Ruined my first pour over at a friend's place in Portland because I forgot to rinse the filter

Karen Ward · 2026-10-08T20:05:05.228081+00:00

Last month I was staying with my buddy in Portland. He knows I'm into coffee so he handed me his whole setup and asked me to make us a couple pour overs. Nice gear, gooseneck kettle and everything. I ground the beans, got the kettle to temp, and poured right in. Cup came out papery and flat, tasted like wet cardboard. I stood there confused for a second, then it hit me. I skipped rinsing the filter. Total rookie move and I've been making pour overs for years. I just rinsed it under the tap, re-did the whole thing, and the second cup was night and day. Sweet and clean, all that paper taste gone. My friend thought it was hilarious. He'd never rinsed a filter in his life and just thought that's how coffee tastes. So now I'm wondering how many people out there are brewing great beans but drinking paper every morning because nobody ever showed them the rinse step. What's the one small thing that made a big difference in your cup?

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Ruined my first pour over at a friend's place in Portland because I forgot to rinse the filter | Coffee Enthusiasts - HW Forums