It was a German mother - Melitta Benste, who first decided to experiment with her morning brew after having her last cup of disappointingly bitter percolator coffee in the early 20th Century. By apparently using her sons school blotting paper, she fashioned a cone and poured boiling water through the coffee grind - finding the result far better than expected.
The Bialetti had met its match - the pour-over method proved a hit with migrants from Europe to America, where less than perfect coffee was mixed with egg white to remove any acidic aftertaste. It was cheap, simple and allowed the maker to develop a coffee that catered to their own style; as the speed of the pour and fineness of the grind determined how strong the coffee would be.
By the time the pour over made its way to Australia, coffee had come a long way. Development of climate-specific plantations and advances in roasting technology meant that the world could choose its coffee by region, roasting gradient, even specialty factor.
The health benefits of moderate coffee intake were also starting to be noticed. Its high antioxidant rating and ability to increase the metabolic rate were factors second only to the famous ‘kick’ of a morning brew.
Away from the office block buzz of espresso shots and sugar, the humble pour-over remains the methodical home remedy to the often fast-paced takeaway coffee culture.
Slowly allowing the grind to bloom, before weaving the water amongst the grind plays an important role in stilling the mind, and connecting with the coffee. The more subtle notes often lost with the high-pressure extraction methods used in cafes come alive with the simple combination of gravity and water.
OUR RITUAL:
Place your paper filter or cotton Coffee Sock inside the cone.
Slowly wet the fabric or paper evenly with boiling water.
Grind a handful of organic whole coffee beans to a medium-coarse grain. Use an extra handful for each person you're making for.
Place the ground coffee in the wet filter, and slowly pour in enough water to be absorbed by the coffee. At this stage avoid filling with too much water that it drips through into the cup below.
After leaving to ‘bloom’ for two minutes, slowly pour in as much water as you feel you need for your cup - pouring slower for a stronger brew.
Often a will make the process of drawing flavour easier, as it allows you to move the pour across the surface of the grind slightly more evenly.
After you’ve filled your cup, you may simply enjoy as is.
Or for a more personalised medicinal brew, add Elixir Powders, milk, butter or ghee and blend as you wish.
View our favourite Immunity Brew recipe here.
