# Clever Coffee Dripper



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

What are the thoughts on this method, against say Kalita or Hario. Is there an advantage/disadvantage? I watched a couple of videos and to a simpleton like me, the overall technique looked a little more straightforward.

Any thoughts?


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## welshrarebit (Apr 17, 2014)

From what I've read it's a far simpler method, also interested in member experience of this.


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

Hi Guys, my first post in quite a while...hope everyone is doing well









I use a CCD at work, and have been really happy with it.

For me, its really straightforward to use, makes a great clean cup, and is simple to clean up afterwards.

I've found it pretty difficult to make a bad cup to be honest.

Negatives - even with its lid, it doesn't hold temperature as well as some other full immersion brewers (e.g. aeropress).

But i'm only steeping for short periods, so this isn't really a problem.

Perhaps if you were looking to steep for 20 mins+ an aeropress might be better (sorry haven't tried Kalita or Hario).

The cup is "clean", no oils, no fines etc.

You are obviously not going to get a full bodied cup from it..

If you prefer the simple approach, and like a clean cup, I prefer the CCD to my aeropress.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I typically steep fine, 62-65g/l, for 20-35minutes, preheat your cups and it's still "hot" coffee (60-65C). Though there are lots of recipes about suggesting shorter steeps. Taste off the top before drawing down.

You can just use it like a Melitta pourover, in fact just for laughs I sometimes get one steeping & make a pourover with another just to see how similar I can get them...oh yes, it's a never-ending, rollercoaster, riot of fun round my gaff!?









But, I never just use it with a filter paper only any more (well not for steeping, it's OK for pourover), best steep results are always with a permanent filter as well as the paper (Swissgold KF 4 & Filtropa paper or Kone & Chemex paper).

You can get a thicker, sturdier cup by adding the coffee first, then the water. Or thinner body/better clarity by adding the water, or a larger proportion of it, before the coffee.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> What are the thoughts on this method, against say Kalita or Hario. Is there an advantage/disadvantage
> 
> 
> > Sorry, didn't really take this question into account. They all "work" (I use Hario & Kalita if I want a quick cup), but drip brewing means balancing grind against pour rate, against water added, against output. Drip brewing is typically faster, but when you're done... you're largely done, you have your extracted drink & it is separated from the grinds & can't develop any more. Steeping in the Clever/Bonavita (or any other steeped brewer), you have added all your coffee & water & just wait until it hits a good flavour. You can check on it as it develops, get more than one bite of the cherry? Grind too coarse and it might limit development, wait too long and your coffee might be too cool.
> ...


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## centaursailing (Feb 27, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> What are the thoughts on this method, against say Kalita or Hario. Is there an advantage/disadvantage
> 
> 
> > Hi Dave
> ...


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Thanks for the offer Rod. I have had an aeropress before. I am in a quandry as at the moment, the only machine I have is a Gaggia Classic, and not being rude to other owners, the combination of machine, beans I currently have and probably me means my coffee is pants, to the extent, that I am going to buy a brewed system today.

I had a hario before but the CCD looks, shall we say simpler for a dinosaur like me to use!


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## CrazyH (Jan 14, 2011)

The main advantage over pour-over (for me) is that you don't have to stand over it adding water.

I usually use it when I'm in a hurry, so my rough method is.

Grind one and a bit Aeropress scoops at 6-7 clicks on the porlex.

Warm the dripper and rinse the paper through with water from kettle.

Add in coffee, space it out witha spoon just so it doesn't form clumps.

Put hot water in mug, then in to dripper, this is my quick way of measuring water (roughly) and taking the water off the boil.

Leave around 3 minutes (sort out breakfast), and draw.

I have found it to be surprisingly reliable, even if not very accurate.


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## centaursailing (Feb 27, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> Thanks for the offer Rod. I have had an aeropress before. I am in a quandry as at the moment, the only machine I have is a Gaggia Classic, and not being rude to other owners, the combination of machine, beans I currently have and probably me means my coffee is pants, to the extent, that I am going to buy a brewed system today.
> 
> I had a hario before but the CCD looks, shall we say simpler for a dinosaur like me to use!


What happened to your lever machine Dave?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I have ordered one. The videos I have looked at all have different methods and ratios but the common theme seems to be you can add x ml to make a bloom, then after 1.30 add the rest and leave to the 4 minute mark, or add it all in one go and wait 4 mins. No one seemed bothered about using hario buona style kettles as the water goes in straight without needing to create circles, and all that appeals to the simplistic me

26 gms coffee

400 gms water

4 minutes

does that sound plausible?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I don't know if I'd bother with a bloom at all? Just make sure all the grounds are getting wet during the fill, give the bed a little stir (careful not to tear the paper) to make sure there's no dry clumps & pat down the coffee that floats to the surface. I usually use a regular/Chemex kettle, not a pourover kettle.

26/400 = 65g/l typical brew ratio.

Time will depend on grind/coffee/your preference etc., I wouldn't stick to a finite time, go by taste. Assuming the grinds are sinking/sunk, spoon out a little coffee into a cup & taste it (you can skim the scum off the top of the Clever if you can be bothered?). If it tastes good up top, it normally tastes good when it comes out the bottom.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Right, many thanks to all suggestions and info....will let you know how things go!


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## Pompeyexile (Dec 2, 2013)

I've been looking at the Bonavita porcelain immersion dripper (the one with the shut off lever) and a permanent gold filter. They seem to get good reviews and I was wondering if anyone on here has had experience of one compared to the Kalita. The only thing is I'm not sure if my Brasilia grinder can go course enough as I understand the grinds have to be about the same as for a Cafetier. I can't afford another grinder too.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I use the Bonavita with & without the gold filter, a slight preference for it with the gold filter but use a paper filter too. The gold filter alone won't stop a lot of silt from getting in the cup, you're really just using the gold filter to hold the grinds above the paper & let the coffee run around the bed, letting the paper catch the silt.

Experiment with different grinds, but I use a fine grind, coarse end of espresso/fine drip (same as I do for cafetiere). The idea for using a coarse grind with cafetiere is so the wire mesh catches the grinds, your paper filter in the Bonavita will let you go much finer if you want to.

Be sure to preheat the brewer & gold filter.


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## chinery (Apr 14, 2014)

The UK's entrant Sebastian in the World Brewers Cup used CCDs (or just 'Clever's I think they're called now?). His routine is here:

http://new.livestream.com/worldcoffee2/events/3076818/videos/53553821

He didn't get through to the final, possibly due to a mishap with the scales during the off-screen portion of the competition. But his score blew everyone out of the water at the London finals.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Im intrigued as to how he got a high enough extraction with such a short steep time and little stirring , perhaps a ultra fine grind?


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

One of my favourite coffee shops makes me brewed with an EK43 and a clever and they are fantastic, so well balanced.

One trick he always does is to stop the flow for the last bits of coffee, so maybe when the water is 1cm above the bed of grounds. This last bit is quite bitter and nasty (put it in a separate cup and see for yourself).


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

garydyke1 said:


> Im intrigued as to how he got a high enough extraction with such a short steep time and little stirring , perhaps a ultra fine grind?


I'll bet coarse?

Counter intuitively, with a coarse grind, I'd steep for a shorter period, so that the water is still picking up significant coffee TDS on the draw down. More a mix of steep & drip? Longer, fine steeps may build up a higher concentration in the brewer, less (proportionally) picked up on the draw down.


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