I finally figured out why my pour-over kept stalling mid-brew

For months I was getting these frustratingly slow draws on my V60, like the water just sat there for the last 30 seconds or so. I read all the usual advice about grind size and pouring technique, but nothing worked. Then last week I noticed my buddy's setup and his filter looked different from mine. Turns out I was using a filter that was too fine for my grinder's output (a Baratza Encore I got used for $80). The combo of medium-fine grounds plus the thick paper was creating a mud seal at the bottom. I switched to a different brand of filter (just the basic white ones from the grocery store) and now my brew finishes in 3 minutes flat every time. Has anyone else dealt with this where the gear matchup matters more than each piece alone?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo_jones217d ago

Totally get this, the filter paper is a WAY bigger deal than people realize. I had the exact same mud seal issue with Cafec Abaca filters on my Ode grinder - they're thick and slow, which sounds good on paper but actually clogs up when your grind size is already dialed in for a faster flow. Switched to the basic brown unbleached filters from a local roaster and suddenly my drawdown times went from 4 minutes to 2:30. The gear matchup thing is real because a "good" filter for one burr set might be terrible for another. It's like finding the right tire pressure for a car, not just the brand of tire.

the_vera16d ago

Yeah the filter paper thing is such a hidden variable. I ran into this with my Chemex, using the official filters that are super thick and it was like pouring through mud. Switched to some thin unbleached ones off Amazon and my brew time dropped by a minute. It's annoying because everyone talks about grind size and water temp but nobody mentions how the paper itself changes everything.