Returning to the filtered methods, I will discuss the Kalita Wave maker in this article, specifically model 155. I will discuss some important issues to keep in mind with this coffee maker and show you how I like to use it based on my experience.
Kalita is a Japanese family-owned company making drip coffee makers since the 1950s. Today they have different models of coffee makers, teapots, grinders, and other accessories. The Kalita Wave, over time, has gained a lot of popularity among coffee lovers thanks to its simplicity and the great coffee it brews.
Features of the Kalita wave maker
This manual pour-over maker uses paper filters with ripples, which is characteristic of the brand. It has a flat bottom in which we observe protruding lines so that the filter does not stick and allows the coffee to come out through three small holes at the bottom. This is my Kalita Wave 155:
This model is available in glass, ceramic, copper, and stainless steel, which is the most popular.
What you should know before using the Kalita wave maker
There are some relevant aspects to consider when using a manual pour-over coffee maker with a flat bottom like the Kalita Wave, which contrasts with the others with a conical shape, such as the Chemex and the Hario V60, among others. These aspects are:
1. The flat bottom surface
The coffee will be better distributed and much easier to extract by having a larger and precisely flat surface. Therefore, we eliminate channeling, one of the main problems of conical coffee makers.
If we add the water correctly, it’s much more difficult for the water to find a weak point with less resistance where it can pass through and over-extract these areas. So we eliminate those unwanted bitter flavors caused by our mistakes.
2. The depth of the coffee maker
But it is not enough to have a flat bottom to avoid channeling; we must also have a certain depth for the coffee bed. Greater water passage resistance should be approximately 3 to 5 centimeters with the correct depth.
The 155 model, being smaller and a little more cylindrical, is ideal for small individual doses, which we cannot use in the 185 models for this reason.
3. The characteristic wave-shaped filter
This wave-shaped filter, which separates the coffee from the walls of the brewer, can produce a negative effect known as bypass.
Water escapes through channels formed between the waves of the filter. This water does not extract the coffee, ending directly in the cup, so the beverage will be more diluted, and we will need more water to extract the coffee completely.
I recommend rinsing the paper with hot water, bending these waves, and pressing them against the wall to eliminate these channels. When doing this, ensure the filter does not stick to the bottom.
4. The way of pouring the water
As you know, there are different ways to approach a coffee maker with manual pouring; we can pour the water continuously or do it in stages. Because of Kalita’s materials, especially in this model 155, I recommend doing it with continuous pouring.
If we do it in stages, the temperature of the filtrate will drop a lot, affecting the final taste of the coffee. We should always keep the brewer full during the process to ensure this high temperature does not drop too much.
Operation of the Kalita wave
Having considered all the previous aspects, we can now move on to preparing the coffee. In my Kalita Wave 155, I use 15 grams of coffee and 9 ounces of soft-boiled or filtered water. Here is the step-by-step to get a very good coffee with this coffee maker.
Step by step to prepare coffee with the Kalita wave maker
- We begin by grinding the coffee with a medium-fine grind, similar to the one we use in the Hario V60.
- Then we take one of the filters, place it in the Kalita, and run abundant hot water over it to eliminate the taste of the paper and to ensure preheat the coffee maker and cup well.
- After discarding the water, we press each wave of the filter from the base to the edge against the wall of the Kalita, making sure that it sticks as much as possible.
- We place the 15 grams of coffee and shake the coffee maker to level it. I like to make a small hole in the center, especially in conical coffee makers and flat bottom ones, to ensure that the water quickly reaches the bottom of the coffee.
- We begin with the pre-infusion or bloom stage. We turn on the timer and place the coffee’s weight in water three times; in this case, we pour 45 grams of water and turn the Kalita for a few seconds.
- We will let it rest until the timer shows 45 seconds; this makes the beans release the accumulated carbon dioxide and prepare for the extraction.
- We continue with the main pouring. We will place it slowly in spiral form, the rest of the water passing through the surface. Since we have a flat bottom, we don’t have to worry much about turbulence, so we can take our time.
- After passing 170 to 6 ounces, we slow down and pour up to 9 ounces of water.
- We take the Kalita again, twist it, and let it drain. As we said, looking at how it comes out from underneath, if we see that a hole is clogged and it starts to come out more slowly, we can lift the filter a little by lifting it to the wall of the coffee maker. With this recipe, it should finish draining after about 3 minutes.
- Remove the Kalita from the Server and mix to obtain a homogeneous beverage.
- We pour it into our favorite cup and enjoy this incredible coffee.
With these instructions, the Kalita produces a medium-bodied, fruity, super sweet, and delicious coffee.
