# 'Pooling' issue with V60 brewing



## KrisP (Mar 14, 2015)

Hi,

I have recently started using a V60, and have been having some trouble. At around the 1:30 mark, using short pours, water all but stops dripping through any more and just pools in the cone. This water would stay in there for minutes if I didn't throw it out. This is always leading to horribly over extracted cups. I am using a medium grind, but I don't think the grind is the problem as a barista friend made a fine cup with the same grinds.

That leaves the pour. What could I be doing wrong that would cause this sort of pooling?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Did you friend use same grinds,same coffee, same water temp, same volume and dose ?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

And what's your recipe ? Dose ? Total water? Amount of pours


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## KrisP (Mar 14, 2015)

He used grinds from the same bag at the same dose. I don't have a gooseneck kettle, instead using a metal teapot.

I'm using 22 grams to 350ml water. 30 sec bloom. I have tried pouring both steaadily and in short pulses but still end up with the pooling problem, which led me to believe it's something in the pouring technique which is causing an issue.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

After about 1 1/2 to 2 min grinds will become waterlogged & sink, providing more resistance to the water, so I'd expect flow to slow, I'd be looking around 3:40 total brew time inc. bloom?


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## KrisP (Mar 14, 2015)

MWJB said:


> After about 1 1/2 to 2 min grinds will become waterlogged & sink, providing more resistance to the water, so I'd expect flow to slow, I'd be looking around 3:40 total brew time inc. bloom?


That would be my goal. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong though as it would take 5 mins plus to get all the water through, it moves that slowly from about 1:30 onwards.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Bloom, then after 30s add all the water in one go...how long does it take to drain?


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## KrisP (Mar 14, 2015)

MWJB said:


> Bloom, then after 30s add all the water in one go...how long does it take to drain?


I tried this, and it was entirely drained by 2:15 though the resulting cup was hugely underextracted.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

KrisP said:


> I tried this, and it was entirely drained by 2:15 though the resulting cup was hugely underextracted.


Then tighten the grind


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## fenix (Oct 31, 2010)

If all he water is added straight after the bloom, won't most of it go straight through the filter paper rather than the coffee?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

fenix said:


> If all he water is added straight after the bloom, won't most of it go straight through the filter paper rather than the coffee?


Nope....


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Excellent!...though it may not seem it right now









Now you know that your grind will achieve under & overextraction, so you just need to ascertain by how much you need to slow the flow, by breaking up the pours.

Now try blooming with 32g, 30sec. then add 80g every 45sec...

Total 112g started at 30s

Total 192g started at 1:15

Total 270g started at 2:00

Total 350g started at 2:45

Try and get all the pours done within 15sec. finish round the edge, light stir at the very surface on last pour.

If it's still under, try 6 evenly weighted pours every 30sec...& so on...8 pours at 20sec intervals...looking for a 3:50 to 4:10 finish?


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

MWJB said:


> Bloom, then after 30s add all the water in one go...how long does it take to drain?


Careful , this is the Garymex™ method , now patented in 11 countries ; )

Oh its a v60? Pah ....not interested


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

But not Japan evidently?


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## samjfranklin (Jan 1, 2015)

I don't feel a need to stir! I assume you have an 02 size v60?

17g coffee, 230g water.

A pretty fine grind.

40g bloom for 30 secs,

Pour all the water in concentric circles and then leave to extract!


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## KrisP (Mar 14, 2015)

MWJB said:


> Excellent!...though it may not seem it right now
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Progress! Shorter pours with a little more time between each has stopped the pooling problem I had! Thanks MWJB!


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## KrisP (Mar 14, 2015)

By way of an update, I upgraded my grinder to an Encore from the cheap Delonghi K-something and this instantly solved the flow issue I was having. I guess the cheap grinder was throwing in a lot of small grinds, slowing the flow to a standstill?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

KrisP said:


> By way of an update, I upgraded my grinder to an Encore from the cheap Delonghi K-something and this instantly solved the flow issue I was having. I guess the cheap grinder was throwing in a lot of small grinds, slowing the flow to a standstill?


The grinder upgrade is no doubt a good thing, but if the water isn't flowing fast enough (let's say your grinder doesn't give you much scope to reduce fines), add it in bigger weights...the heavier weight of water will initially drain faster.


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