# Clever Coffee Dripper



## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

Just opened the CCD I got for Xmas. Hmm I don't like it so far. It's taking me about ten mintutes for all the water to drain out of the vessel and I always end with a bit of residual water left. I am using my Hausgrind at 1,8 and tried the recommended FP grind of 2,0 as per MBK website still the same. Also using the filtropa paper size 4.

The recipe is standard on the box:

20g coffee Ethiopian Modern Standard from Sainsbury's

300g water

steep for 4 or 5mins

I watched some videos on YouTube with 1min drains :0

Anybody got any advice is this a common thing with CCD?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Don't get hung up on draw down time (3-6min seems normal to me). To draw down in 1 minute you will need to be very coarse, you'll likely under-extract if so (you might like this however). Or, you could sift out particles under 400-500um. But, again, the draw down time is just a function of grind size, it's the steep time & grind size that are important.


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

IggyK said:


> Just opened the CCD I got for Xmas. Hmm I don't like it so far. It's taking me about ten mintutes for all the water to drain out of the vessel and I always end with a bit of residual water left. I am using my Hausgrind at 1,8 and tried the recommended FP grind of 2,0 as per MBK website still the same. Also using the filtropa paper size 4.
> 
> The recipe is standard on the box:
> 
> ...


Is your grinder broken in / seasoned? Maybe try giving the surface a couple of gentle stirs to break the crust and swirl the brewer gently when the water is gone halfway to let the grounds settle to the bottom?


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

MWJB said:


> Don't get hung up on draw down time (3-6min seems normal to me). To draw down in 1 minute you will need to be very coarse, you'll likely under-extract if so (you might like this however). Or, you could sift out particles under 400-500um. But, again, the draw down time is just a function of grind size, it's the steep time & grind size that are important.


3 to 6 mintues sounds like an Ok time but 10mintues is a bit ridiculous.


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

the_partisan said:


> Is your grinder broken in / seasoned? Maybe try giving the surface a couple of gentle stirs to break the crust and swirl the brewer gently when the water is gone halfway to let the grounds settle to the bottom?


Had the Hausgrind for about 5months used everyday. There is no crust just the froth formed when you mix coffee with water. Perhaps the grindsize needs to be way courser than what's recommended on the MBK website beyond 2,0 turns on the wheel.


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

I found there's a big difference in drawdown between putting the coffee in first, and putting the water in first. I now put the water in first, coffee on top, then dunk with a spoon just enough to wet the grinds.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

IggyK said:


> 3 to 6 mintues sounds like an Ok time but 10mintues is a bit ridiculous.


Are you adding all the water quickly? Don't dribble it in. You could even add water first, all in quick then dump coffee on top & quick stir at surface (may clog the paper less?) & cover.

CCD relies on gravity to push the coffee through the bed, it'll take as long as it takes. It's only an issue if the coffee tastes pruney/silty.

Going coarser should speed up the draw down.


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

I'll try and putting in the water first and report back.


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## Step21 (Oct 2, 2014)

I use a Bonavita immersion brewer which is pretty much a porcelain clever dripper. I think with the Clever a little water gets trapped under the bed. But they are pretty comparable.

My regular grind settings are much finer than yours and drawdown time can be as little a just over a minute. Depends on the coffee. Depends on how you pour.

For drip I use 1.6 and steep 1.3. 1.8 with only a few minutes steep might under extract. If you go coarser you might need to increase coffee dose.

Pouring aggressively I find increases drawdown times but do note that Ethiopians can be notoriously slow to draw down. Do you have any other beans to compare?

Either adding coffee to water or pouring via a sieve e.g aeropress cap should reduce drawdown. Make sure any stirring is minimal and gentle.


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## johnb (Nov 6, 2017)

I've had a CCD (and a Felgrind Mk2) for a couple of weeks and haven't had any problems so far.

In comparison to many here I am very much a newbie but this is what I so:

After the kettle boils (while waiting for the water to cool a little) I rinse out the CCD (with paper inserted).

I then add my ground coffee to the CCD and add approx 40ml water, giving it a very gentle stir to make sure all the grounds get wetted.

30 secs later I add the rest of the water and give the lot a gentle back and forth stir.

Leave for 3 mins (sometimes up to 4 mins) and then draw down on a (pre-heated) mug.

Having said that, I have been using Feldgrind Mk2 on 2.7, so I will try it with the setting of 2.0 later today.

You mentioned you saw 2.0 as being recommended for FP on the MBK website. I've seen 1.8-2.0 as being the recommended settings for V60, but not FP (but I might be mistaken).


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

Just the Kenyan beans I was given for Xmas with the CCD but I'll maybe reserve those for the V60.

Yeah, I use similar settings for Drip/Pourover and Immersion i.e Aeropress works well, but don't know what goes well with a CCD.

Does it prefer darker roasts or beans from the Americas/Asia rather than bright/florals from Africa?

I've got a Hario gooseneck, so maybe I was adding water like a V60 pour rather than quickly.

Could be the water issue getting trapped underneath the coffee bed so I try the water first then coffee.

Also, I think 66g/l is a bit too much body for my liking might just stick to 60g/l.


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

johnb said:


> I've had a CCD (and a Felgrind Mk2) for a couple of weeks and haven't had any problems so far.
> 
> In comparison to many here I am very much a newbie but this is what I so:
> 
> ...


I don't think the Hausgrind and Feldgrind are comparable in settings. Lol just read it in depth on the page it says a little over 2 turns not exactly 2 my bad.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Kenyans & Rwandans should do well in it, though I'm not sure brewers have preferences, just us 

Darker roasts might be fine/less intense with a little lower brew ratio. I'm pretty much always around 65g/l...maybe the body is heavy because of the slow pour & concentrated/oily brew collecting under the paper? See how you go with water in first before you change the ratio.

You can just use a regular kettle, better still if it has a low minimum brew capacity, e.g. put ~310g water in it & dump it all in the CCD at boil.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

For the clever I tend to put water in first then grounds (use roughly same as V60, no point in giving an R120 dial figure) dab gently on the grounds to wet but not sink, pop lid on, Dogs trust microfleece hat over top, leave for 20 plus minutes. Throw away first 20ml or so then pop onto pouring vessel / cup etc letting it take as long as required.

55g / L works for me and tend to find this method works better for brighter coffees than darker but then we use filtered water and no milk. The method on the box really requires quite a coarse grind and if following this one then tends to favour "darker" beans for a shorter steep (as a huge generalisation) as longer steeps don't seem for me to bring anything new to the party albeit smooth.

Pretty sure the long steep method was one from @MWJB

John


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I'd try coarser try 2.4. How long are you leaving it?

Try a long brew with little stirring. I regularly do 40 min brews with the CCD. Mega sweet.


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

urbanbumpkin said:


> I'd try coarser try 2.4. How long are you leaving it?
> 
> Try a long brew with little stirring. I regularly do 40 min brews with the CCD. Mega sweet.


4/5 mins. The general consensus seems to be water in first followed by coffee.

Rather than staring at it attentively I'll leave it to brew longer and make breakfast instead.


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

Just made a cup this morning with the Kenyan Beans.

20mintues brew, tried going course on the Haus as recommended above 2,4

55/l nice and clear getting the famed acidity from the beans.

Definatly helps putting in the water first drained a lot a quicker.


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

urbanbumpkin said:


> I'd try coarser try 2.4. How long are you leaving it?
> 
> Try a long brew with little stirring. I regularly do 40 min brews with the CCD. Mega sweet.


Do you have to go a lot finer to get the sweetness? Or brew longer than 20mintues?


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Going slightly coarser with a longer brew times gets sweeter brews. Try 40mins


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

Just made a cup this morning 1,6 on the Hausgrind, so relatively on the finer side but left it for 20mintues hmm a bit bold and overextracted not bitter though. For longer brews you use courser grinds and finer shorter?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Over-extracted would be bitter, pretty hard to do, even in 40min, with Clever (water in first) as it's not good at holding heat. If the brew was bold, maybe look at the brew ratio?

I brew at a similar grind size (fine drip), whatever the brew time, and adjust time...or, after a few brews with different coffees, see which took the longest brew time & aim for that (the other coffees may not extract significantly further in that time).


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## nufc1 (May 11, 2015)

A quick question to you CCD users? What is the best method for cleaning? Do you pop it in the dishwasher? Handwash with washing up liquid? Pulycaff/Cafiza?


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## salty (Mar 7, 2017)

nufc1 said:


> A quick question to you CCD users? What is the best method for cleaning? Do you pop it in the dishwasher? Handwash with washing up liquid? Pulycaff/Cafiza?


I pop the base off, rinse under the tap then hand wash with washing up liquid, rinse and drain. Really like how easy it is. If I'm making multiple cups through the day i just rinse it out and give it a proper wash after my last cup of the day


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

nufc1 said:


> A quick question to you CCD users? What is the best method for cleaning? Do you pop it in the dishwasher? Handwash with washing up liquid? Pulycaff/Cafiza?


I handwash after every brew take it apart and run it through hot water, not sure if that the best method but it's the cheapest.


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## Hairy_Hogg (Jul 23, 2015)

Some people report that taking the lid off on draw down gave them faster results. There is a pretty long CCD thread on here that is worth a read as well.

I had a 1.5 hour steep of the LSOL Drop beans (with a tea cosy on the CCD to keep warm) this morning, bloody delicious.


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

MWJB said:


> Over-extracted would be bitter, pretty hard to do, even in 40min, with Clever (water in first) as it's not good at holding heat. If the brew was bold, maybe look at the brew ratio?
> 
> I brew at a similar grind size (fine drip), whatever the brew time, and adjust time...or, after a few brews with different coffees, see which took the longest brew time & aim for that (the other coffees may not extract significantly further in that time).


Brew ratio was 60g/l 15/250 just went a tad courser and 20/300 see how it turn out 20mintues brew.


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## rippolaris (Oct 7, 2015)

Hairy_Hogg said:


> Some people report that taking the lid off on draw down gave them faster results. There is a pretty long CCD thread on here that is worth a read as well.
> 
> I had a 1.5 hour steep of the LSOL Drop beans (with a tea cosy on the CCD to keep warm) this morning, bloody delicious.


The point about the lid is true, I've used one for my work brews for about a while now, and if you leave the lid on there seems to be some kind of vacuum there that means it takes forever for the (very gurgly) draw down to happen. I've always had to lift the lid to break the vacuum when I place the CCD on the cup to dispense the brew. I tend to grind at 2.3 on the Aergrind, go for about an 1:18 coffee to water ratio, leave it till I remember/get bored of waiting/really need a coffee! It rarely gives a bad brew as long as the beans are decent.

I need to try me some loooooooong brews and different ratios tho.


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## salty (Mar 7, 2017)

Adding coffee to water - rather than putting the coffee in first has speeded up my drawdowns - I'm getting 1:15 drawdowns using a V60 grind on my Wilfa. Really impressed with the CCD now since I switched to water first then coffee.


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

This morning I did it again produced an underextracted brew, which might have been a bit sour, now with stomach discomfort CCD is far from straightforward from my experience.

Similar grind to the 20/300 which wasn't bad but this time went 18/300. 60g/l seems to be letting more acidity through or is some of the grind not being incorporated into the water i.e the case of stirring the grinds more to soak them all.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

IggyK said:


> This morning I did it again produced an underextracted brew, which might have been a bit sour, now with stomach discomfort CCD is far from straightforward from my experience.
> 
> Similar grind to the 20/300 which wasn't bad but this time went 18/300. 60g/l seems to be letting more acidity through or is some of the grind not being incorporated into the water i.e the case of stirring the grinds more to soak them all.


Try brewing bigger 400ml? I'd stay a little over 60g/L as the coffee is well filtered through the bed & can be thin. Go finer on the grind & as long as you can on the steep.


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

Probably a dumb question but is there one size of CCD? I saw mention of large and small, and what are the volumes? Are both compatible with #4 filters?

Thinking of buying one as a present, and since #4 filters are readily available in supermarkets here I wanted to make sure it'll fit the correct size.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

HasBean have the small ones that take #2 filter (~250ml?).

Mostly you see the large one that takes ~500ml & a #4 filter (though I sometimes use a #6 filter if trying to max it out/avoid overflowing the paper).


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## salty (Mar 7, 2017)

I use the bigger #4 size to make one cup (250g) but it gives me the option to make a bigger serving if I want to. I'd definitely go large if I were you


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