that works for you. As mentioned in my video, I believe the Clever Dripper is a brewing device that takes the brewing error out of the equation, offering a repeatable, consistent result. At lease that has been my experience. Thanks again for your comment and for watching my video M.H. Ploni.
Hi @Jamie Moore, thank you for your interesting response. It is always interesting to see how viewers perceive my channel. Thank you for the encouragement!
Thanks for sharing @nvalley. I'm glad you find the Clever Dripper helpful while tasting and examining your roasts. I use to sell Maxwell House, Brim, Yuban, Folgers and all of those other coffees and I'm glad to say none of my coffee taste like that.
This is the exact same reason I use a clever to taste sample batches. I have experimented with bee house drippers, an SCA rated Oxo machine brewer, aeropress, and traditional french press. The clever gets the consistency, clarity, and depth I want when really trying to evaluate a roast
Thanks for the comment nvalley. Yea, i think the combination of the immersion with a filter is a home run. I'm glad you are having a positive experience with the Clever and it provides the consistency you need to evaluate your roasts!
I always loved trying different coffee and through the years always bought my coffee from a local roaster who got coffee from all over. So roasting it myself now is so fantastic. I just want to get to understand what us happening during the different phases of roasting. Im sure the air roaster is different than drum roasting
generally air roaster can roast faster because they are using pretty much 100% convection. The roasts are generally more evenly roasted as well. Timing is different but the science is still the same. Heat applied to coffee beans over time right? How much time we spend in the browning phase and development phase will influence what our coffee tastes like. I talk about 50% or less of the roast time being spent in the dry phase. This was a Rao statement i learned quite a while ago but after much experience I found that when roasting on a drum roaster, too much heat upfront causes roasting defects and just as important, can create too much momentum. We can't slow down the roast quick enough and our coffee can't develop properly through the phases. This is also possible for air roasters. A good book to read (it is short) is Rob Hoos - Modulating the flavor profile of coffee - affiliate link here amzn.to/3vWAeoV The book really helped me understand the impact time over temperature can have on flavor. I highly recommend the book.
@@VirtualCoffeeLab thank you so much for that! I will check it out. Ill be watching your videos as well. I really .ike the way you explain the processes!
I couldn’t agree with you more! For years I was experimenting with espresso. I have owned lever machines and super automatics. The super automatic was a truly professional unit that I obtained used. I loved it because it did make a very good cup consistently. Eventually I could no longer get spare parts for it. A friend gave me the clever dripper as a gift at about that time. I was pleasantly surprised! I roast at home and enjoy that process very much, and at the same time I get a very good cup of coffee from the clever dripper.
Is the "Lever" machine an espresso maker? I'm glad you find the Clever helpful. The convenience and consistency is a huge factor for me. It is interesting he hear how people come to use the Clever Dripper. You have a great friend you gave you one! Thanks for watching and for your comments oldgrumpus.
I first experienced the Clever dripper and best cup of coffee ever when at Truth Coffee in South Africa. Upon returning from my trip, I ordered one with my next batch of Sweet Maria’s coffee and never looked back. Been discussing getting two more for my work coffee club to stop fussing with the Chemex where the technique can influence our cup much more dramatically.
My family and I would brew 3 different coffees using separate Clever Drippers. We could then share a "flight" of coffee together and talk about the different notes. Yea, the Clever Dripper would be a great idea for a work coffee club.
I wanted to add that Cafec filters (Trapezoid 103 which are identical in size to generic #4s) speed up drawdowns for me. I do medium fine coffee first (25g) and 400ml of water in my Clever (L) - after 3 minutes of steeping, my drawdown is around 60 seconds. It helps to not stir a lot and a decent grinder that doesn't produce a lot of fines can also speed things up. Love your channel!
Thanks for sharing JD. Great info. I've changed up my Clever Dripper brewing over the last year or so. I'm putting the water in first, then the grounds, stirring the grounds in, and steeping for 3:15 minutes. I get a full drawdown in about a minute or less (sometimes 45 seconds) depending on my coffee. Do you think the Trapezoid filters are the difference? I'm currently using standard #4. The water-first method seems to suspend the grounds in the water a little more so the first half of the drawdown is pretty quick.
Thank you for your encouraging words. I'm glad my videos have been helpful!
@@VirtualCoffeeLab I do think the Cafec filters speed up the drawdown time - have tried Melitta, Filtropa, Kalita, Hario (folded at the bottom point) and Cafec. I get a richer cup when I do coffee first...perhaps if I were to grind finer, the water first method would taste just as good though one has to be careful stirring grounds into a mostly full dripper :)
I would add that the Aeropress is also a very forgiving brewer. I have lately been using an Espro P0 French Press and I really like the results as well.
Thanks for sharing that Jamie. Honestly I think i've used the aeropress once or twice. Is it as simple and quick as the Clever Dripper? I'm not saying one is better than the other because I don't really know and that wasn't the point of my video. I'm thinking of my day to day use, brew size (350 grams of water) and most importantly "technique". Seems like there has been a lot of talk about technique with the aeropress and even an international competition.
@@VirtualCoffeeLab The Aeropress is pretty easy, but you can't do a full 350 g of water, so the Clever would be better for that use case. I think just about any immersion brewer is simple and repeatable if controlled for coffee/water ratio, water temp and time. Like all things coffee, some people have come up with really complicated ways to use the Aeropress, but it is just a French press with a paper filter.
Thanks Jamie, I appreciate the candid response. My son has an Aeropress so I might give that a try again.
Yes I agree, I have Clever Dripper and enjoy it very much. Nice video fun and superbly done
Glad you enjoyed it Orrin. Thanks for the kind words of encouragement.
8:22 merry Christmas @Virtualcoffeelab! Mike just got the clever dripper today for Christmas. I have been trying different roast levels with an Ethiopian natural that I liked but seemed to keep getting a brightness almost an underdeveloped lemon rind at a very light roast and I almost thought it needed to be a shade darker but boy I tired it in the clever dripper this morning and it was like unlocking the flavor wheel of coffee of my dreams! The sweetness, blueberry, candied strawberry and chocolate lingering finish were all loud and clear. Unbelievable. Also this video helped nudge my wife to purchase it for me for Christmas!! Merry Christmas again! I love your content especially for the home roasters we are a small community. I love to learn from you!
Hi Jeston. Merry Christmas to you as well. Thanks for the encouraging message. I'm glad you had a great roasting experience and brewing experience. I love the clever dripper and as you can see, it is much more forgiving when it comes to brewing methods. I am happy my video was helpful to you!
Agree! I use switch instead same approach just steep it, but still open to test my roast on different brewer so I do have idea how it taste on different approach.
Yep. I'm not saying we should only use the Clever, but when it comes to figuring out our roast issues, the brew method is one less variable I need to worry about . I enjoy the Kalita as another filter brew method.
My two daughters use the clever dripper to make iced coffee nearly every morning. I go through stages of using it as well in a rotation of drippers. If time is short it's probably the fastest least fussy way to get a tasty cup rolling in the morning. You can make toast or a bagel during the process.
That's funny. I have not thought of that. I wonder how big a breakfast you could conjour up in 4 minutes or less. Our family makes home made Liege Waffles. It takes about 4 minutes in the maker to get it done. One of the best pairings with coffee, except for my favorite Kouign Amann! Thanks for sharing M.
Interesting idea. I’ve signed up for a “home brewing” class tomorrow because I’ve begun to think that my V60 brew recipe is negatively effecting my coffee experience and I want to improve my technique. It didn’t dawn on me to use my clever dripper to get a more consistent brew. I will try it!
Hi Daniel. Please share your result using the Clever Dripper if you don’t mind sharing. What’s the course your taking?
@@VirtualCoffeeLab I tried it today and was impressed with the results. Will need to tweak my grind size and recipe but it performed better than my v60. The class is a “home brewing 101” at my local coffee shop. I’m hoping I might learn a thing or two to sharpen my v60 technique. Thanks for all your great content. I’m running a freshroast SR540 and just hooked it up to artisan. It’s like a whole new world is opening up to my roasting game and your videos are the most helpful content I’ve found.
I’m currently using a Hario Switch and Aeropress for my drip coffee and I drink a lot of espresso. I do find that the brew method definitely plays a role and I’m always hoping that the stars align to give me a decent cup of coffee.
I haven’t been using the clever dripper for my daily for quite some time now. I am using my Kalita 155 stainless brewer and the aeropress. I find both give great results. You are right, brewing makes a huge impact on the cup. You can roast great coffee and if your grinder is not great or the brew method is off, that coffee will suffer
@@VirtualCoffeeLab I would add that I haven’t used my regular V60 since I got my Switch and haven’t used my Chemexes in ages. I tried to modify a Switch recipe kinda like your Clever recipe this morning by filling it up with water first then putting the coffee in and stirring it up (I did that for the first pour of water, let it bloom, drained, then added the rest of the water). It came out good and it was a much stronger brew than otherwise so I suppose the extraction was higher although I didn’t measure it. I’ve got an Orea V3 coming hopefully next week and I’ve heard good things about it. That will be just one more variable. There is too much to keep track of. Water temp, brew method, brew recipe, filter paper type, pour style etc. maybe the good old days of Juan Valdez and Folgers wasn’t so bad.
I started with a pseudo-espresso from a 3-in-1 machine that brews from pods and from a pressurized basket, then Phin filters, then into Kalita 155, then a V60. My issue with these brewing methods aside from the Phin is that they are not very forgiving. Just get your grind size a bit off, or your tamping is not as even as possible, or you let the grounds get exposed to air during the 3rd pour, etc.. and your cup will taste off. I was thinking between going with the Clever or the Aeropress since both involve immersion, but I finally went with the Clever dripper because of the capacity. Very simple process, very forgiving in terms of everything, and you're almost guaranteed a good cup of coffee everytime you use it, provided that you are using fresh and good quality beans. Since the time I've had the Clever, I almost never use the other drippers I have except for the Phin.
Cool story and spot on. I love the ease of use and consistency as well. I’compiling a list of hacks to share in a future video. Great brewer, especially for someone who is a home roaster and is trying to figure out their roast! Thanks for sharing!
Clever Dripper is a really great way to check roasting.
I often brew coffee in the V60 V60 pour over.
Hi ASMR, thanks for watching my video. V60 is a great method. I enjoy the clever dripper because it is very forgiving and gives consistently good results.
@@VirtualCoffeeLab Yes! Stable results are a great advantage.
Nice video Mike. I was a V60 pour-over brewer for a few years until I learned about the Clever Dripper (CD) from you a few months back. I just thought I would get the CD and give it a try a few times - just for fun. With the V60, I was having some inconsistency in the brewed coffee taste. I was new to roasting and I would always get confused trying to figure out if my roasting method was off a little (or a lot) or my brewing method was inconsistent. I really needed to be able to brew consistently to help me evaluate my roasting trials and errors. But like you said, brewing with the V60 has its own set of tricky procedures that unless followed very closely and consistently can lead to an inconsistency in coffee flavor.
So, I tried the CD and after a couple of brews I KNEW I would use it as my go-to brewing method. Compared to the V60, the CD makes much smoother brews, and it's almost impossible to get a bitter cup - at least I have never gotten one! My first comment on the taste using CD brewing was how much it reminded me of that from a French Press - smooth. Coupled with a better taste in my opinion, the CD is also much simpler to use, simply because there are less steps to do.
I did learn that when I brew decaf I have roasted, I need to ALWAYS pour the water in before the coffee grounds - always. If I don't do that, my draw down time (the time for the coffee to drain into the cup) is significantly increased. I am thinking the reason for that may be that my roasted Columbian Decaf might be less dense than my non-decafs and my grinder might just produce more powder when it grinds those beans.
I have found that for a grounds-first technique to taste its best, I need my water pour-in to be slower and more gradual, and not a dump-in. Not sure why that is, but I'm glad I learned that. For non-decaf coffees, both methods (water-first vs coffee-first) seem to result in about the same flavor, but I am still evaluating that. If I was forced to always use only one method, I definitely would happily use the water-first method.
Thanks for sharing Lou. Yes, I remember us talking about the Clever Dripper. I'm glad it has been helpful for you. When it comes to roast evaluation, without getting involved in a full blown cupping, the clever driper delivers consistency and helps me focus in and compare roast to roast. I think for a home roaster it is killing two birds with one stone. We get a method for consistent evaluation and we get to drink a full cup of delicious coffee at the same time, avoiding the cupping scenario. Yea, for me, the water first has been a winner all the way around. Density affecting the draw down eh? Interesting.
I have the similar Hario Switch. Instead of flow being triggered by placing it on a decanter, it has a switch that you flip. I prefer that but you also have to be fully aware of the switch position or you can end up with a mess on your counter.
Anyway I love the results. I always enjoyed French press coffee except for the silt. This gives me that profile but filtered.
Great reason to love the Switch or Clever Dripper. I really enjoy the Emerson style brew. Thanks for watching and sharing Ed!
I really enjoyed your video Mike.
Hi Shane, Thanks for watching and the encouragement!
I was having the issue of a similar, not so excellent flavor, in every roast I made. I found out, after buying a new grinder, that it was indeed my grinder. It created far too many fines. It didn't matter which way I brewed it, it always had this distinct signature to it.
But, yes. I really enjoy tasting the coffee at different grind size settings, using different brew methods, different amounts of time after roast.
I currently use immersion on the inverted AeroPress as the go to way of brewing.
I'm interested in trying this one after watching the video. Thanks a bunch for the info!
Thanks for watching and for your comment! I had the same experience with my grinder as well. I think you will enjoy the clever dripper!
@@VirtualCoffeeLab It's my pleasure, friend.
Thank you! Very helpful. I see you must be using a Fellow Ode grinder, based on the dispenser your grounds were in. I recently bought one and am very happy with it! What setting do you use for immersion brewing, such as the Clever Dripper or French Press? I'm using a setting at 4.5 with my French press. I have the standard burr set. BTW, I do a 75g/liter coffee to water ratio for immersion, per James Hoffmann's recommendation. Quite happy with this brew strength.
Hi Mark, yes, I have a Fellow Ode with the standard burr set. I was about a 4.5 but now I have moved to a 4 for my clever. Medium fine i think might be a good descriptor but I can do that because the Clever is a filtered immersion brew so I can go a little finer. I'm glad you are getting good results. I've always done a 23-25 gram dose per 350 grams of water for my clever. I get a nice big cup of coffee ;-)
I use an old stovetop double chamber vacuum pot (nicro) as my brewing method, because with this immersion system, temperature is ideal at 195-205 degrees and held there, plus i get agitation of the grounds with the steam coming through the connecting tube, and i can control time very precisely. when i remove the stainless steel pot from the heating surface, i wrap it with a water soaked wash cloth that condenses the steam in the lower chamber almost immediately, suctioning the liquid from the top funnel through the metal filter to the bottom pot in 30 seconds or so. the clever dripper looks convenient for smaller amounts of liquid, but i don't see how temperature above 195 degrees would be maintained very long. and there's no agitation unless you remove the lid and stir it. i can see how it would be very convenient and easy to use in your circumstances however.
Hi Paul, interesting. The Nicro sounds like a mix between the Moka Pot and a percolator.
With regards to your comment about water temp, that doesn't seem to be an issue with the Clever Dripper that I have noticed. I use water around 203 and the coffee is too hot to drink after the brew. When using the "water first" method, the grounds seem to be suspended in the water and ultimately during the "draw" water flows through the grounds bed, all of which appears to provide a good extraction. There isn't any agitation with some of the popular brew methods like V60 or Kalita or even a traditional drip coffee. I'm not saying that is good or bad, just comparing the different brew methods as I consider "agitation". I saw the Nico for sale on ebay for about 65 bucks. The pot looks like an old "Bunn" carafe without the top. Pretty cool.
What grind size do you use? I have a wilfa svart aroma grinder
I have a fellow ode and use a grind setting of 4 Gary. What are you roasting with.
I am wondering what you think about doing a long and low temperature roast. Does that over roast the coffee or is it a more gentle way to roast a bean ? I have had interesting results on 2 roasts using this method on my fresh roast sr540
great question. Depending on the bean you will get different results. Lower and slower roasts generally make a less complex cup based on my experience. How long of a roast are we talking about?
@@VirtualCoffeeLab thanks for your reply. Since im so new to roasting im really on a safari with all the variables. My last roast with the sr540 was some sumatra i got from sweet Maria's. We did a long slow 15 minute roast which only went to 430 degrees and a second crack. We stopped it at 2nd crack. We were going for a city 2 roast. It was dark but not shiny. Amazingly the coffee held on to some sweet notes and there was not any burned taste or oily beans. But we feel it lacks some depth in the flavor. I kept the heat at 1 and 2 during the roast. 2 to get it to first crack which was at a record low temp of 380 on the machine.
Yep, that makes sense. You used the phrase "lacking depth" which I referred to as "less complex". what was your time to first crack?
The time to first crack was an amazing 12 minutes at 354 degrees and settings fan 6 and heat 1. Normally on other roasts I was getting to first crack at 390 to 415 degrees at 6 to 9 minutes on the 9 heat range.
ok, so that is a 3 minute development. How long to get to dry? I should have asked that before, sorry. The reason I ask it because of a statement Joe Morocco said. Joe worked for cafe imports and then mill city roasters. He did many of their roasting school videos. Joe said in one of his videos that the length of the dry phase has no impact on flavor and their was science behind his statement. I never found the source on that statement. Anyway, I'm curious about the dry time event.
What do you think about brewing coffee in the AeroPress?
Hello ASMR, I have used an aeropress a couple of times. I have not used it enough to offer an opinion. There are many who love the aeropress as their favorite brewing device.
Good morning Mike, I have a question regarding my clever dripper. The last two brews I have done haven't drawed down quickly and I think that may be why the coffee hasn't tasted very well. It is a dark roast and I have ground to a medium grind. I'm thinking that I need to go to a medium coarse. The other possibility is that the beans themselves (which I haven't roasted) are stale. Any thoughts on this? My inclination is to go a bit coarser and use fresher beans.
Hi Tom, How long is it taking you to dispense your coffee from the dripper?
I wouldn't go coarser. There has been some discussion of how decaf coffee and coffee that is darker roast draw slower. A couple of things to consider. First, me sure to try the water first approach, which I think you are doing. Second, do not swirl much at all. just a little movement of the water to break the crust from the edge. Third, if these don't help with your draw, time, then compensate your time so maybe start your draw 15 seconds earlier.
@@VirtualCoffeeLab Hi Mike, I will time the drawdown tomorrow morning to get an accurate time. I think its more than a minuter. Also, I noticed that I have grounds sticking to the sides of the dripper, so I will stir the water less aggressively. I have to say I had a very good cup this morning, as I stopped the dripper a bit earlier.
Good morning Mike, I timed my drawdown this morning and it took at least 2 minutes. I still have a fair amount of crust on the sides. My grind looks more like powder than what I see on yours, for example and I have it on medium (javapresse hand grinder). @@VirtualCoffeeLab
Unfortunately I don't have a great answer Tom. Fresher beans, water first, then grounds, then at 3 minutes, swirl just enough to break the grounds away from the side and then dispense. Darker roasts do take longer. My draw takes on average about a minute. What filter are you using? The standard generic #4 is what i am using. The brand name stuff usually takes longer.
@@VirtualCoffeeLab Thanks Mike, you have been a great help. I do use a #4 filter. I also received filters with the clever dripper which they say were made specifically. I have enough info to make it work and am actually enjoying the process. Blessings, Tom
Been a fan of the Clever for YEARS and recently bought a new one since my old one cracked and started leaking at the bottom. It is my go-to method for most of my morning brews and is the easiest way to get consistent results. I completely agree that the Clever is a good way to evaluate roasts, for the reasons you mentioned. I find that the V60 can accentuate certain notes in a coffee while obscuring others, while the Clever sort of levels the playing field and makes all things equal.
Thanks for sharing Dustin and for watching! Yea, my clevers last forever until I drop them.
How does one make 2 mugs (ceramic, not see-through) of coffee with a Clever dripper and minimal other stuff? All videos conveniently show one mug/cup only.
Hi Gerald. Thanks for watching and for your question. If you are making a Clever for 2 people then maybe consider dispensing into a glass carafe like the thumbnail of this video and then pour into your mugs. The other option would be to brew two smaller batches OR buy another Clever, one for each mug.
Love my clever dripper. I see you’re using James Hoffman’s technique…
Hi Ed, Not sure where I first heard of the water first. I know a viewer of this channel suggested it to me and I also saw it on James Baileys' @Workshop Coffee channel. Not sure if I was directed to it by James Hoffman of just found it myself. Either way it was a game changer for me as far as consistent draw down times.
@@VirtualCoffeeLab Yep, it makes a massive difference. It’s my go to technique for the dripper.
water first very much much much fast
Yes, water first with gentle swirl just before dispensing into cup.
Dude your clever dripper valve is dirty....ewww. use soapy water with pressure to rinse and clean it.
Hi Manny. Thanks for watching. Nope, it is clean. Soap and water, won't change the color. It has had a lot of use and discolor over time.
Our parents and grandparents used electric percolators that shpritzed boiling water on coffee grounds, and they were perfectly content. Enough already.
This channel is not about be pragmatic. This is for the coffee hobbyist that enjoys experimenting.
My parents use Maxwell House dark roast and an electric percolator every day and are perfectly happy. I would rather go without coffee than enjoy that with them.
There are always going to be reasons to prefer (or avoid) a certain prep method for hot coffee. But the clever is a simple, consistent, delicious, and inexpensive way to brew a sample size coffee. It's a method that makes it really easy to control almost every variable. That helps us focus on tasting when roasting single origin coffees and identifying differences between batches.
The clever eliminates a lot of the fussiness, faff, and technique required for the pourover methods that maybe this comment was really aimed at.
Thanks for your comment. My intent for this video was not to promote another brewing method as the best or only way to brew. It was to help the home roaster who is seeking to taste their coffee and determine what changes they might want to make to their roast, then roast again and compare. If you are content with a percolator I am excited that works for you. As mentioned in my video, I believe the Clever Dripper is a brewing device that takes the brewing error out of the equation, offering a repeatable, consistent result. At lease that has been my experience.
Thanks again for your comment and for watching my video M.H. Ploni.
Hi @Jamie Moore, thank you for your interesting response. It is always interesting to see how viewers perceive my channel. Thank you for the encouragement!
Thanks for sharing @nvalley. I'm glad you find the Clever Dripper helpful while tasting and examining your roasts. I use to sell Maxwell House, Brim, Yuban, Folgers and all of those other coffees and I'm glad to say none of my coffee taste like that.