Clever Coffee Dripper Brewing Instructions V 2.0 - a la Houndstooth Coffee

We always make a point of asking our local shop baristas how and why they do different things when pulling espresso shots or brewing a pour over. Our friends at Austin, Texas' EXCELLENT Houndstooth Coffee are always tweaking and experimenting with their brewing methods. If you've tried our original Clever Dripper recipe, then give the V 2.0 method with new techniques a try.

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V 2.0 makes a cup sing by yielding an even sweeter, cleaner notes from coffee beans than the original version. Give both a try and let us know what you think. And by all means, EXPERIMENT. 

  1. Set your kettle of filtered water to boil.
  2. Weigh your coffee beans to your desired weight - 22 g per mug (we like big cups of coffee) and Clever Coffee Dripper’s are great for a BIG single cup of coffee.
  3. Take the paper filter (we like “Kalita 103” paper filters with Clevers but the Melita #4s work also) and fold the bottom seam over one time and then fold the side side over once. This helps the filter best fit into the Clever.
  4. Put the paper filter into the Clever Coffee Dripper. Wet the paper filter with hot water to eliminate a paper taste in your coffee. Pour the hot water out.
  5. Put the Clever Coffee Dripper and it’s coaster onto your scale and tare to zero. TIP: Be sure the cup/mug you are using can hold the amount of water you plan to brew with the coffee AND that the Clever fits properly on top of it. 
  6. Grind the coffee in your conical burr grinder. We recommend a medium to coarse filter drip grind. Pour the freshly grounded coffee into the Clever Coffee Dripper with the wetted filter. Tare the scale back to zero.
  7. Take the boiling kettle off the stove and let it set for 30 seconds. The water temperature goal is to brew with water that's around 205-206F.  
  8. Start a timer. “Bloom” the coffee grounds by pouring 75-100 g of water (for 22 g of coffee) onto the grounds taking care to wet the grounds evenly. Let the coffee bloom for 15 sec. Then give the bloom a five back and forth stirs with a spoon (one stir is a back and forth(. 
  9. Using a continuous circular motion, pour the water over the coffee. Pour water until you reach the desired weight (e.g. 365-374 g of water for 22 g of coffee - the 1:17 ratio is 374g but once you get your technique down, feel free to experiment - we recommend 365g of water for 22 g of coffee yields a very good cup with Clever Drippers). The fill should put your timer at the one minute mark. 
  10. Then stir filled coffee slurry with a second round of five back and forth stirs with a spoon (one stir is a back and forth). Put the lid onto the Clever Dripper. 
  11. Once your timer reaches the 2 minute mark (including the bloom time), take the Clever Coffee Dripper off the coaster and put it directly on top of your coffee cup so that the bottom mechanism is engaged and coffee starts dripping into your cup. Your coffee will be ready once the coffee has filtered through completely to the cup - about 3 and a half minutes. Lift the Clever lid and the grounds will appear moist without any liquid.
  12. Take the Clever Coffee Dripper off of your cup and ENJOY your cup of coffee!

And if you are in Austin, make sure you stop at one of the Houndstooth Coffee locations on N. Lamar or in the Frost Bank Building Downtown. You won't be sorry.  

Eco tip: Compost the paper filter and grounds if you can as they are excellent for compost piles. Dan's Mom used to save her used coffee grounds and mixed them with leftover crushed egg shells for our garden. She would pour the grounds directly onto the base of our vegetable garden plants. His family's backyard tomato and pepper plants loved them!

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Brooklyn, NY | Austin, TX