Troubleshooting
When Pour-Over Drains Too Fast or Too Slow
A pour-over that drains very fast produces a lighter, brighter cup than the same coffee brewed at a longer flow rate. The water has had less time in contact with the bed, and the fuller compounds that give body and sweetness have not fully joined the brew. A pour-over that drains very slowly produces the opposite — a heavier, sometimes over-extracted cup as the water continues pulling from the coffee well past the balance point.
Drain rate is shaped by three things: grind size, pour technique, and the dripper itself. A finer grind restricts flow and slows drainage. A coarser grind lets water pass through more freely. Pouring in a tight stream in one spot can carve a channel and speed flow; pouring in a wide spiral keeps the bed saturated evenly. Different drippers have different geometries, and their own characteristic drain rates.
Most pour-overs find balance when the total brew time lands between three and four minutes. If the brew finishes well before three, a finer grind or slower pour will often bring it back. If it runs past four and a half, a coarser grind or faster pour moves it closer. Café de Volcán considers total brew time one of the easiest signals to read when dialing in a pour-over.
