Recipe Summary 60-65g/L Coffee:Water ratio 15g/250mL in the video 20g/333mL, 30g/500mL for quick reference Grind size: medium-fine, finer than typical for french press. Similar to 2-cup v60 grind size. 1. Grind coffee 2. Fold and rinse paper with hot tap water (off boil kettle water not needed) 3. Fill Clever dripper with WATER FIRST for a quicker drawdown 4. Quickly add the ground coffee and stir 5. Steep without lid (lid doesn't seem to add anything to the brew) for 2 minutes 6. At 1:30 break the crust on top (stir or shake) 7. At 2:00 drip into your brew vessel Drawdown time should be around 1 minute depending on your grind and coffee Note additional steeping time does not seem to affect the brew, so it's quite forgiving if your time isn't exact. Thank you James!
@@tiestillo Don't think so. At 4:16 James says "We are gonna let it steep for 2 minutes" which implies that is when you begin to drip into your vessel. Later, at 4:35 he also says "as we get to 2 minutes, we wanna break that crust.." which also implies that you break the crust before 2 minutes have elapsed. It's fine to steep longer anyway as I noted at the end of the original comment, see 6:51 where James mentions this
@@trustparadox dude, I don't want to start like an irrational discussion here but you should improve your listening skills: at 4:16 he says to let it steep for 2 minutes, and at 4:35 you break the crust and let it sit for 30 seconds. That's 2 minutes and 30 seconds total. Then you drain it.
Very cool trick! The reason is that if coffee was put in first, the fine coffee particles would get into the filter paper before swelling by water. The swelling process causes volume expansion of the coffee particles thereby clogging the filter paper. If coffee was added later, the fine powders would have time to expand before reaching to the pores of the coffee filter.
My great grandmother had a "similar" technique. She boil the the water on the stove top, turn off the heat and pour the coffee into the water. After a couple minutes she would pour that mixture over the paper filter and let it drain. I liked her coffee the most, but for some reason never repeated her technique. Watching this made me want to try it again
So using what I already have, french press then filter through a v60 or Kalita for the same result--maybe better! Or Aeropress and don't bother. OR. For the office where weird, cheap, no name cone brewers seem to have accumulated over the years (who uses these things?), could brew in a cup and filter through one of those. Love it!
@@artofguitar The problem with including French Press in the mix is that it's still an annoying mess to clean up. The Clever leaves zero mess. So do still highly recommend picking up a Clever since they're so cheap.
Here's the recipe: 15grams 250ml medium-fine grind STOP! WATER FIRST, then coffee stir steep for 2 mins break crust - wait 30 seconds 1 minute draw time
Really appreciate the grind size demonstration with the “brewler”! Could be an idea for a whole separate video, showing the grind size for every major brewing method combined in one video? ☕️
Thank you. Based upon your review and instructions I received my clever dripper today. The best cup of coffee in the last 10 years. I am 60, you are undoubtedly one of the foremost coffee experts in the world. Amazing😁
"This is a fantastic way to make coffee..." Yes, I recall brewing French Press and then filtering thru paper long before I was aware of Clever. Re slow or stalled drawdowns, I had been using Filtropa filters, but today used "official" Clever filters (Japan) supplied directly by Clever with a new brewer, and the drawdown was 30 seconds faster with Clever paper. Also the preheated soaked Clever filters weigh about 15g less, so I assume thinner paper holding less water. Finally, hybrid method, pour half of water into Clever, add your dose of ground coffee, then pour in the remaining half of the water. This was suggested by Clever. I find this easier than adding the coffee to all the water and then stirring without making a mess. (not sure James or anyone will see this comment made 16 months after the video when there's already 1500+ comments, oh well)
Interesting. James said the hybrid method is slower than all water first, is that similar to your experience? I'm mainly using the Clever as my main brewer, also using the filter by Clever that comes in a blue box.
@@user-yv8qd7fb2y Well I dunno. I tried all the water first (400ml) but was uncomfortable stiring the grounds, so I only tried that method a few times, and went back to coffee first then add all the water. That was long ago and would get the occasional stall. Since I learned the half & half method, no stirring needed as the 2d pour soaks all the grounds, and drawdowns with Clever paper have been 60 sec +/- 15 sec. I have many brewers, but this is very easy, coffee is very good, and I "enjoy" timing the drawdowns. I keep a log, I must be a nerd.
I also prefer doing half water, then coffee, then remaining water. It's just way less messy, especially when you're maxing out the capacity of the Clever when brewing for two.
@@user-yv8qd7fb2y If you're going for "fastest drawdown possible" sure, maybe half and half is slightly slower, but not nearly as slow as coffee first then all the water. Half and half is still very fast and still makes delicious coffee. I've been using it with some quite delicate beans and roasts and it still brings out tons of delicious flavor. At the end of the day, do what makes you happy and gives you coffee you like.
I love the Clever Dripper, it's such a great and easy brewer. It's nearly made my V60 obsolete as the Clever is just easier and makes the same tasting (if not slightly better) coffee. The only downside for me is the smaller capacity, I wish there was a 750ml or even 1L size. I brew 30g of coffee to 510g of water and it is filled to the absolute maximum, which makes nice sized cups of coffee for my wife and I. I also found the lid doesn't really contribute to anything beneficial and I just leave it off now, which is a relief because putting the lid on at 510g requires some washing of the lid every time. I don't really mind the long draw down, as my coffee is usually too hot to drink anyways. I add my coffee, water, stir it all up, and wait four minutes before I begin draining. Comes out wonderful every time. I've changed the steep times a bit in my experimenting and never really noticed a different either. I have also not found any negative taste side effects from grinding really fine. The finer I grind, the richer the coffee tastes but also the longer it takes to drain. Really, the balance I find is to go as fine as I possibly can before I clog or get too bored of waiting. One final thing, I found if you do want a really, really strong cup of coffee, like a 1:15 or 1:13 ratio, you're best off by stirring it quite a bit to really get your extraction up. If you don't stir enough, it can become a bit acidic most likely from there not being enough water to get all the goodies out with agitation? Also, final, final thing, love the videos!
> I don't really mind the long draw down, as my coffee is usually too hot to drink anyways. The issue with the long drawdown isn't that you wait longer, it's that it can contribute to a harsher brew. This is why pour over nerds are so finicky about their drawdown times, and they're bringing that same attention to detail to the Clever. I also max out my Clever when brewing for two, and I find doing half water, then the grounds, then the rest of the water is a really nice happy medium. You don't have to stir the grounds because you evenly cover them with water during the 2nd pour, so no mess for that max fill. (Although I still give it a couple shallow stirs right after the pour, and then around the 2 minute mark to knock down the crust, can't swirl the Clever when it's maxed out.) You get a faster drawdown which improves the quality of the brew as compared to a slow drawdown. Another thing that helps the drawdown is hotter water. I started out doing pour over temperatures, but kettle right off the boil produces the best drawdown and gives much more vibrant flavors with lighter roasts. Totally agree it's surprising how fine you can grind and get excellent results. As well how much the steep time beyond 2 minutes doesn't really matter. Such a forgiving brew method! Just food for thought, do whatever makes you happy!
If you want a little less acidity, try putting in a pinch of baking powder in the filter before adding the boiling water. No matter what kind of coffee I drink, I always add baking powder. To me the coffee tastes even better.
Yes. It's finally here, got my bingo card for 2020, "The Ultimate Aer- ...Oh. Seriously, genuinely appreciated the video. I'm trying to get one of my friends into investing a bit more into coffee and this was my recommendation to him as an easy one to use while doing things for breakfast.
@LONcreeps maybe because there’s so many variables to the way in which you can brew using an aeropress. From grind size to water temperature or stirring to swirling. Maybe James doesn’t want to spark up a huge debate in the comments which fuels an angry pitch forked mob to appear outside Square Mile.
@LONcreeps He also said during the Aeropress Go review that he would show his method soon. And that was a long time ago! But it's almost an in joke on his channel comments now.
I think the thing that makes the clever especially great for the ultra-budget conscious: the fact that water goes in first means that you dont need a gooseneck. You can get into specialty coffee for $30 and a cheap hario grinder (or have the roaster grind it) and a scale. This is great!
I also found that adding boiling water to the brewer first usually lands your water right around 195-202F which is a great temperature that you'd otherwise need a higher-end kettle to dial in.
Huge fan of the Clever Dripper. It’s great for using when I was at the office and still get a fine brew. This technique was new but it works so well I’ll use it from now on. Thanks James.
I HAVE JUMPED ROUND MY KITCHEN IN JOY, my heart lit up like a little girl seeing a dog at the sight of this video and I can confirm, I’ve now made the best cup of clever dripper coffee so far, thank you 😃
Years ago I was looking for one of those filter machines. A review site I read said they used the Clever Dripper as a baseline to see how good all of the different machines were, and they were all somewhat worse, so I just bought the Clever Dripper. It's been great!
After fiddling about with different brewing systems I found the Clever a few years back. It has served me very well brewing delicious coffee every day. So simple. So reliable. So easy to clean.
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Need to try this. Have the clever in the cupboard and use it from time to time when I only need one cup. Thank you James! This channel is truly an inspiration for coffee lovers.
Just rotated from the Aero to the Clever a month ago and have been pleased with the cleaner if slightly longer brewing process. Using the same grind (29 on the Rocky) as I use on the Aero. Ran to the bar as soon as I finished your video and tried the new method, water first, and draw down reduced by 25sec. Coffee was still very good. Great review of a “Clever” method.
Love the clever! I even competed with it in Brewer's Cup a few years ago. This is a great recipe. I also love the recipe from Coffee and Water 's channel.
My wife gave me one of these for Christmas (I was so excited when this video was released) and it has blown my mind. I love the V60 but this really, REALLY impressed me. Delicious coffee!
I found out about that device about a year ago and absolutely love it. I’m a mass consumption coffee drinker , in that I’m Norwegian and a heavy duty diesel mechanic and truck driver a excellent combination for mass coffee consumption. What I do is I keep a pot of hot water going all day long on my unwave induction cook top just below boiling. When it’s time for another cup and that’s a 20oz buba cup I kick up the temperature a little to bring the water to a boil then go through the process you do and repeat several times a day. The unwave with a pot of water just under boiling is the best way to do it , O. by the way I’m retired so I’m at home all day long that’s the reason I do what I do. As I used to have a sign in my tool box when I was working said. “ Coffee Break 9.00 to 5.00 daily🤪👍” that used to piss off the bosses 😜😜😃😃
Bought one two weeks ago and it's great. Really easy now to make coffee which tastes great plus the caffeine certainly wakes you up, unlike instant. Thanks for the tip.
Might be beneficial to draw that "brewler" _through_ the coffee grounds so we can see at what size the grounds pass through. I couldn't really tell at a glance what size those grounds were when they were next to it. Love your videos James, keep em coming!
Well, I’ve brewed this way every day since the video came out. Not a single brew that I didn’t love. I couldn’t say that before so have to conclude the consistency this brings is spot on. 👍
Just got a Clever dripper and tried this technique and it worked like a charm. I used the same grind setting I use for Chemex pourovers and had a great result. Full of flavor and mouth feel but not overly bitter. Thanks!
After messing with this a bit, I've found that the half water first method works best for me. It gives a fast draw down time without having to stir, especially when using freshly roasted coffee. The full water first method works well with coffee that is a week or more removed from roasting and doesn't try to bloom as much when it hits water.
I've tried this a couple of times and can verify that the drawdown IS indeed a lot faster when going water first then coffee second. 2x faster at just about 1 minute drawdown. Fascinating!
Other coffee people say Clever Dripper doesn't produce good coffee. Me: totally agree James say Clever Dripper is is easy, simple and produce great coffee. Me: totally agree
There's some weird stigma out there about the Clever Dripper with some coffee people, like it doesn't look cool enough and is "too easy" to use so the coffee surely isn't good. I've found it to be better than everything else when it comes to portable brewers, I'm happy James thinks highly of it too
I guess it's the same perception as the cake mixes - when companies added the "crack an egg" step, bakers felt more engaged. So I guess the stigma is due to the fact that Clever Dripper doesn't require "skill" or some form of action, it just pours hot water on coffee grounds and sits there. Even a plunger has that plunge action that makes it feel like you're doing something to influence the taste of coffee.
@@SpaceDifference I think you're right, it's not as engaging or as "cool" as pressing down on the chamber of an Aeropress or using a fancy gooseneck kettle to pour over a V60/Kalita Wave. I'll trade hipster factor for consistently tasty coffee any day of the week.
Thank you so much for this, James. The Clever Dripper has been my favorite brewer for a while, but I've recently found myself wanting to see if I could improve the taste of my coffee a bit. I can't wait to try this tomorrow morning. :D
This will undoubtedly help my Clever brews. Also got one for my mom a while back since it's a no-fuss way to get great coffee in the morning. Good stuff!
Just spent a highly enjoyable afternoon playing with this recipe and some Square Mile beans. The shake-not-stir trick for breaking the crust is genius and I'll be doing that from now on!
Just received a Clever Dripper for Christmas and brewed my first cup this morning...after re-watching your video, of course :) Although I love my V60, I do appreciate not having to "fuff around" with the Clever Dripper. I will use this as my primary driver for a while because I have a feeling this is going to give me a level of consistency that surpasses what I've been able to achieve with a V60...something closer to the results I get with my Aeropress (which I also adore!). Thanks for the great technique video!
Watched yesterday night, tried today morning. Yes, it works! As I have not the best grinder now (sorry Hario, but it is true), my draw down time was 2:30 with the classic method. Now it is down to 1:30. But the main thing is the taste: I believe, that with this method the surface tension of water prevents the fines to go inside the volume of the liquid, essentially not allowing them to agitate and contribute theirs bitterness to the taste. The coffee made with this method has very silky taste without even a hint of bitterness. Really enjoyed the cup!!! Thank you very much, Mr. Hoffmann for making this excellent hint known to hundred of thousand of people!
Just bought the Clever and have been trying it out. WOW, its so easy and didn't take long to dial in a couple different types of coffee. One point of difference I have is I found the lid to keep the water warmer. Ambient temperature of your room may affect this. Excellent recommendation, thanks.
I use a Clever Dripper every morning. So much easier than a regular pour-over and I think you get better results. Thanks for the guide! Nice work as always.
This is a simple technique but I have bad memory so I'm writing down for anyone like me lol *15g coffee, 250ml hot water* 1. Slightly fold two parts of the filter and place it on the dripper 2. Water first, coffee second. Give it a little stir 3. Steep for 2 minutes. Optional: give it a gentle shake 30 seconds before drawing the coffee out 4. Draw down! Done.
I got a Clever Dripper last Christmas and only used it about five times as it kept clogging up. However, I've now used the water before coffee method and it works perfectly. Thanks for highlighting this tip!
Might be too late for you to see this, but I have noticed a similar effect on draw down time in my V60 brews when I use a swirl pour vs a straight center pour. There is sometimes as much as a 1 minute difference in my drawdown! My theory is that a swirl pour, or in this case coffee first, leads to a lot of the fines being "washed" off of the larger grinds and clogging the filter. Agitating the grinds less seems to lead to a faster drawdown and noticeably less fines on the filter!
Been thinking about one of these for while - just given me the push to order one, nearly out of the papers for my v60, always good to try new coffee making devices. Thanks James.
I've been waiting for this! Clever is my brew method of choice for the moment, but I haven't quite dialed in my technique yet. Definitely giving this method a try tomorrow.
The addition of water first and then coffee, dramatically changes the drawn down time. Furthermore, leaving off the lid avoids creating a vacuum and again bring drawn down time down. Coffee was excellent! Thanks James
At last! Thanks for reviewing my absolute favourite coffee making tool! I'm on my third and love it. To me, it's the perfect compromise between time and taste. It's genius and drives my second coffee of every day. Enjoy.
I find that filling up the dripper to about 2/3 before adding coffee works best for me. This allows more room for the bloom and stir without slopping any over the sides. After stirring, I add water to get me to 485 gms (515 with the 30 gms of coffee). Draining the dripper into a pre-heated thermos keeps it hot for hours. I make 2 batches into the thermos and add another 30 gms of water to take me to a liter. Just right for my wife and my morning coffee.
Bought a Clever Dripper after you mentioned it in a previous video and have been very impressed. I also tried it with a cloth filter, though I preferred the paper. It's great for someone not so interested in investing in a gooseneck kettle and the technique required for most pour-overs. Thanks for the technique tips!
I use clever dripper exclusively at home and this technique is just ingenious. ❤❤❤It took me some time to commit to it, but I am not coming back. Thank you James for another useful tip.
There were already a bunch of other Clever Dripper tutorials that suggest this, where have you been?? It never made sense to pour the water over a clump of coffee when you can get a nice even bed of coffee by pouring it on after
I really like a steeped brew. I use a v60 ratio and recipe, but mix the coffee and water in a mason jar first and let it steep there. After about 2 mins I simply pour through the v60 .....amazing cup, every time.
The Clever was my introduction into pour over coffee. A friend saw me brewing single doses of coffee through a kitchen funnel and standard 12 cup filters. He had pity on me and gave me his old Clever brew.
@@HisGrandNarrative Prepare for a James Hoffmann video on half-life of volatile organic compounds in coffee and how long can they be detected by a standardized human non-covid olfactory system
I have been coffee drinker my entire adult life, but this has gotten me into the coffee as a hobby world. It all seemed too complicated and expensive. But this inexpensive and consistent way of making a great coffee has been my gateway drug to the hobby
Thanks for that James! I've enjoyed many a clever-dripper at Workshop near Oxford Circus and always been impressed, but I never noticed the technique before. I also like the look of the Clever as it doesn't require a strong push, which is great news for people who struggle to push down on an Aeropress - I know some older or injured people who are unable to use the Aeropress due to strength or shakiness, so the hands-free-er operation of the Clever would be more appealing to them. I personally love my Aeropress and make about four brews a day with it for my partner and I.
From what I have heard from the creator and others, you shouldn't have to be pushing on the aeropress but instead the weight of your arms (about 16lbs) is enough to compress it down. The harder you push the more it resists. I guess medical conditions could make this difficult but I just wanted to say :)
@@volcomstone024 thanks, yes, the harder you push down, the harder it is! I lean on my pushing hand with my other arm crossed over and lean gently. My comment was referring to people who can't do that, such as some older generations I know who can't use the Aeropress due to weakness or shakiness.
@Nick Janssens thanks, and I agree! In fact I made my own tutorial about it, but it's very poor compared to James's videos! My comment was more about older people who are unable to use the Aeropress due to strength or shakiness.
Awesome to see you brining more attention to the Clever Dripper. After using many different brewers in the last year I settled on the Clever because it just seemed obviously better than the rest. It's similar to an Aeropress where you control all of the brewing variables, but instead of getting a petty half cup of coffee you can make up to two cups, and it's even easier to clean. It's like a French press with the larger surface area for immersion, but without all the mess. It produces a clean cup like a pour over, but is much easier to get a consistently good cup of coffee, especially when camping/travelling.
Really happy with this. I loved the flavor from my french press but got just tired of the mess. Went looking at machines and other solutions but this fits the exact need of what I was looking for. Something I can pour over but keep the water so that I can replicate the french press brewing so that the coffee isnt watered down. I wish I found it sooner.
I would think the reason for the faster filtration when adding the coffee to the water is the larger particles sink faster forming a higher porosity bed.. exactly how a filter aid works and prevent the filter paper "blinding".
Sipping my cup after I made it with my clever dripper, I watched this video thinking I wouldn't learn much but would enjoy watching James. Turns out I learned a few things! Going to practice what I learned for a second cup now.
Nearly bought one of these but finally decided on the Hario Switch. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the two compared someday. Thanks for the procedure tips!
They are practically the same thing in terms of function. Personally prefer the clever dripper as it can serve more heads, and also plastic does not dissipate heat as fast as glass. Cheers
I love glass. Heat control has been no problem. Price is the main practical difference as one can switch the cone out for any size Hario sells. The Clever has a fair number of Amazon reviews mentioning failure of the plastic over time. But if you buy a second one you still haven't spent as much as I did on my Hario. The main thing is, immersion brewing rules.
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I've found the lid is really useful for storing. If you put the lid with the handle upside, then put the brewer on top of it then the handle will push up the bottom of the brewer. This way the silicon ring is not pushed down, so hopefully will last longer and also it allows the bottom chamber to air out. On other topic I would be totally curious if the patterns on the lid have any meanings. They seems to be really specific and asymmetric and it doesn't look particularly good or don't resemble anything. So I would suspect they would have some role, but so far could not found anything.
That plastic bump on the center of the lid is actually there for you to store the Clever on top of it, and it pushes the bottom open to dry.. In other words, it's there so you don't have to store it upside down ;)
I am convinced the lid has benefit brewing, heat retention, keeping some nice things from evaporating. Of course far more of this happens in your open cup. Had an aha moment and am experimenting with rapidly cooling my coffee to desired temp with a lid on it. I think I'm onto something. I like hot coffee so I'm talking down to 160 F/ 71 C ish. Jar with lid in freezer.......same in ice water bath or your mug with the same clever top in the freezer. Problem is w/o a heating mug you'll have to savor it pretty quick. I'm not really an iced coffee dude, even when hot out.......but that might be the better test.If you use a mason jar (screw top shatter proof ) like for canning you'll get a bit of a vacuum, might not be able to get the lid off?
Thanks for sharing this hack! Using it for the last week and it works like a charm. I must say the lid comes in handy when it's 15°C in your room. I have also heard a story from a national champion about people who mastered their recipe for Brewer's Cup with a Clever Dripper but failed to produce the same taste due to ~10°C difference between the place where they were training and the competition, and they were not using a lid.
This is the guide I was the most in anticipation for! My home brewing setup (when I decided to try something beyond a french Press and using a cheap blade grinder) started with a Clever and a Hario Skerton. Some of my best tasting coffees I ever made was using that combination. Yes, it pooled at times, but it was never that noticable - with most draw downs being about a minute or less. I got a Commandante last year, and since then I started getting pooling on every single brew; with draw downs going up to 2 or 3 minutes. I was never able to dial in my clever in combination with the Commandante. If you grind finer it pools, and if you grind coarser to offset the pooling it tastes hollow. I tried your method now and almost had a little dance of joy when the draw down was a mere 40 seconds. How does the grind size you use translate over into Commandante clicks? (For your V60 and French press as well?)
I'll never forget the first time I saw a shop make my coffee with a cleaver dripper. It was out in Kansas City and I thought it was a cool idea. Coffee was pretty decent too. Thanks for the video James 👍
Thanks for the video, James! The Clever dripper is my daily coffee maker, so I was really interested in this. Tried the 'water first' technique this morning. Works well, definitely drained faster, and a good cup of coffee. Not sure I can taste the difference, but it was good! Now I need to work on my grind size and dosing ratio...
James, thank you for another great video. I’ve been using a Clever Dripper for years, but instead of a paper filter I use a metal cone/basket. (A gold tone basket that came with the first Bodum pour over makers.) I grind 28 grams at medium-fine, as you show, fill the CCD to just below the top (16 ounces = 450 grams), give it a quick stir and let it steep for four minutes. I’m sure you’re correct in that two minutes works fine. The draw down only takes seconds, without any clogging. The resulting coffee falls right in the middle between a paper filter pour over and a French press.
How about a review of the vacuum pot method? Or is that too much “faffing about”? (What a great word.)
Nice! I've been using my Clever a lot recently. My technique evolved from adding coffee first to adding coffee halfway because it made draw down significantly faster, but the last bit always takes longer than I'd expect. I'll have to give adding coffee last a shot to see how it that speeds things up for me. I'm also going to try going one click larger on my grinder.
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Thanks for sharing our approach, James, and for the shoutout.
You have saved my muddy grounds soul with this method
I really hope to return to Workshop soon for a Clever next time I'm in London - it was always my treat in town.
@@cameralabs Cameras and Coffee, what more do you need?
Who came up with that idea? Very out of the box!
How cool! I had actually watches James from your channel do this process first, and I'be enjoyed it a lot. Cheers from Mexico.
Recipe Summary
60-65g/L Coffee:Water ratio
15g/250mL in the video
20g/333mL, 30g/500mL for quick reference
Grind size: medium-fine, finer than typical for french press. Similar to 2-cup v60 grind size.
1. Grind coffee
2. Fold and rinse paper with hot tap water (off boil kettle water not needed)
3. Fill Clever dripper with WATER FIRST for a quicker drawdown
4. Quickly add the ground coffee and stir
5. Steep without lid (lid doesn't seem to add anything to the brew) for 2 minutes
6. At 1:30 break the crust on top (stir or shake)
7. At 2:00 drip into your brew vessel
Drawdown time should be around 1 minute depending on your grind and coffee
Note additional steeping time does not seem to affect the brew, so it's quite forgiving if your time isn't exact.
Thank you James!
I ❤️ this summaries of videos! Thanks a lot!
Thank you
6 and 7 are not right. At 2:00 you break the crust. At 2:30 you drip into the brew vessel.
@@tiestillo Don't think so. At 4:16 James says "We are gonna let it steep for 2 minutes" which implies that is when you begin to drip into your vessel. Later, at 4:35 he also says "as we get to 2 minutes, we wanna break that crust.." which also implies that you break the crust before 2 minutes have elapsed.
It's fine to steep longer anyway as I noted at the end of the original comment, see 6:51 where James mentions this
@@trustparadox dude, I don't want to start like an irrational discussion here but you should improve your listening skills: at 4:16 he says to let it steep for 2 minutes, and at 4:35 you break the crust and let it sit for 30 seconds. That's 2 minutes and 30 seconds total. Then you drain it.
Very cool trick! The reason is that if coffee was put in first, the fine coffee particles would get into the filter paper before swelling by water. The swelling process causes volume expansion of the coffee particles thereby clogging the filter paper. If coffee was added later, the fine powders would have time to expand before reaching to the pores of the coffee filter.
My great grandmother had a "similar" technique. She boil the the water on the stove top, turn off the heat and pour the coffee into the water. After a couple minutes she would pour that mixture over the paper filter and let it drain. I liked her coffee the most, but for some reason never repeated her technique. Watching this made me want to try it again
Grandma's are magic. Mine has her way to make coffee and it's always nice no idea what I'm doing differently but it's never the same
So using what I already have, french press then filter through a v60 or Kalita for the same result--maybe better! Or Aeropress and don't bother. OR. For the office where weird, cheap, no name cone brewers seem to have accumulated over the years (who uses these things?), could brew in a cup and filter through one of those. Love it!
@@gfdereus8967 it's because a grandma makes things with love!
@@BarbeqdBrwniez absolutely!! I wish I could keep her forever with me.
@@artofguitar The problem with including French Press in the mix is that it's still an annoying mess to clean up. The Clever leaves zero mess. So do still highly recommend picking up a Clever since they're so cheap.
Here's the recipe:
15grams
250ml
medium-fine grind
STOP! WATER FIRST, then coffee
stir
steep for 2 mins
break crust - wait 30 seconds
1 minute draw time
Thank you for your kindness.I couldn't hear James well because I couldn't speak English..:p
Was gonna comment asking for someone to do the heavy lifting of writing the recipe out like the V60 technique,.... then this happened 👏
Krasser Typ!
Tempererature?
How about the temperature ?
Really appreciate the grind size demonstration with the “brewler”! Could be an idea for a whole separate video, showing the grind size for every major brewing method combined in one video? ☕️
Brilliant idea!
That would be brilliant
YES
Ooops, should have read the comments, just made the same request further up...
I agree, It's the one thing missing in recipes that I think is important. However, maybe it is just my perfectionism.
Thank you. Based upon your review and instructions I received my clever dripper today. The best cup of coffee in the last 10 years. I am 60, you are undoubtedly one of the foremost coffee experts in the world. Amazing😁
"This is a fantastic way to make coffee..." Yes, I recall brewing French Press and then filtering thru paper long before I was aware of Clever. Re slow or stalled drawdowns, I had been using Filtropa filters, but today used "official" Clever filters (Japan) supplied directly by Clever with a new brewer, and the drawdown was 30 seconds faster with Clever paper. Also the preheated soaked Clever filters weigh about 15g less, so I assume thinner paper holding less water. Finally, hybrid method, pour half of water into Clever, add your dose of ground coffee, then pour in the remaining half of the water. This was suggested by Clever. I find this easier than adding the coffee to all the water and then stirring without making a mess. (not sure James or anyone will see this comment made 16 months after the video when there's already 1500+ comments, oh well)
Interesting. James said the hybrid method is slower than all water first, is that similar to your experience? I'm mainly using the Clever as my main brewer, also using the filter by Clever that comes in a blue box.
@@user-yv8qd7fb2y Well I dunno. I tried all the water first (400ml) but was uncomfortable stiring the grounds, so I only tried that method a few times, and went back to coffee first then add all the water. That was long ago and would get the occasional stall. Since I learned the half & half method, no stirring needed as the 2d pour soaks all the grounds, and drawdowns with Clever paper have been 60 sec +/- 15 sec. I have many brewers, but this is very easy, coffee is very good, and I "enjoy" timing the drawdowns. I keep a log, I must be a nerd.
ill try this 50/50 method for my first brew on my new clever, just delivered tonight.
I also prefer doing half water, then coffee, then remaining water. It's just way less messy, especially when you're maxing out the capacity of the Clever when brewing for two.
@@user-yv8qd7fb2y If you're going for "fastest drawdown possible" sure, maybe half and half is slightly slower, but not nearly as slow as coffee first then all the water. Half and half is still very fast and still makes delicious coffee. I've been using it with some quite delicate beans and roasts and it still brings out tons of delicious flavor. At the end of the day, do what makes you happy and gives you coffee you like.
I love the Clever Dripper, it's such a great and easy brewer. It's nearly made my V60 obsolete as the Clever is just easier and makes the same tasting (if not slightly better) coffee. The only downside for me is the smaller capacity, I wish there was a 750ml or even 1L size. I brew 30g of coffee to 510g of water and it is filled to the absolute maximum, which makes nice sized cups of coffee for my wife and I. I also found the lid doesn't really contribute to anything beneficial and I just leave it off now, which is a relief because putting the lid on at 510g requires some washing of the lid every time.
I don't really mind the long draw down, as my coffee is usually too hot to drink anyways. I add my coffee, water, stir it all up, and wait four minutes before I begin draining. Comes out wonderful every time. I've changed the steep times a bit in my experimenting and never really noticed a different either.
I have also not found any negative taste side effects from grinding really fine. The finer I grind, the richer the coffee tastes but also the longer it takes to drain. Really, the balance I find is to go as fine as I possibly can before I clog or get too bored of waiting.
One final thing, I found if you do want a really, really strong cup of coffee, like a 1:15 or 1:13 ratio, you're best off by stirring it quite a bit to really get your extraction up. If you don't stir enough, it can become a bit acidic most likely from there not being enough water to get all the goodies out with agitation?
Also, final, final thing, love the videos!
> I don't really mind the long draw down, as my coffee is usually too hot to drink anyways.
The issue with the long drawdown isn't that you wait longer, it's that it can contribute to a harsher brew. This is why pour over nerds are so finicky about their drawdown times, and they're bringing that same attention to detail to the Clever.
I also max out my Clever when brewing for two, and I find doing half water, then the grounds, then the rest of the water is a really nice happy medium. You don't have to stir the grounds because you evenly cover them with water during the 2nd pour, so no mess for that max fill. (Although I still give it a couple shallow stirs right after the pour, and then around the 2 minute mark to knock down the crust, can't swirl the Clever when it's maxed out.) You get a faster drawdown which improves the quality of the brew as compared to a slow drawdown.
Another thing that helps the drawdown is hotter water. I started out doing pour over temperatures, but kettle right off the boil produces the best drawdown and gives much more vibrant flavors with lighter roasts.
Totally agree it's surprising how fine you can grind and get excellent results. As well how much the steep time beyond 2 minutes doesn't really matter. Such a forgiving brew method!
Just food for thought, do whatever makes you happy!
If you want a little less acidity, try putting in a pinch of baking powder in the filter before adding the boiling water. No matter what kind of coffee I drink, I always add baking powder. To me the coffee tastes even better.
Yes. It's finally here, got my bingo card for 2020, "The Ultimate Aer- ...Oh.
Seriously, genuinely appreciated the video. I'm trying to get one of my friends into investing a bit more into coffee and this was my recommendation to him as an easy one to use while doing things for breakfast.
@LONcreeps maybe because there’s so many variables to the way in which you can brew using an aeropress. From grind size to water temperature or stirring to swirling. Maybe James doesn’t want to spark up a huge debate in the comments which fuels an angry pitch forked mob to appear outside Square Mile.
@LONcreeps He also said during the Aeropress Go review that he would show his method soon. And that was a long time ago! But it's almost an in joke on his channel comments now.
Isnt getting into coffee getting into grinders in reality
I think the thing that makes the clever especially great for the ultra-budget conscious: the fact that water goes in first means that you dont need a gooseneck. You can get into specialty coffee for $30 and a cheap hario grinder (or have the roaster grind it) and a scale. This is great!
I also found that adding boiling water to the brewer first usually lands your water right around 195-202F which is a great temperature that you'd otherwise need a higher-end kettle to dial in.
Huge fan of the Clever Dripper. It’s great for using when I was at the office and still get a fine brew. This technique was new but it works so well I’ll use it from now on. Thanks James.
Time to put flowers back to Chemex. Thank you James.
I bought one after watching this episode. Amazingly effortless to use. The coffee is clear and yet has better aftertaste. Thank you!
I HAVE JUMPED ROUND MY KITCHEN IN JOY, my heart lit up like a little girl seeing a dog at the sight of this video and I can confirm, I’ve now made the best cup of clever dripper coffee so far, thank you 😃
Just went out and bought a Clever Dripper, followed this guide, and it came out great. Thanks James!
Years ago I was looking for one of those filter machines. A review site I read said they used the Clever Dripper as a baseline to see how good all of the different machines were, and they were all somewhat worse, so I just bought the Clever Dripper. It's been great!
After fiddling about with different brewing systems I found the Clever a few years back. It has served me very well brewing delicious coffee every day. So simple. So reliable. So easy to clean.
Need to try this. Have the clever in the cupboard and use it from time to time when I only need one cup. Thank you James! This channel is truly an inspiration for coffee lovers.
Love my Clever Dripper! Much, much easier than the V60, and pretty much the same great result, thanks to James' instruction. Much appreciated!
Just rotated from the Aero to the Clever a month ago and have been pleased with the cleaner if slightly longer brewing process. Using the same grind (29 on the Rocky) as I use on the Aero. Ran to the bar as soon as I finished your video and tried the new method, water first, and draw down reduced by 25sec. Coffee was still very good. Great review of a “Clever” method.
Love the clever! I even competed with it in Brewer's Cup a few years ago. This is a great recipe. I also love the recipe from Coffee and Water 's channel.
Thanks so much for uploading this. I have used the clever for YEARS, it makes great coffee,look like my draw-down will improve.
My wife gave me one of these for Christmas (I was so excited when this video was released) and it has blown my mind. I love the V60 but this really, REALLY impressed me. Delicious coffee!
my god, it's here! i can't wait to watch this in spite of not owning a clever.
I found out about that device about a year ago and absolutely love it. I’m a mass consumption coffee drinker , in that I’m Norwegian and a heavy duty diesel mechanic and truck driver a excellent combination for mass coffee consumption. What I do is I keep a pot of hot water going all day long on my unwave induction cook top just below boiling. When it’s time for another cup and that’s a 20oz buba cup I kick up the temperature a little to bring the water to a boil then go through the process you do and repeat several times a day. The unwave with a pot of water just under boiling is the best way to do it , O. by the way I’m retired so I’m at home all day long that’s the reason I do what I do. As I used to have a sign in my tool box when I was working said. “ Coffee Break 9.00 to 5.00 daily🤪👍” that used to piss off the bosses 😜😜😃😃
Bought one two weeks ago and it's great. Really easy now to make coffee which tastes great plus the caffeine certainly wakes you up, unlike instant. Thanks for the tip.
Love my clever! One of my first real home brewer experiences and still using it to this day. Now travels in my camping kit.
Might be beneficial to draw that "brewler" _through_ the coffee grounds so we can see at what size the grounds pass through. I couldn't really tell at a glance what size those grounds were when they were next to it. Love your videos James, keep em coming!
That shot of grinds with the brewler, fantastic! Would love to see more shots like that on future videos
Second this - this brewler tool is going to be insanely helpful.
Well, I’ve brewed this way every day since the video came out. Not a single brew that I didn’t love. I couldn’t say that before so have to conclude the consistency this brings is spot on. 👍
Just got a Clever dripper and tried this technique and it worked like a charm. I used the same grind setting I use for Chemex pourovers and had a great result. Full of flavor and mouth feel but not overly bitter. Thanks!
Sometimes I don’t even listen to what James says, I just admire his editing skills, it is very satisfying to watch and it’s great.
After messing with this a bit, I've found that the half water first method works best for me. It gives a fast draw down time without having to stir, especially when using freshly roasted coffee. The full water first method works well with coffee that is a week or more removed from roasting and doesn't try to bloom as much when it hits water.
I bought the Clever dripper because of this video and no regrets! Really easy way to get great coffee on the morning. Thank you for your videos!
I've tried this a couple of times and can verify that the drawdown IS indeed a lot faster when going water first then coffee second. 2x faster at just about 1 minute drawdown. Fascinating!
Other coffee people say Clever Dripper doesn't produce good coffee. Me: totally agree
James say Clever Dripper is is easy, simple and produce great coffee. Me: totally agree
There's some weird stigma out there about the Clever Dripper with some coffee people, like it doesn't look cool enough and is "too easy" to use so the coffee surely isn't good. I've found it to be better than everything else when it comes to portable brewers, I'm happy James thinks highly of it too
@@trentbosnic do you think clever is better than v60 or aeropress?
I guess it's the same perception as the cake mixes - when companies added the "crack an egg" step, bakers felt more engaged. So I guess the stigma is due to the fact that Clever Dripper doesn't require "skill" or some form of action, it just pours hot water on coffee grounds and sits there. Even a plunger has that plunge action that makes it feel like you're doing something to influence the taste of coffee.
@@styanagungw6338 Yes absolutely. More consistent than a V60, and a more generous and better tasting cup than Aeropress IMO.
@@SpaceDifference I think you're right, it's not as engaging or as "cool" as pressing down on the chamber of an Aeropress or using a fancy gooseneck kettle to pour over a V60/Kalita Wave. I'll trade hipster factor for consistently tasty coffee any day of the week.
Thank you so much for this, James. The Clever Dripper has been my favorite brewer for a while, but I've recently found myself wanting to see if I could improve the taste of my coffee a bit. I can't wait to try this tomorrow morning. :D
This will undoubtedly help my Clever brews. Also got one for my mom a while back since it's a no-fuss way to get great coffee in the morning. Good stuff!
Just spent a highly enjoyable afternoon playing with this recipe and some Square Mile beans. The shake-not-stir trick for breaking the crust is genius and I'll be doing that from now on!
Just received a Clever Dripper for Christmas and brewed my first cup this morning...after re-watching your video, of course :) Although I love my V60, I do appreciate not having to "fuff around" with the Clever Dripper. I will use this as my primary driver for a while because I have a feeling this is going to give me a level of consistency that surpasses what I've been able to achieve with a V60...something closer to the results I get with my Aeropress (which I also adore!). Thanks for the great technique video!
Watched yesterday night, tried today morning.
Yes, it works! As I have not the best grinder now (sorry Hario, but it is true), my draw down time was 2:30 with the classic method. Now it is down to 1:30. But the main thing is the taste: I believe, that with this method the surface tension of water prevents the fines to go inside the volume of the liquid, essentially not allowing them to agitate and contribute theirs bitterness to the taste.
The coffee made with this method has very silky taste without even a hint of bitterness.
Really enjoyed the cup!!! Thank you very much, Mr. Hoffmann for making this excellent hint known to hundred of thousand of people!
Just bought the Clever and have been trying it out. WOW, its so easy and didn't take long to dial in a couple different types of coffee. One point of difference I have is I found the lid to keep the water warmer. Ambient temperature of your room may affect this. Excellent recommendation, thanks.
I use a Clever Dripper every morning. So much easier than a regular pour-over and I think you get better results. Thanks for the guide! Nice work as always.
This is a simple technique but I have bad memory so I'm writing down for anyone like me lol
*15g coffee, 250ml hot water*
1. Slightly fold two parts of the filter and place it on the dripper
2. Water first, coffee second. Give it a little stir
3. Steep for 2 minutes. Optional: give it a gentle shake 30 seconds before drawing the coffee out
4. Draw down! Done.
I watched this last week. Immediately ordered a Clever and am now enjoying balanced, tasty brews with ease! Thanks James.
Me too!
The 'water first' technique is just amazing 👍 Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I got a Clever Dripper last Christmas and only used it about five times as it kept clogging up. However, I've now used the water before coffee method and it works perfectly. Thanks for highlighting this tip!
I tried this method twice today. It works great, just as you showed us James. Thank you.
Oh yes I have a Bonavita dripper with a manual valve, but otherwise works like the Clever.
Yeah this made an excellent cup of coffee. Thank you!
Thank you James and @workshopcoffee you have improved my coffee again.
Made me curious, so I dug out my Clever after months. Fantastic results!!
Might be too late for you to see this, but I have noticed a similar effect on draw down time in my V60 brews when I use a swirl pour vs a straight center pour. There is sometimes as much as a 1 minute difference in my drawdown!
My theory is that a swirl pour, or in this case coffee first, leads to a lot of the fines being "washed" off of the larger grinds and clogging the filter. Agitating the grinds less seems to lead to a faster drawdown and noticeably less fines on the filter!
Great method! Just tried it, and have to admit it is extremely odd pouring in water first. However it produced a fantastic cup! Thank you!
Been thinking about one of these for while - just given me the push to order one, nearly out of the papers for my v60, always good to try new coffee making devices. Thanks James.
So glad I've found your channel. Absolutely love your videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
I've been waiting for this! Clever is my brew method of choice for the moment, but I haven't quite dialed in my technique yet. Definitely giving this method a try tomorrow.
How did it go?
This morning I added water before the grounds and saw a huge speed increase. Thanks for the tip
The addition of water first and then coffee, dramatically changes the drawn down time. Furthermore, leaving off the lid avoids creating a vacuum and again bring drawn down time down. Coffee was excellent! Thanks James
Got a Clever Dripper for Christmas and I'm really impressed with it. Great recommendation.
At last! Thanks for reviewing my absolute favourite coffee making tool! I'm on my third and love it. To me, it's the perfect compromise between time and taste. It's genius and drives my second coffee of every day. Enjoy.
your third? What happened to the 1st 2 mate? Just curious
@@trueblueaussie7997 The first one broke in a house move, and the second suffered from the mother-in-law washing it up despite being told not to 🙄
I find that filling up the dripper to about 2/3 before adding coffee works best for me. This allows more room for the bloom and stir without slopping any over the sides. After stirring, I add water to get me to 485 gms (515 with the 30 gms of coffee). Draining the dripper into a pre-heated thermos keeps it hot for hours. I make 2 batches into the thermos and add another 30 gms of water to take me to a liter. Just right for my wife and my morning coffee.
Those nuggets of information when James explains a term they use is brilliant. 🤙
I have wanted a clever dripper since this video came out. Now I got one a year later for Christmas!
I cannot wait to try your method!
Bought a Clever Dripper after you mentioned it in a previous video and have been very impressed. I also tried it with a cloth filter, though I preferred the paper. It's great for someone not so interested in investing in a gooseneck kettle and the technique required for most pour-overs. Thanks for the technique tips!
Been waiting for this. Bought a Clever a little while ago but have not been able to get a good result. This method sounds great, thank you.
how did it go?
I use clever dripper exclusively at home and this technique is just ingenious. ❤❤❤It took me some time to commit to it, but I am not coming back. Thank you James for another useful tip.
Bought and just tried this technique, love it!
WATER FIRST?! My life is a lie.
th-cam.com/video/Cye-1RP5jso/w-d-xo.html
@@duch8923 hahaha that reminds me of a video made by Fairbairn films th-cam.com/video/dQw4w9WgXcQ/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=RickAstleyVEVO
What's next, putting tea in before the milk??
@@tijmen131 I hate you
There were already a bunch of other Clever Dripper tutorials that suggest this, where have you been?? It never made sense to pour the water over a clump of coffee when you can get a nice even bed of coffee by pouring it on after
I really like a steeped brew. I use a v60 ratio and recipe, but mix the coffee and water in a mason jar first and let it steep there. After about 2 mins I simply pour through the v60 .....amazing cup, every time.
I love your reviews. Very thorough. Your knowledge of coffee is mind boggling.
Thanks for making the video. The water first, coffee second works so much better. I think I need to adjust my grinder finer with this approach.
Clever Coffee Dripper, never heard of her.
Great video. I’ll have to give this method a try.
how did it go?
The Clever was my introduction into pour over coffee. A friend saw me brewing single doses of coffee through a kitchen funnel and standard 12 cup filters. He had pity on me and gave me his old Clever brew.
Just ordered this setup from your website and followed your instructions - amazing :) Thanks!
Much appreciated! Have used a Clever for a few years now, and just nice to get a couple of new tips and confirm my view that it's pdg.
every time you put out a guide i can feel my wallet protesting :') but we're stimulating the local economy so it's ok!!
Can you imagine what is house smells like? All his clothes probably smell like coffee
@@HisGrandNarrative Prepare for a James Hoffmann video on half-life of volatile organic compounds in coffee and how long can they be detected by a standardized human non-covid olfactory system
@@shinybaldy that’s pretty specific lol. Inside man?
Exactly! Extravagant spending has never felt so ethical now the economy is suffering.
Just pick it up at your local cafe along with a bag of beans and support small businesses!
I have been coffee drinker my entire adult life, but this has gotten me into the coffee as a hobby world. It all seemed too complicated and expensive. But this inexpensive and consistent way of making a great coffee has been my gateway drug to the hobby
Just got my clever dripper, what a great concept. Thanks!
James, I was googling this, specifically from you, 3 days ago. Magician!
Thanks for that James! I've enjoyed many a clever-dripper at Workshop near Oxford Circus and always been impressed, but I never noticed the technique before. I also like the look of the Clever as it doesn't require a strong push, which is great news for people who struggle to push down on an Aeropress - I know some older or injured people who are unable to use the Aeropress due to strength or shakiness, so the hands-free-er operation of the Clever would be more appealing to them. I personally love my Aeropress and make about four brews a day with it for my partner and I.
From what I have heard from the creator and others, you shouldn't have to be pushing on the aeropress but instead the weight of your arms (about 16lbs) is enough to compress it down. The harder you push the more it resists. I guess medical conditions could make this difficult but I just wanted to say :)
@@volcomstone024 thanks, yes, the harder you push down, the harder it is! I lean on my pushing hand with my other arm crossed over and lean gently. My comment was referring to people who can't do that, such as some older generations I know who can't use the Aeropress due to weakness or shakiness.
@Nick Janssens thanks, and I agree! In fact I made my own tutorial about it, but it's very poor compared to James's videos! My comment was more about older people who are unable to use the Aeropress due to strength or shakiness.
@@cameralabs My photography and worlds collide with your appearance here :) Nice to see you Gordon!
@@AdamJRichardson nice place to hang out!
Awesome to see you brining more attention to the Clever Dripper. After using many different brewers in the last year I settled on the Clever because it just seemed obviously better than the rest. It's similar to an Aeropress where you control all of the brewing variables, but instead of getting a petty half cup of coffee you can make up to two cups, and it's even easier to clean. It's like a French press with the larger surface area for immersion, but without all the mess. It produces a clean cup like a pour over, but is much easier to get a consistently good cup of coffee, especially when camping/travelling.
Really happy with this. I loved the flavor from my french press but got just tired of the mess. Went looking at machines and other solutions but this fits the exact need of what I was looking for. Something I can pour over but keep the water so that I can replicate the french press brewing so that the coffee isnt watered down. I wish I found it sooner.
Loved the video James, clever has become my favorite brewing method. Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷
'I sometimes feel it doesn't get the recognition it deserves' well, that's about to change! Buy 'em now folks...
I would think the reason for the faster filtration when adding the coffee to the water is the larger particles sink faster forming a higher porosity bed.. exactly how a filter aid works and prevent the filter paper "blinding".
Sipping my cup after I made it with my clever dripper, I watched this video thinking I wouldn't learn much but would enjoy watching James. Turns out I learned a few things! Going to practice what I learned for a second cup now.
James Hoffmann is the absolute best!
Nearly bought one of these but finally decided on the Hario Switch. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the two compared someday. Thanks for the procedure tips!
They are practically the same thing in terms of function. Personally prefer the clever dripper as it can serve more heads, and also plastic does not dissipate heat as fast as glass. Cheers
I love glass. Heat control has been no problem. Price is the main practical difference as one can switch the cone out for any size Hario sells. The Clever has a fair number of Amazon reviews mentioning failure of the plastic over time. But if you buy a second one you still haven't spent as much as I did on my Hario. The main thing is, immersion brewing rules.
I've found the lid is really useful for storing. If you put the lid with the handle upside, then put the brewer on top of it then the handle will push up the bottom of the brewer. This way the silicon ring is not pushed down, so hopefully will last longer and also it allows the bottom chamber to air out.
On other topic I would be totally curious if the patterns on the lid have any meanings. They seems to be really specific and asymmetric and it doesn't look particularly good or don't resemble anything. So I would suspect they would have some role, but so far could not found anything.
That plastic bump on the center of the lid is actually there for you to store the Clever on top of it, and it pushes the bottom open to dry.. In other words, it's there so you don't have to store it upside down ;)
Great tips
I am convinced the lid has benefit brewing, heat retention, keeping some nice things from evaporating. Of course far more of this happens in your open cup. Had an aha moment and am experimenting with rapidly cooling my coffee to desired temp with a lid on it. I think I'm onto something. I like hot coffee so I'm talking down to 160 F/ 71 C ish. Jar with lid in freezer.......same in ice water bath or your mug with the same clever top in the freezer. Problem is w/o a heating mug you'll have to savor it pretty quick. I'm not really an iced coffee dude, even when hot out.......but that might be the better test.If you use a mason jar (screw top shatter proof ) like for canning you'll get a bit of a vacuum, might not be able to get the lid off?
FINALLY! I used this for USCIGS comp and I've always wanted your take on this little brewer.
Thanks for sharing this hack! Using it for the last week and it works like a charm.
I must say the lid comes in handy when it's 15°C in your room. I have also heard a story from a national champion about people who mastered their recipe for Brewer's Cup with a Clever Dripper but failed to produce the same taste due to ~10°C difference between the place where they were training and the competition, and they were not using a lid.
This is the guide I was the most in anticipation for!
My home brewing setup (when I decided to try something beyond a french Press and using a cheap blade grinder) started with a Clever and a Hario Skerton. Some of my best tasting coffees I ever made was using that combination. Yes, it pooled at times, but it was never that noticable - with most draw downs being about a minute or less.
I got a Commandante last year, and since then I started getting pooling on every single brew; with draw downs going up to 2 or 3 minutes. I was never able to dial in my clever in combination with the Commandante. If you grind finer it pools, and if you grind coarser to offset the pooling it tastes hollow.
I tried your method now and almost had a little dance of joy when the draw down was a mere 40 seconds.
How does the grind size you use translate over into Commandante clicks? (For your V60 and French press as well?)
Just for reference I use 30 clicks on mine and its perfect for me
I'll never forget the first time I saw a shop make my coffee with a cleaver dripper. It was out in Kansas City and I thought it was a cool idea. Coffee was pretty decent too. Thanks for the video James 👍
Second Best?
@@McFearless80 that's the one!
Thank you. What a difference the water-first technique produces. Also, your ratio of 60-65 g/l is so easy to adapt. You Da Man!
Dear James what I learned from you is the art of making coffee and the taste at the same time mixed with passion.
Thanks for the video, James! The Clever dripper is my daily coffee maker, so I was really interested in this. Tried the 'water first' technique this morning. Works well, definitely drained faster, and a good cup of coffee. Not sure I can taste the difference, but it was good! Now I need to work on my grind size and dosing ratio...
I agree with you Keith I really need to work on the grind size and ration to get the sweetness I'm expecting
James, thank you for another great video. I’ve been using a Clever Dripper for years, but instead of a paper filter I use a metal cone/basket. (A gold tone basket that came with the first Bodum pour over makers.) I grind 28 grams at medium-fine, as you show, fill the CCD to just below the top (16 ounces = 450 grams), give it a quick stir and let it steep for four minutes. I’m sure you’re correct in that two minutes works fine. The draw down only takes seconds, without any clogging. The resulting coffee falls right in the middle between a paper filter pour over and a French press.
How about a review of the vacuum pot method? Or is that too much “faffing about”? (What a great word.)
Nice! I've been using my Clever a lot recently. My technique evolved from adding coffee first to adding coffee halfway because it made draw down significantly faster, but the last bit always takes longer than I'd expect. I'll have to give adding coffee last a shot to see how it that speeds things up for me. I'm also going to try going one click larger on my grinder.
Just got one of these and I love it! It's now my go to coffee brewing method, cheers.