Source
r/Coffee•
ChemEng

Lido 3 settings for the Kalita Wave 185

I'm new to pour over coffee brewing from French Press/Cold Brew. I've got a bag of fresh beans. with roast date 23AUG16. I just cant seem to dial the grinder in to make a cup that isn't bitter/sour. (I realize these are on opposite ends of the extraction spectrum, but I can't differentiate the two. Yet.)

So I'm curious, what grind settings do you use?

Thanks in advance...

edit:

  1. The beans are Malawi Mzuzu, if that matters.
  2. I'm using a gooseneck kettle. My technique is sloppy, but improving.

Posted Aug 30, 2016, 6:00 PM UTC · edited

528
maigre•

What are you using for water? Maybe your grinds or some range of them, have been OK, but the water is sabotaging your brew.

3
ChemEngOP•

I use tap water run through a Brita pitcher's filter.

1
maigre•

That could be OK depending on your local water. It won't cut it where I live, though. This has little to do with how good or bad the Brita filtered water tastes, it's more a matter of hardness/softness of the water and the mineral contents within it.

Is there a good cafe nearby that serves specialty coffee and takes it seriously? If there is, go see if you can get some water from them. Even Starbucks would work for this. They'll give you water for sure. Ideally, the cafe will put their water through a reverse osmosis process and remineralize it in ways that optimize coffee extraction.

At least find out if water is a factor in the taste of your brews. Because if it is a negative one, all the other techniques will not likely be able to make up for it.

2
carpool_turkey•

I can't help but now wonder if this is everyones issue when they can't get their brews tasting good. I recently started mixing my own water (RO water + sodium bicarbonate + epsom salts), it has made a bigger difference than any piece of coffee equipment I've bought. Good quality water is of most importance.

2
ChemEngOP•

Do you have an FAQ so I can try this?

At this point, I'm sure it's mostly technique and grinding. But I'll try anything.

1
ChemEngOP•

Thanks for the recommendation. There's a decent shop nearby. I'll ask this weekend.

1
insomniac20k•

Starbucks water is very good and they give out water for free but you might have trouble getting more than 16 ounces though, depending on store.

1
darkeva93Kalita Wave•

So generally mine is like this:

  • 25g coffee
  • Grind size: 1+5 (So the way I count this is 0+0 is when the two blue lines line up, but not fully shut. If I fully tighten, it's probably like -1+14 or something. So from 0+0, one full revolution around and then 5 more tick marks. Usually +/- a few tick marks based on dial-in, but 1+5 is my starting point.).
  • 400g water

50g of water for the bloom (30 seconds), pulse pour until you hit 400g (should be at 2 minutes by then), let drain for 30 seconds. At 2:30, I take the brewer off, swirl my carafe, and pour into my mug.

2
ChemEngOP•
  1. Your recipe is same ratio as what I'm using. Cool.
  2. My 0+0 point is at 0-3, if that makes sense. So I would start at 1+2 then.
  3. Question: do you pour along the edges of the filter or let those grounds stay? I've been ignoring the outer .5" in my pour. Don't know if that is correct or not.
  4. Question: do you pour water straight off boil? I've wondered if maybe I was overextracting because my water was too hot. I don't use a thermometer and only the boil to gauge temperature.
1
darkeva93Kalita Wave•
  1. I had to add a 1 or it would start 2 as 1 lol.
  2. Yes, with your 0+0 point, I would say try 1+12. I like using the blue lines as 0+0 so you know there's 16 notches in a revolution, I don't have to add one or two notches.
  3. I do pour along the edges when I see the sides getting high and dry. So mostly pour small circles in the center, but as it's draining, I'll do a once or twice over the sides to make sure the sides get extracted as well.
  4. I have an electric kettle with temperature control (https://amzn.com/B005YR0F40), but usually start with 212F. Usually end up at 207F, but 212F is my starting point. If you find it's too bitter, you can either wait for the brewing water temp to drop or coarsen up the grind size.
2
Justin2268•

For a v60 I pour down the edges regularly to wash all the coffee down into the bed so that all of the water will pass through all of the coffee as evenly as I can make it and hopefully that will promote an even extraction

1
ChemEngOP•

The v60 filters are smooth. The wave has ridges. So pouring down the edges of v60 lets much less water run on the outside of the filter, bypassing the coffee bed, that with the wave.

That said, I'm still not sure what the answer is. I'm trying both ways now.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
Ry_•

Yes!! I love 185; absolutely pour around the rim as the ripple edge helps get the high and dry incorporated and it can't bypass the coffee. That being said try this; your brew time is pretty on point around 3 mins is great. After pouring water for bloom immediately stir the grounds so all coffee gets saturated. Still do a 30sec bloom and begin pouring in concentric circles going all the way to the edge. Do it in pulses so just try and break up the water pouring I usually do like 50g of water, stop for a second allow to drain for a few seconds and then do the same up to the desired Amt of water. After all water is in and it is now just draining, give the Kalita 2 or three taps on the carafe or whatever you are brewing into; this will help make the bed of coffee on the bottom flat so water passes through all the coffee at the same time! When all water is drained you should have a bed of relatively flat grind with no mountains or valleys! Takes a while but helps with an even extraction. Water I do right off boil, easiest to maintain consistently

1
ChemEngOP•

absolutely pour around the rim

Does much water flow to the outside of the filter?

After all water is in and it is now just draining, give the Kalita 2 or three taps on the carafe

I like this idea. Right now my coffee bed is shaped like a U: high on the outsides, low in the middle. This technique may help level it.

1
Ry_Kalita Wave•

Not at all thats the beauty of kalitas; since its a flat bottom theres no way for water to go anywhere but to the coffee! And a U shape usually means you are just pouring a little too much water in the center of the bed; you want to be pouring just as much in the center as the outer edge to help not make the U

1
hugoblc•

Is it okay to pour water touching the filter? I used to brew coffee using a Chemex and I've always read not to do it. But with my Kalita there there's always dry coffee on the edges of the filters if I don't get it wet.

1
Ry_Kalita Wave•

Yes!!!! The whole don't pour down the filter is weird to me. For kalitas if you have the stainless ones, the ridges on it actually help bring the high and drys back into the bed! You can even pour outside the filter since the flat bottom doesn't allow water to bypass the bed

1
Ry_•

What is your total time from when water hits the grind to last drop?

1
ChemEngOP•

It's ranged from 2:45 to 3:30, including bloom for a 37.5:600 brew. But I'm not sure when "last drop" is, exactly. Do you mean "the time when it doesn't drip anymore" or "the time when the drips slow to one every few seconds"? I'm not trying to be pedantic. Trying to learn this.

1
Ry_•

No worries friend! That's what this sub is for!! I stop the timer as soon as you see the water leave the bed of the coffee and it basically stops dripping

2
ChemEngOP•

Got it. 2:45 to 3:30 then, including 30 sec bloom. I understand that coarse grind should have less brew time than finer grinds, but I'm not seeing that. My guess is that it's there, just masked by my inconsistent pour technique.

1
dustin_morado•

Whoa I use a way finer grind. I like the notation. I'm using a 0+10, and 42g:700mL.

Pour ~85g in and stir, no bloom. Pour until to 235g and let draw down a little Pour until to 470g and let draw down a little Pour until 700g and do the little pick up and drop the wave on the carafe to settle the beds.

My brew time usually ends up around 6 minutes but I could never get a good cup at the faster 3 minutes, and just gave up with what tastes good to me.

I find dealing with high and dries really difficult on the 185. It can be difficult to get to them without pouring outside the filter due to the waves. I try and keep the water level not too high which makes it a little more manageable.

1
ChemEngOP•

I'm going to try this recipe next. Thank you for posting all the details.

1
GroundDwellerV60•

6-7 from zero has been what I use recently

1
ChemEngOP•

What bean ratio and amount did you use?

1
GroundDwellerV60•

1:16, 15g dose, pulse pour

2
Zephyp•

There are definitely differences between the old and new Lido grinders, and maybe between 2 and 3 of the same generations. I bought a Lido 3 just this week and started looking at recipes in here for tips on where to start for Kalita. Many recommend 16-18 notches, which is way too coarse for mine. The water drained very quickly and the brew came out sour.

Last I tried was 8 notches for 200/12 on 155, and I still want to go lower and see where it takes me. The new grinders definitely go coarser faster. I'm using Matt Perger's compass to help find a good balance.

1
GroundDwellerV60•

Take about 7 from Lido 2 settings is my rule of thumb. Don't hesitate to go down to 6 from 0

1