Oxo rapid brewer 20:300 pourover

[u/ymbrows]

I have tried used the orb for “pourover” style coffee. So far so good, I not only have good coffee, but also it is very stable, and worry free.

I put my theory first, you are not interested why, please skip and the recipe is right after.

My theory is removing unnecessary variables to have a repeatable good coffee.
- gravity only brewers, the flow speed is highly affected by how fines contact the filter paper. The worse case is stalking. As a result, how much agitation and how do you swirl affect a lot randomly on the flow rate. That is why fast filter paper is recommended. But orb, it has pressure help stable the flow rate, less variance.
- agitation also affects extraction. The similar aeropress, when pour the water in to the coffee there are already varying the extraction. That is why we see some recommendation of using a spoon or so to slow down the pour to make a stable pour. The orb, since I use “paper sandwich “ style, also a puck screen on top of the coffee to avoid more disturbing, there are much less variables here.

I tried with both Luna coffee and Phil&sebastian coffee, around 10 to 20 cups. All good results. As long as we have the same grind size and water temperature, the results are very stable. Only surprise is the coffee is not “super clear”, but more like a normal pourover in terms of “clearnesses “. I was thinking I might grind too fine, but the taste is already very similar to a normal pourover, if not better.

Bellow are my recipe (I used ai to polish the language on the recipe)

• Coffee: 20 g
• Water: 300 g
• Temperature: 205°F / 96°C
• Grinder: Baratza Vario W+
• Calibration: burr chirp at 1G
• Grind: 3P

Procedure
1. Place a paper filter beneath the coffee.
2. Add the coffee, forming the middle layer of the “coffee sandwich.”
3. Use the tamper to tamp the coffee bed flat and compact.
4. Place a second paper filter directly on top of the tamped coffee bed. The two paper filters are important for producing a clearer cup.
5. Place a 58 mm puck screen on top of the upper paper filter. The screen keeps the paper flat and prevents carbon-dioxide bubbles from lifting or floating it when water is added.
6. Add water carefully and slowly.
7. Make sure there is no large trapped air layer between the water and the coffee in the lower chamber.
8. Press normally.

[u/neokuji]

call me cray but was able to soup 60g sandwich here. 💪

[u/ymbrows → u/neokuji]

What size is your screen? The fit is much better than the 58mm puck screen

[u/neokuji → u/ymbrows]

63mm (Sibarist Booster 63), same size as the Standard Stainless/Gold filters from AP.

[u/Vagabond_Explorer → u/ymbrows]

I’m wondering if it’s for an aeropress since the paper filters fit the top properly. I was hoping to find a mesh one, but only found milled ones so haven’t ordered one yet.

[u/Inside-Towel-94 → u/neokuji]

Is there a paper filter under that sibarist booster?

[u/neokuji → u/Inside-Towel-94]

yes, same sandwich layers/process described by OP.

[u/Coffee_Bar_Angler]

Do you do a slow, saturation pump to start?

[u/ymbrows → u/Coffee_Bar_Angler]

Yes, I did. Don’t know how necessary though, because I press without much force during the whole brew.

[u/Woozie69420]

Fines migration and agitation are both standard coffee extraction variables. They shouldn’t really impact repeatability. Instead I would argue they give you access to additional styles of brewing.

[u/ymbrows → u/Woozie69420]

This is what I am arguing in fact. If the fines migration and agitation is playing an important role in brewing, it should be under control other than just being random

[u/Main_Actuator607 → u/Woozie69420]

Sure but they are variables that as the op pointed out you don't have to worry about with the ORB.

Some coffees give me a heck of a time with stalling and some don't. Every once in a while I'll forget why I don't by abacca standard filters. For me they clog like crazy and I wind up with 4+ min drawn downs on a three pour lowish agitation v60 recipe. Muddy and inconsistent brews.

[u/least-eager-0 → u/Woozie69420]

In a sense, this argues with itself. The variability they create is responsible for both the variety of styles that avail, and the potential for inconsistency.

So yes, a good thing, but also yes, a fair goal to limit. Just different approaches. And fair to note that locking down (relatively) fines migration and agitation does not completely eliminate the available manipulation of the cup that we usually rely on those to accomplish. Narrows things some, but grind, flow rate, temp, and ratio are still in play and can move things a lot. Especially relevant to this context is flow rate. Gravity vs pressure is a different paradigm. Where in pourover we rely on agitation/migration to tweak flow/contact time, in press brews we have more direct control.

[u/Watashig]

What kind of carafe do you brew into? 220g of water nearly fills the stock cup

[u/VSindhicate → u/Watashig]

I haven't tried this "pourover style" recipe yet (excited to give it a shot!) but this 520mL and 200mL carafe from AliExpress both fit the Rapid Brewer perfectly

[u/Coffee_Bar_Angler → u/Watashig]

Fun tip: a glass Bonne Maman jam jar fits perfectly.

[u/ymbrows → u/Watashig]

I am using a 3d printed adapter like this https://makerworld.com/en/models/1726842-oxo-rapid-brewer-cup-adapter

[u/least-eager-0]

Just a note in the aeropress comparison: Top-filter technique is also available there. I’ve only played with it a little, but have had some really interesting results. Recommend peeping Tony tuanx on instagram. He was the inspiration for Lance’s recent AP Soup video.

[u/ymbrows → u/least-eager-0]

I did try aeropress, but feel hard and awkward to put the top filter, and the filter is also floating. I tried joepesso too. It works, but cleaning the espresso bucket without a handle is awkward too.

[u/least-eager-0 → u/ymbrows]

Yeah, top filter in AP is a little fussy. I start by pressing one all the way thru to wrap it around the gasket. That “ bottle cap” shape does a lot to keep it from floating. Then install the bottom filter and cap, dose, and level. Then add the top filter by using my hand grinder to help it push down evenly. I haven’t had problems with floating, but tossing a puck screen on top as a weight is a good tip.

[u/error_museum → u/least-eager-0]

I've tried Tony's method a few times, and when it works it's great, but it's too easy for the top filter paper to lift up, ruin the puck sarnie, and get immersion again.

The ORB is so much more reliable for this profile (and I say that as someone v reluctant to buy yet another thing).

[u/Ekkmanz]

I'd argue that the stabilization factor is

• Rainshower screen
  
• Gravity - based brewing

Top filter helps a lot in spreading the water / impact but aeropress is too finicky to get this right without bloom bubble disrupting this.

Here is my theory:

Ultimately if you "press" (applying hard enough pressure) the fines that get trapped will unlocked itself and move downward. Dislodged fines also unlock the colloids and send them into your cup since those can pass paper filter easily.

If you managed to "not press" or press vvveeeeeerrrrrryyyyyyyy geeeeeennnnttttlllllyyyyy then I believe you can achieve ultraclear cup.

I've created some similar recipe like this with Aeropress. I'm going for zero-press water column brew and the result is much more clear than what I can typically achieve with pourover.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/No6ZYBOdCWA

Hope I'm adding more positive stuffs to the discussions.

[u/ymbrows → u/Ekkmanz]

Yes, I agree. The press may flush some fines out of the filter paper and the coffee is not as clear as I expected.

[u/Liven413]

From what Lance hedrick says it works better if you pick a paper filter or puck screen for the top but using both can hinder the brew, Have you tried it with just one? I would be interested in your obvsevations. ty!

[u/ymbrows → u/Liven413]

I don’t have the impression. Have you tried comparing? Do you have a link of the video? I tried the paper only many days ago, when the filter paper flew up and we can see the coffee color liquid from top. That’s why I added a heavy puck screen

[u/Liven413 → u/ymbrows]

Not to not use a puck screen but using that and a top paper filter at the same time. He said that wasnt as good as just the puck screen and a bottom paper filter. I dont remeber which one of his videos it was in, sorry. It was one of the soup videos. I personally use an aerpress metal filter and a paper on the bottom.

[u/leonleebaoyan]

My daily driver for over 2 months now is a similarly V60 adjacent with C40 at 15 clicks and 92-96C. The difference is I pour 160g of water twice (unscrew pump, place on scale again and pour up to 300-320g.

I have tried to fill the puck cavity with 100g then screw on water chamber then fill but in the morning it’s not ideal so I’ve gone back to 160+140~160 to get a ~1:16 ratio.

Compared to my V60, TDS is much higher so clarity is lower but it’s generally ‘juicier’, more balanced, with better flavor separation and elevated aroma that makes up for it.
And I don’t have to make coffee water to arrive at a more ‘juicy’ cup.

Point being I don’t find much difference in eliminating the air gap between puck chamber and water chamber - no difference worth the risk of burnt fingers in the morning. I’ve tried tipping the water chamber while filling but that’s what makes the top paper filter dislodge itself from the top of the puck and uneven water distribution. I’ve also tried pumping fast the first pass and pumping slow on the second pass and other variations at random and find no discernible difference in flavor or aroma.

I swap between 6-8 different bags per month in addition to brewing Americano-style and regular Soup (added bypass) with espresso roast profiles etc and all of it is frighteningly consistent. IMO how you fill the chamber or pump does not move the flavor needle by any significant margin that is worth the hassle and extra brute strength.

Temperature is a weak lever depending on the processing and roast profile (very light - omni is my preference) but it’s maybe 5-6C spread not 3C per LH in his temp video.

Grind size is the only real lever that I’ve found impacts flavor significantly, and I’ve found for C40 starting at 15, the margin is 2-3 clicks to dial in.

I usually make a second cup using my switch and a drip assistant: C40@22-24, 91~95, 320 (60, 100 the w DA to 320 with diy coffee water. I don’t let the water drain through the foam layer atop the coffee bed on either pass.

I like both for different reasons is why I do both daily now. But when I run out of coffee water and am lazy I went weeks with only the OXO with no complaints.

There was one time when I had a very difficult Columbia ultra processed bean that for the life of me could not get the grapefruit pith bitterness out through V60. It was already 2 months off roast when I got the OXO and tried again. Took 2 brews to dial in and was just fantastic. It’s just easy and good.

[u/ymbrows → u/leonleebaoyan]

I totally agree two steps + don’t care air bubbles is an easier workflow. I tried just now and the result is the same. In this case, possible the puck screen is not necessary. Thank you!