# Weighting output instead of input for pour overs



## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

I was lucky to get a Zario 4 cup station (Coffee Hit link) fairly cheap, so I thought I'll give a try using scales under a cup rather than a cup+brewer. Should I ditch scales, grab a spoon and taste the output every now and then? Once it's getting over extracted, just remove the mug and that's it? I could potentially fit scales under the station, but that just doesn't sound great!

I know Hario drip station fits well on Hario scales, but Coffeeasy and other solutions won't.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Use Scales - im not sure how tasting now and again will help you gain consistency


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Weigh input , weigh output for consistency and repeatability .

taste is king


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

Well, that's what I have been doing. I got this station for a fiver, so it was a little bit of impulse purchase and did not figure out why I needed one!


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Can you weigh the water in the pouring kettle, then weigh the output on the drip tray?


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

MWJB said:


> Can you weigh the water in the pouring kettle, then weigh the output on the drip tray?


It's possible, but without scales which have a digital output (Acaia), that just sounds too difficult. Pour technique, timing, two scales to keep an eye at, etc.

I had a look at some USB scales before. It would be possible to create something cool on Raspberry Pi. Temperature readings can also be taken and what not, but being rubbish at electronic engineering, might stay away from that for a while until I come up with something.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

PPapa said:


> It's possible, but without scales which have a digital output (Acaia), that just sounds too difficult. Pour technique, timing, two scales to keep an eye at, etc.
> 
> I had a look at some USB scales before. It would be possible to create something cool on Raspberry Pi. Temperature readings can also be taken and what not, but being rubbish at electronic engineering, might stay away from that for a while until I come up with something.


You don't need to keep an eye on 2 sets of scales.

Set 1 - Tare with a preheated pourover kettle (or fill a Bonavita/Brewista/induction heated pourover kettle), fill with your brew water weight. Pour all the water into the brewer.

Set 2 (could be the same scales) under the cup/carafe on the brew stand.

If you are using a finite amount of brew water, the 2nd set are just to confirm a consistent beverage weight.

The other option would be to try and maintain a consistent level of slurry in the brewer, pulse pour & pull the cup at a given beverage weight & brew time (Japanese style). Will need a coarser grind than 1st option. Given that volume in a cone is very hard to judge by eye, I'd go for the first method, or grind very coarse & go for a very low water level over the bed & lots of small pours.


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

What's the advantage of weighing the output. If I'm doing chemex or v60 I'd go by either measuring the weight of the water in the kettle (and pouring all) or having the brewer on a scales? I know some is retained in the slurry but unless refracting I just assume that is what it is, so to speak


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

MWJB said:


> The other option would be to try and maintain a consistent level of slurry in the brewer, pulse pour & pull the cup at a given beverage weight & brew time (Japanese style). Will need a coarser grind than 1st option. Given that volume in a cone is very hard to judge by eye, I'd go for the first method, or grind very coarse & go for a very low water level over the bed & lots of small pours.


Great, I believe that's what I was thinking of trying. Thanks.

It seems like I am pretty good at eyeballing volume on Chemex (one of the first brewers I got) as I brew the same way all the time now.


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

jlarkin said:


> What's the advantage of weighing the output. If I'm doing chemex or v60 I'd go by either measuring the weight of the water in the kettle (and pouring all) or having the brewer on a scales? I know some is retained in the slurry but unless refracting I just assume that is what it is, so to speak


I probably would have never needed to ask the same question, but I am trying to justify why I need this brew station!


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