# Correct micron size for pour over coffee?



## coffee-king (Oct 15, 2017)

Hi Guys

I use a Kalita Wave and recently purchased a Kruve.

They recommend 400 microns for pour over but from what Ive seen and tasted in actual coffee shops this just looks far too fine a grind size.

The coffee gets very sludgy as I brew and it has trouble going through the filter.

In coffee shops it looks less fine and you can actually see the grinds.

Does anyone know the correct micron size for pour over coffee please?

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

coffee-king said:


> Hi Guys
> 
> I use a Kalita Wave and recently purchased a Kruve.
> 
> ...


I have never seen 400um recommended for pourover.

I would aim to see roughly ~20% pass through a Kruve 400 sieve for brewing 1 mug (200g of finished beverage), with a single pour after bloom.

12.5% (+/- 2.5%) for a bloom & 3 equal pours of brew water (again a single mug brew).

7-10% if pouring with many small pulses.

There is no correct size for pourover coffee, as you can control the flow rate with the number & frequency of pours. You can home in on a useful range if you stick to a constant recipe & grinder though. Bigger brews will need a coarser grind.

If you just bought the 400 & 800 set, use the Kruve to determine % under 400, but don't discard any of the grind. If you have sieves in the largest sizes, try excluding the largest 10-20%.


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## coffee-king (Oct 15, 2017)

Hi

Thanks for your response.

I have the Sifter Twelve, so it comes with 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100

I used to brew 200ml with 20g of coffee but this was just far too strong, so now I do about 300ml with 19g of coffee (Although I'm considering less coffee as I think this is still too strong sometimes).

I've had issues with getting "3 equal pours" prior as I was using a useless grinder before. Sometimes it would flow nicely, other times hardly at all.

So if you have an further thoughts on which sizes to use that would be great.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Use the 400 as smallest generally, everyone has this size, so it's easier to communicate with others. 1100 is the largest you have, so I'd use this in the top.

19:330g should be fine as long as you are not over-extracting.

I don't make brew this big very often, but maybe try 50g bloom & shake to wet evenly, then 2 pours of 140g every 60sec, swirl after last brew water goes in, dry bed around 4:00, plus a little time for drips to cease.


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## coffee-king (Oct 15, 2017)

Hi

Good call, 400 smallest, 1100 largest LOOKS more like what you see at a proper coffee shop.

Better tasting too. I'd definitely like to refine the grind more though so any further thoughts would be much appreciate.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

coffee-king said:


> Hi
> 
> Good call, 400 smallest, 1100 largest LOOKS more like what you see at a proper coffee shop.
> 
> Better tasting too. I'd definitely like to refine the grind more though so any further thoughts would be much appreciate.


You're keeping the sub 400 in the dose right?


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## coffee-king (Oct 15, 2017)

I haven't been using the finest grinds from the Kruve (So anything in the bottom tray) as Ive been discarding them.

So are you suggesting I ONLY discard the large particles in the top tray?

Thanks


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

coffee-king said:


> I haven't been using the finest grinds from the Kruve (So anything in the bottom tray) as Ive been discarding them.
> 
> So are you suggesting I ONLY discard the large particles in the top tray?
> 
> Thanks


Yes, that's what I'm suggesting. Even grinders in coffee shops make particles below 400. I guess you could try using the 200, or 250 in the bottom to just lose a few %, but I don't think you really want to massively change your brew time/recipe unless you are dead set on sifting every brew.

It would be useful to know what percentages you are getting above, between & below the sieves & brew times?


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## coffee-king (Oct 15, 2017)

Hi

Thanks for your further thoughts.

I dont mind sifting each brew (Thats why I bought the Kruve after all)

With my Bodum 10903-01UK grinder set at about 2 clicks closer to espresso than the pour over setting (I'm still messing with grind settings mind you so I may dial it back a bit nearer to what the grinder says pour over should be )

Percentage wise with 10g of beans I'm getting about

0.6g over (6%)

7.6g correct (76%)

2.1g too fine (21%)

(Yes I know thats 0.3g out)

So approx 25g of beans should give me 19g of ground coffee at the correct/middle section of the kKuve.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

coffee-king said:


> Hi
> 
> Thanks for your further thoughts.
> 
> ...


There's no "too fine", nor "correct". Just fine particles and those that sit between & above the sieves. All grinders make a distribution, a spread of fine through to coarse grinds at pretty much all settings. Setting finer just increases those below 400 & reduces those over 1100...coarser does the reverse.

21% under 400 is quite a fine grind, about as fine as I would ever use for drip. I'd try a long bloom (60-90sec) then add all the rest of the water as quickly as you can.

I can't advise on how to brew drip when you remove the particles under 400 as I have never had a good result doing this (only for immersion).

Make a few brews, ideally with a couple of different coffees, before changing the grind, otherwise you will be forever changing it.


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