In the trend of pursuing speed and convenience, slow and detail-oriented hand-poured coffee is still popular among the public, and has spawned different factions. Hand-poured coffee can present the original style of coffee, and the flavor of a cup of coffee can be affected by controlling the water temperature, time, and disturbance. However, whether to cut off the water supply often causes widespread discussion in the field of hand-poured coffee, and this time we will explore the difference between cutting off the water supply and not cutting off the water supply.

"Water cut-off" means cutting off the water injection during the hand-washing process.

The so-called "water cut-off" means stopping the water injection during the hand brewing process. When the water level drops to a certain level, continue to inject water, and repeat this action several times. Those who support water cut-off believe that stopping the water injection during the hand brewing process can prolong the extraction time of the coffee powder, allowing the aromatic substances in the coffee powder to be fully extracted, and the coffee will taste more fragrant and have a more layered taste.

A very critical step in hand brewing coffee is "steaming". In fact, the steaming we often hear about is the first water cut-off.

When steaming, pour in twice the weight of hot water of the coffee powder and wait for about 30 seconds.

Generally speaking, when steaming, pour in twice the weight of hot water as the coffee powder and wait for about 30 seconds. Of course, this is just a general rule, and you still need to make adjustments based on different parameters.

Steaming can release the gas in the coffee powder, and through osmosis, the coffee powder will release aromatic substances from the cell wall and dissolve in water after the exchange of gas and water. At this time, the fresh coffee powder will expand, and darker roasted coffee is more likely to expand than lighter roasted coffee.

When we add water again after steaming, the aromatic substances will diffuse from high concentration to low concentration through diffusion.

During the brewing process, you can cut off the water supply two or three times (including steaming) to adjust the strength of the coffee and extend the extraction time.

Then you can stop pouring water again, that is, the second water cut-off, wait for the water level to drop, and then continue the next stage of water filling. During the brewing process, you can stop pouring water two or three times (including steaming) to adjust the strength of the coffee and extend the extraction time, but you must pay attention to the control of the number and time to prevent over-extraction.

Another common time to cut off the water supply is during the water filling process. If you find that the water column is too large, you can directly stop filling the water to prevent the surrounding coffee powder wall from being damaged and causing blockage of the coffee powder at the bottom.

In the process of hand pouring, in addition to steaming and cutting off the water, the method of continuous water injection is the continuous water method.

As the name suggests, the "continuous water method" means that in the process, except for the steaming, the water is continuously added. Draw a circle from the inside to the outside in the size of a 50-cent coin. In order to keep the water level at a certain height, it should be dense and slow in the center and fast around the outer circle to maintain a consistent rate and even extraction.

In short, when using the continuous water method, flow rate control is the key. The continuous water hand-poured method has a more elegant and refreshing coffee flavor than the water-free method.

Water cut or no water cut, there is no better way

In fact, there is no standard answer. Cutting off the water is just a technique to extend the extraction time. In other words, cutting off the water can make your brewed coffee stronger, deeper, and more layered. So, if you prefer strong-flavored coffee, you can choose to use the technique of cutting off the water. If you like light-flavored coffee, then the method of not cutting off the water will be more suitable for you.

Just as everyone has different preferences for vegetables and radishes, hand brewing also has water cut-off and water cut-off. There is no right or wrong. Choose the brewing method according to your own taste and develop your own unique brewing style. This is the true meaning of hand brewing.