The Ultimate Clever Dripper Technique

[@workshopcoffee9001]

Thanks for sharing our approach, James, and for the shoutout.

[@Evanthegirl]

You have saved my muddy grounds soul with this method

[@cameralabs]

I really hope to return to Workshop soon for a Clever next time I'm in London - it was always my treat in town.

[@ravenoftheredsky]

@@cameralabs Cameras and Coffee, what more do you need?

[@tomdelay7676]

Who came up with that idea? Very out of the box!

[@javierrayon8808]

How cool! I had actually watches James from your channel do this process first, and I'be enjoyed it a lot. Cheers from Mexico.

[@TheZealo]

My great grandmother had a "similar" technique. She boil the the water on the stove top, turn off the heat and pour the coffee into the water. After a couple minutes she would pour that mixture over the paper filter and let it drain. I liked her coffee the most, but for some reason never repeated her technique. Watching this made me want to try it again

[@gfdereus8967]

Grandma's are magic. Mine has her way to make coffee and it's always nice no idea what I'm doing differently but it's never the same

[@artofguitar]

So using what I already have, french press then filter through a v60 or Kalita for the same result--maybe better! Or Aeropress and don't bother. OR. For the office where weird, cheap, no name cone brewers seem to have accumulated over the years (who uses these things?), could brew in a cup and filter through one of those. Love it!

[@BarbeqdBrwniez]

@@gfdereus8967 it's because a grandma makes things with love!

[@gfdereus8967]

@@BarbeqdBrwniez absolutely!! I wish I could keep her forever with me.

[@error.418]

@@artofguitar The problem with including French Press in the mix is that it's still an annoying mess to clean up. The Clever leaves zero mess. So do still highly recommend picking up a Clever since they're so cheap.

[@krassertyp69]

Here's the recipe: 15grams 250ml medium-fine grind STOP! WATER FIRST, then coffee stir steep for 2 mins break crust - wait 30 seconds 1 minute draw time

[@blaisekim9619]

Thank you for your kindness.I couldn't hear James well because I couldn't speak English..:p

[@ianhobbs6326]

Was gonna comment asking for someone to do the heavy lifting of writing the recipe out like the V60 technique,.... then this happened 👏

[@philipphacker8790]

Krasser Typ!

[@310iker]

Tempererature?

[@yusufrizalsasongko435]

How about the temperature ?

[@crusader1563]

Thank you. Based upon your review and instructions I received my clever dripper today. The best cup of coffee in the last 10 years. I am 60, you are undoubtedly one of the foremost coffee experts in the world. Amazing😁

[@onlycortot]

Very cool trick! The reason is that if coffee was put in first, the fine coffee particles would get into the filter paper before swelling by water. The swelling process causes volume expansion of the coffee particles thereby clogging the filter paper. If coffee was added later, the fine powders would have time to expand before reaching to the pores of the coffee filter.

[@Xiartin]

I HAVE JUMPED ROUND MY KITCHEN IN JOY, my heart lit up like a little girl seeing a dog at the sight of this video and I can confirm, I’ve now made the best cup of clever dripper coffee so far, thank you 😃

[@markosverdhi]

I think the thing that makes the clever especially great for the ultra-budget conscious: the fact that water goes in first means that you dont need a gooseneck. You can get into specialty coffee for $30 and a cheap hario grinder (or have the roaster grind it) and a scale. This is great!

[@KH-id2hr]

I also found that adding boiling water to the brewer first usually lands your water right around 195-202F which is a great temperature that you'd otherwise need a higher-end kettle to dial in.

[@seehearplay]

The addition of water first and then coffee, dramatically changes the drawn down time. Furthermore, leaving off the lid avoids creating a vacuum and again bring drawn down time down. Coffee was excellent! Thanks James

[@trustparadox]

Recipe Summary 60-65g/L Coffee:Water ratio 15g/250mL in the video 20g/333mL, 30g/500mL for quick reference Grind size: medium-fine, finer than typical for french press. Similar to 2-cup v60 grind size. 1. Grind coffee 2. Fold and rinse paper with hot tap water (off boil kettle water not needed) 3. Fill Clever dripper with WATER FIRST for a quicker drawdown 4. Quickly add the ground coffee and stir 5. Steep without lid (lid doesn't seem to add anything to the brew) for 2 minutes 6. At 1:30 break the crust on top (stir or shake) 7. At 2:00 drip into your brew vessel Drawdown time should be around 1 minute depending on your grind and coffee Note additional steeping time does not seem to affect the brew, so it's quite forgiving if your time isn't exact. Thank you James!

[@Jeepneyko]

I ❤️ this summaries of videos! Thanks a lot!

[@keysersoze1202]

Thank you

[@tiestillo]

6 and 7 are not right. At 2:00 you break the crust. At 2:30 you drip into the brew vessel.

[@trustparadox]

@@tiestillo Don't think so. At 4:16 James says "We are gonna let it steep for 2 minutes" which implies that is when you begin to drip into your vessel. Later, at 4:35 he also says "as we get to 2 minutes, we wanna break that crust.." which also implies that you break the crust before 2 minutes have elapsed. It's fine to steep longer anyway as I noted at the end of the original comment, see 6:51 where James mentions this

[@tiestillo]

@@trustparadox dude, I don't want to start like an irrational discussion here but you should improve your listening skills: at 4:16 he says to let it steep for 2 minutes, and at 4:35 you break the crust and let it sit for 30 seconds. That's 2 minutes and 30 seconds total. Then you drain it.

[@simkool77]

"This is a fantastic way to make coffee..." Yes, I recall brewing French Press and then filtering thru paper long before I was aware of Clever. Re slow or stalled drawdowns, I had been using Filtropa filters, but today used "official" Clever filters (Japan) supplied directly by Clever with a new brewer, and the drawdown was 30 seconds faster with Clever paper. Also the preheated soaked Clever filters weigh about 15g less, so I assume thinner paper holding less water. Finally, hybrid method, pour half of water into Clever, add your dose of ground coffee, then pour in the remaining half of the water. This was suggested by Clever. I find this easier than adding the coffee to all the water and then stirring without making a mess. (not sure James or anyone will see this comment made 16 months after the video when there's already 1500+ comments, oh well)

[@Arzudeus]

Interesting. James said the hybrid method is slower than all water first, is that similar to your experience? I'm mainly using the Clever as my main brewer, also using the filter by Clever that comes in a blue box.

[@simkool77]

@@Arzudeus Well I dunno. I tried all the water first (400ml) but was uncomfortable stiring the grounds, so I only tried that method a few times, and went back to coffee first then add all the water. That was long ago and would get the occasional stall. Since I learned the half & half method, no stirring needed as the 2d pour soaks all the grounds, and drawdowns with Clever paper have been 60 sec +/- 15 sec. I have many brewers, but this is very easy, coffee is very good, and I "enjoy" timing the drawdowns. I keep a log, I must be a nerd.

[@tk45440]

ill try this 50/50 method for my first brew on my new clever, just delivered tonight.

[@error.418]

I also prefer doing half water, then coffee, then remaining water. It's just way less messy, especially when you're maxing out the capacity of the Clever when brewing for two.

[@error.418]

@@Arzudeus If you're going for "fastest drawdown possible" sure, maybe half and half is slightly slower, but not nearly as slow as coffee first then all the water. Half and half is still very fast and still makes delicious coffee. I've been using it with some quite delicate beans and roasts and it still brings out tons of delicious flavor. At the end of the day, do what makes you happy and gives you coffee you like.

[@VincentGalbo]

I love the Clever Dripper, it's such a great and easy brewer. It's nearly made my V60 obsolete as the Clever is just easier and makes the same tasting (if not slightly better) coffee. The only downside for me is the smaller capacity, I wish there was a 750ml or even 1L size. I brew 30g of coffee to 510g of water and it is filled to the absolute maximum, which makes nice sized cups of coffee for my wife and I. I also found the lid doesn't really contribute to anything beneficial and I just leave it off now, which is a relief because putting the lid on at 510g requires some washing of the lid every time. I don't really mind the long draw down, as my coffee is usually too hot to drink anyways. I add my coffee, water, stir it all up, and wait four minutes before I begin draining. Comes out wonderful every time. I've changed the steep times a bit in my experimenting and never really noticed a different either. I have also not found any negative taste side effects from grinding really fine. The finer I grind, the richer the coffee tastes but also the longer it takes to drain. Really, the balance I find is to go as fine as I possibly can before I clog or get too bored of waiting. One final thing, I found if you do want a really, really strong cup of coffee, like a 1:15 or 1:13 ratio, you're best off by stirring it quite a bit to really get your extraction up. If you don't stir enough, it can become a bit acidic most likely from there not being enough water to get all the goodies out with agitation? Also, final, final thing, love the videos!

[@error.418]

> I don't really mind the long draw down, as my coffee is usually too hot to drink anyways. The issue with the long drawdown isn't that you wait longer, it's that it can contribute to a harsher brew. This is why pour over nerds are so finicky about their drawdown times, and they're bringing that same attention to detail to the Clever. I also max out my Clever when brewing for two, and I find doing half water, then the grounds, then the rest of the water is a really nice happy medium. You don't have to stir the grounds because you evenly cover them with water during the 2nd pour, so no mess for that max fill. (Although I still give it a couple shallow stirs right after the pour, and then around the 2 minute mark to knock down the crust, can't swirl the Clever when it's maxed out.) You get a faster drawdown which improves the quality of the brew as compared to a slow drawdown. Another thing that helps the drawdown is hotter water. I started out doing pour over temperatures, but kettle right off the boil produces the best drawdown and gives much more vibrant flavors with lighter roasts. Totally agree it's surprising how fine you can grind and get excellent results. As well how much the steep time beyond 2 minutes doesn't really matter. Such a forgiving brew method! Just food for thought, do whatever makes you happy!

[@marleennijland4244]

If you want a little less acidity, try putting in a pinch of baking powder in the filter before adding the boiling water. No matter what kind of coffee I drink, I always add baking powder. To me the coffee tastes even better.

[@jaimep3432]

​@@error.418Found out the hard way. A quick draw down is key. It even makes over brewing enjoyable.

[@chrisstrutt4964]

I watched this last week. Immediately ordered a Clever and am now enjoying balanced, tasty brews with ease! Thanks James.

[@_Loken]

Me too!

[@Kenrickwong]

Sometimes I don’t even listen to what James says, I just admire his editing skills, it is very satisfying to watch and it’s great.

[@madmuddypuppy]

I bought one after watching this episode. Amazingly effortless to use. The coffee is clear and yet has better aftertaste. Thank you!

[@Kaecyus]

Yes. It's finally here, got my bingo card for 2020, "The Ultimate Aer- ...Oh. Seriously, genuinely appreciated the video. I'm trying to get one of my friends into investing a bit more into coffee and this was my recommendation to him as an easy one to use while doing things for breakfast.

[@jackw250]

@LONcreeps maybe because there’s so many variables to the way in which you can brew using an aeropress. From grind size to water temperature or stirring to swirling. Maybe James doesn’t want to spark up a huge debate in the comments which fuels an angry pitch forked mob to appear outside Square Mile.

[@Kaecyus]

@LONcreeps He also said during the Aeropress Go review that he would show his method soon. And that was a long time ago! But it's almost an in joke on his channel comments now.

[@aloofmusician856]

Isnt getting into coffee getting into grinders in reality

[@Belsen85]

Watched yesterday night, tried today morning. Yes, it works! As I have not the best grinder now (sorry Hario, but it is true), my draw down time was 2:30 with the classic method. Now it is down to 1:30. But the main thing is the taste: I believe, that with this method the surface tension of water prevents the fines to go inside the volume of the liquid, essentially not allowing them to agitate and contribute theirs bitterness to the taste. The coffee made with this method has very silky taste without even a hint of bitterness. Really enjoyed the cup!!! Thank you very much, Mr. Hoffmann for making this excellent hint known to hundred of thousand of people!

[@Jon5than]

Really appreciate the grind size demonstration with the “brewler”! Could be an idea for a whole separate video, showing the grind size for every major brewing method combined in one video? ☕️

[@bobbieglon8291]

Brilliant idea!

[@charlottemayhayes]

That would be brilliant

[@johnmalin4933]

YES

[@3xxh]

Ooops, should have read the comments, just made the same request further up...

[@mkpleco]

I agree, It's the one thing missing in recipes that I think is important. However, maybe it is just my perfectionism.

[@Jespiir]

After fiddling about with different brewing systems I found the Clever a few years back. It has served me very well brewing delicious coffee every day. So simple. So reliable. So easy to clean.

[@Foomandoonian]

Years ago I was looking for one of those filter machines. A review site I read said they used the Clever Dripper as a baseline to see how good all of the different machines were, and they were all somewhat worse, so I just bought the Clever Dripper. It's been great!

[@ernestbeckley]

Just received a Clever Dripper for Christmas and brewed my first cup this morning...after re-watching your video, of course :) Although I love my V60, I do appreciate not having to "fuff around" with the Clever Dripper. I will use this as my primary driver for a while because I have a feeling this is going to give me a level of consistency that surpasses what I've been able to achieve with a V60...something closer to the results I get with my Aeropress (which I also adore!). Thanks for the great technique video!

[@MangoTheRetriever]

Time to put flowers back to Chemex. Thank you James.

[@billpiotter8190]

I tried this method twice today. It works great, just as you showed us James. Thank you.

[@billpiotter8190]

Oh yes I have a Bonavita dripper with a manual valve, but otherwise works like the Clever.

[@r.j.t.6089]

That shot of grinds with the brewler, fantastic! Would love to see more shots like that on future videos

[@MattyRocco]

Second this - this brewler tool is going to be insanely helpful.

[@duffyrides]

Just went out and bought a Clever Dripper, followed this guide, and it came out great. Thanks James!

[@zCornaZ]

Other coffee people say Clever Dripper doesn't produce good coffee. Me: totally agree James say Clever Dripper is is easy, simple and produce great coffee. Me: totally agree

[@trentbosnic]

There's some weird stigma out there about the Clever Dripper with some coffee people, like it doesn't look cool enough and is "too easy" to use so the coffee surely isn't good. I've found it to be better than everything else when it comes to portable brewers, I'm happy James thinks highly of it too

[@styanagungw6338]

@@trentbosnic do you think clever is better than v60 or aeropress?

[@SpaceDifference]

I guess it's the same perception as the cake mixes - when companies added the "crack an egg" step, bakers felt more engaged. So I guess the stigma is due to the fact that Clever Dripper doesn't require "skill" or some form of action, it just pours hot water on coffee grounds and sits there. Even a plunger has that plunge action that makes it feel like you're doing something to influence the taste of coffee.

[@trentbosnic]

@@styanagungw6338 Yes absolutely. More consistent than a V60, and a more generous and better tasting cup than Aeropress IMO.

[@trentbosnic]

@@SpaceDifference I think you're right, it's not as engaging or as "cool" as pressing down on the chamber of an Aeropress or using a fancy gooseneck kettle to pour over a V60/Kalita Wave. I'll trade hipster factor for consistently tasty coffee any day of the week.

[@hawkeye454]

My wife gave me one of these for Christmas (I was so excited when this video was released) and it has blown my mind. I love the V60 but this really, REALLY impressed me. Delicious coffee!

[@fish2reelaxfishing662]

Just rotated from the Aero to the Clever a month ago and have been pleased with the cleaner if slightly longer brewing process. Using the same grind (29 on the Rocky) as I use on the Aero. Ran to the bar as soon as I finished your video and tried the new method, water first, and draw down reduced by 25sec. Coffee was still very good. Great review of a “Clever” method.

[@dtpfeiffer]

After messing with this a bit, I've found that the half water first method works best for me. It gives a fast draw down time without having to stir, especially when using freshly roasted coffee. The full water first method works well with coffee that is a week or more removed from roasting and doesn't try to bloom as much when it hits water.

[@PaulLittlefield]

At last! Thanks for reviewing my absolute favourite coffee making tool! I'm on my third and love it. To me, it's the perfect compromise between time and taste. It's genius and drives my second coffee of every day. Enjoy.

[@trueblueaussie7997]

your third? What happened to the 1st 2 mate? Just curious

[@PaulLittlefield]

@@trueblueaussie7997 The first one broke in a house move, and the second suffered from the mother-in-law washing it up despite being told not to 🙄

[@kege]

I've tried this a couple of times and can verify that the drawdown IS indeed a lot faster when going water first then coffee second. 2x faster at just about 1 minute drawdown. Fascinating!

[@hyelimchoi_]

every time you put out a guide i can feel my wallet protesting :') but we're stimulating the local economy so it's ok!!

[@HisGrandNarrative]

Can you imagine what is house smells like? All his clothes probably smell like coffee

[@shinybaldy]

@@HisGrandNarrative Prepare for a James Hoffmann video on half-life of volatile organic compounds in coffee and how long can they be detected by a standardized human non-covid olfactory system

[@HisGrandNarrative]

@@shinybaldy that’s pretty specific lol. Inside man?

[@RickonAndShaggydog]

Exactly! Extravagant spending has never felt so ethical now the economy is suffering.

[@xiu2828]

Just pick it up at your local cafe along with a bag of beans and support small businesses!

[@CocoChops1929]

Just got a Clever dripper and tried this technique and it worked like a charm. I used the same grind setting I use for Chemex pourovers and had a great result. Full of flavor and mouth feel but not overly bitter. Thanks!

[@r_bear]

my god, it's here! i can't wait to watch this in spite of not owning a clever.

[@lostinspace2780]

I love my Clever Dripper. Use it every day. The water first/coffee last idea is great. I am one who uses about 11 or 12 grams of coffee for 450 ML water. I don't like strong coffee. The 2:30 time from beginning to end is perfect for me. But so easy to adjust with different types of ground coffee. 😀

[@Tomerus_NL]

Try tea, way cheaper 😘

[@huffstler]

Might be beneficial to draw that "brewler" _through_ the coffee grounds so we can see at what size the grounds pass through. I couldn't really tell at a glance what size those grounds were when they were next to it. Love your videos James, keep em coming!

[@emmanolley]

Love the clever! I even competed with it in Brewer's Cup a few years ago. This is a great recipe. I also love the recipe from Coffee and Water 's channel.

[@stevewilcox6375]

Thanks so much for uploading this. I have used the clever for YEARS, it makes great coffee,look like my draw-down will improve.

[@MrStanUp]

This morning I added water before the grounds and saw a huge speed increase. Thanks for the tip

[@tamtammm]

Bought one two weeks ago and it's great. Really easy now to make coffee which tastes great plus the caffeine certainly wakes you up, unlike instant. Thanks for the tip.

[@4lottisintellect]

Been waiting for this. Bought a Clever a little while ago but have not been able to get a good result. This method sounds great, thank you.

[@styanagungw6338]

how did it go?

[@IntelliStar_]

The 'water first' technique is just amazing 👍 Thank you for sharing the recipe!

[@MrMopar413]

I found out about that device about a year ago and absolutely love it. I’m a mass consumption coffee drinker , in that I’m Norwegian and a heavy duty diesel mechanic and truck driver a excellent combination for mass coffee consumption. What I do is I keep a pot of hot water going all day long on my unwave induction cook top just below boiling. When it’s time for another cup and that’s a 20oz buba cup I kick up the temperature a little to bring the water to a boil then go through the process you do and repeat several times a day. The unwave with a pot of water just under boiling is the best way to do it , O. by the way I’m retired so I’m at home all day long that’s the reason I do what I do. As I used to have a sign in my tool box when I was working said. “ Coffee Break 9.00 to 5.00 daily🤪👍” that used to piss off the bosses 😜😜😃😃

[@tahseensaad7860]

Dear James what I learned from you is the art of making coffee and the taste at the same time mixed with passion.

[@DanAuns]

I really like a steeped brew. I use a v60 ratio and recipe, but mix the coffee and water in a mason jar first and let it steep there. After about 2 mins I simply pour through the v60 .....amazing cup, every time.

[@Crezzer6]

Well, I’ve brewed this way every day since the video came out. Not a single brew that I didn’t love. I couldn’t say that before so have to conclude the consistency this brings is spot on. 👍

[@danielsoukup5734]

The Clever was my introduction into pour over coffee. A friend saw me brewing single doses of coffee through a kitchen funnel and standard 12 cup filters. He had pity on me and gave me his old Clever brew.

[@chuckcook1434]

I use a similar process with our old Cuisinart coffeemaker. Remove the carafe, and the valve at the bottom of the brew cone shuts. Leave the coffeemaker switched off. Rather than using the water heater in the unit, I boil a kettle so that all of the water in the brew cone is hot. Add coffee, let it steep for 2 minutes, stir the crust, wait a minute, insert the insulated carafe, the brew cone valve opens and great coffee flows out. One might experiment with grind size and water temperature. I’m sure many other automatic coffeemakers will perform similarly. This approach is especially useful when we have guests staying with us and I need to do a batch brew.

[@joshvancura8720]

Might be too late for you to see this, but I have noticed a similar effect on draw down time in my V60 brews when I use a swirl pour vs a straight center pour. There is sometimes as much as a 1 minute difference in my drawdown! My theory is that a swirl pour, or in this case coffee first, leads to a lot of the fines being "washed" off of the larger grinds and clogging the filter. Agitating the grinds less seems to lead to a faster drawdown and noticeably less fines on the filter!

[@juliameneleu379]

James Hoffmann is the absolute best!

[@Randel1966]

Great method! Just tried it, and have to admit it is extremely odd pouring in water first. However it produced a fantastic cup! Thank you!

[@123marijn321]

I recently bought a Clever Dripper with my new Comandante grinder. Thanks to this video, it has become my new daily driver instead of the Aeropress. It's just way easier and more carefree to brew with this, also it can brew more coffee per time. I'll keep the Aeropress for travel though, and maybe the future Ultimate Aeropress Guide will get me back to it! Thanks James!

[@anderskallmar594]

What grind size are you using? How many clicks on the Comandante?

[@jlantz3691]

I find that filling up the dripper to about 2/3 before adding coffee works best for me. This allows more room for the bloom and stir without slopping any over the sides. After stirring, I add water to get me to 485 gms (515 with the 30 gms of coffee). Draining the dripper into a pre-heated thermos keeps it hot for hours. I make 2 batches into the thermos and add another 30 gms of water to take me to a liter. Just right for my wife and my morning coffee.

[@brands248]

Interesting point, my family and a lot of people from the country side of Brasil brew pourover coffee with a pre infusion fase directly in the cattle. They mix the coffee to the boiling water, give it a stir and then filter it through cloth or paper filters

[@cameralabs]

Thanks for that James! I've enjoyed many a clever-dripper at Workshop near Oxford Circus and always been impressed, but I never noticed the technique before. I also like the look of the Clever as it doesn't require a strong push, which is great news for people who struggle to push down on an Aeropress - I know some older or injured people who are unable to use the Aeropress due to strength or shakiness, so the hands-free-er operation of the Clever would be more appealing to them. I personally love my Aeropress and make about four brews a day with it for my partner and I.

[@volcomstone024]

From what I have heard from the creator and others, you shouldn't have to be pushing on the aeropress but instead the weight of your arms (about 16lbs) is enough to compress it down. The harder you push the more it resists. I guess medical conditions could make this difficult but I just wanted to say :)

[@cameralabs]

@@volcomstone024 thanks, yes, the harder you push down, the harder it is! I lean on my pushing hand with my other arm crossed over and lean gently. My comment was referring to people who can't do that, such as some older generations I know who can't use the Aeropress due to weakness or shakiness.

[@cameralabs]

@Nick Janssens thanks, and I agree! In fact I made my own tutorial about it, but it's very poor compared to James's videos! My comment was more about older people who are unable to use the Aeropress due to strength or shakiness.

[@AdamJRichardson]

@@cameralabs My photography and worlds collide with your appearance here :) Nice to see you Gordon!

[@cameralabs]

@@AdamJRichardson nice place to hang out!

Need to try this. Have the clever in the cupboard and use it from time to time when I only need one cup. Thank you James! This channel is truly an inspiration for coffee lovers.

[@trentbosnic]

Awesome to see you brining more attention to the Clever Dripper. After using many different brewers in the last year I settled on the Clever because it just seemed obviously better than the rest. It's similar to an Aeropress where you control all of the brewing variables, but instead of getting a petty half cup of coffee you can make up to two cups, and it's even easier to clean. It's like a French press with the larger surface area for immersion, but without all the mess. It produces a clean cup like a pour over, but is much easier to get a consistently good cup of coffee, especially when camping/travelling.

[@dragonlair9469]

I broke down and purchased a clever a few days after this video was posted. I don't have a grinder (yet) so I live in a world of pre-ground coffee. I started with a cup with 8g of coffee for 300ml of boiling water, because I forgot my notes and forgot the ratios. My second cup was at 18g to 300ml. that was intense. Happy to say it only took me 4 days but where I landed with this pound of ground coffee I finally dialed in at 12g/300ml. What a great cup of coffee! The scale is critical. That process took me a week and about 1/2 my coffee. I hope the process for the next pound of coffee is faster. Anyone out there in my boat? How many cups does it typically take to dial in when you change your coffee? I like to change it up and I really like lither roasts but I hope it doesn't take me 1/2 my coffee each time.

[@pimacanyon6208]

I use the poor man's clever dripper: I measure water, pour into a sauce pan, bring water in pan to boil, take it off the heat, add the ground coffee, stir, put a lid on the pot, let it steep for 4 to 7 minutes, then strain either thru a stainless steel strainer (if you want more body) or thru a prewashed paper filter (if you want a clear cup that paper filters give you).

[@DScythe888]

nothin' wrong with that man

[@dooleyfussle8634]

Or, you could leave it boiling, add the coffee and boil for 2 minutes, add a dab of cold water, then pour the top 80% into your cup. Cowboy coffee!

[@pimacanyon6208]

@@dooleyfussle8634 exactly! Yes, I'm essentially doing cowboy coffee using a steep instead of a boil.

[@marcsph2024]

And here I was content with my existing collection of brewers .... Seems like a nice piece of kit to take camping. Boil water in your stainless steel mug, pour in the clever, add coffee, place on top of the mug.

[@rxstar7209]

My wife commented while watching this that she didn’t know you needed a filter in the Clever and that draw down was never an issue for her...

[@GuYWInD]

you made my morning, mate! XD

[@smportis]

Does she eat it with a spoon or dip chips in it?

[@chowtime91]

Lol now I wanna try it without the filter to see what it’s like... but can’t be bothered with that clean up

[@starwf07]

Actually reminds me of a tea brewer we have here. It’s like this Clever brewer, but has a metal mesh filter at the bottom. I had actually wondered about making coffee in it, and then learned something like it exists for coffee.

[@kriskhaira]

@@starwf07 Yeah like the Hario Largo Tea Dripper. But I think with tea you don't need a filter paper as much because the tea leaves are larger than typical ground coffee. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4nHkGN_hryGhbM

[@mintymintea]

I bought the Clever dripper because of this video and no regrets! Really easy way to get great coffee on the morning. Thank you for your videos!

[@CoffeeReviews]

I'll never forget the first time I saw a shop make my coffee with a cleaver dripper. It was out in Kansas City and I thought it was a cool idea. Coffee was pretty decent too. Thanks for the video James 👍

[@McFearless80]

Second Best?

[@CoffeeReviews]

@@McFearless80 that's the one!

[@philippk574]

Thanks James for bettering my mornings :) I came to the channel three months ago, trying to figure out, If i wanted to buy a used Delonghi Espresso Maschine. Now im visiting my local roaster biweekly learning cool new stuff with my Gaggia Classic - Baratza Sette Setup and this video forced my hand to add a Clever to the mix. Having these little passions definitely improved on many situations in my home study/ home office life. All the best from Austria.

[@michelledemin]

This is a simple technique but I have bad memory so I'm writing down for anyone like me lol *15g coffee, 250ml hot water* 1. Slightly fold two parts of the filter and place it on the dripper 2. Water first, coffee second. Give it a little stir 3. Steep for 2 minutes. Optional: give it a gentle shake 30 seconds before drawing the coffee out 4. Draw down! Done.

[@michealpersicko9531]

The clever dripper is the best investment i've made! i've always wanted to get into pour over but due to severe carpal tunnel and other nerve related issues i have really crap motor function and the idea of using a gooseneck and getting the swirling and timing thing down seemed really daunting for my hands to do. This has made it easy to get a good cup of coffee every time with very little effort. This is the perfect thing for some who wants to get into pour overs but has some sort of physical disability preventing them from doing so. Oh and i would say the max practical amount of water is 414ml of water i know this because it's exactly how much coffee before milk fits into my 20oz yeti tumbler.

[@vpgreg]

Bought a Clever Dripper after you mentioned it in a previous video and have been very impressed. I also tried it with a cloth filter, though I preferred the paper. It's great for someone not so interested in investing in a gooseneck kettle and the technique required for most pour-overs. Thanks for the technique tips!

[@patr161]

Sipping my cup after I made it with my clever dripper, I watched this video thinking I wouldn't learn much but would enjoy watching James. Turns out I learned a few things! Going to practice what I learned for a second cup now.

[@elvagar]

I have been coffee drinker my entire adult life, but this has gotten me into the coffee as a hobby world. It all seemed too complicated and expensive. But this inexpensive and consistent way of making a great coffee has been my gateway drug to the hobby

[@wheelsofmisfortune3162]

Bought one of these after watching this video. Cost me $10 and the lovely girl threw in a basically brand new hario hand grinder. Perfect setup for camping or just to switch up that afternoon coffee.

[@terrence8909]

I literally bought one because I knew James was going to release this video at some point 😂

[@kosmickoala]

It's been my little upgrade from the aeropress.

[@styanagungw6338]

how did it go?

[@1912gertrude]

I’ve been using the Clever every morning for 6 years. Once I realized that Melitta natural brown papers prevent coffee clumping at the bottom due to their rougher texture, I threw out all my cheaper white papers. I will try your ‘water first, coffee after’ hint. Thanks James.

[@CoffeeandWater]

Clever Coffee Dripper, never heard of her. Great video. I’ll have to give this method a try.

[@styanagungw6338]

how did it go?

[@mialeahy]

The stars align. I just received a notification from Alexa, literally 2 min. into watching this 5 hour old video, that the Clever I ordered last week was on my doorstep. Coffee gods are powerful on this day.

[@iau]

Didn't know this existed. This looks like my ideal method of brewing coffee: As little cleanup as possible.

[@AndyGait]

Clean up is very easy. The rubber stopper pushes out to give a really good clean when needed.

[@ChristineSK]

It's awesome. I use it at work daily.

[@Bob-nc5hz]

An aeropress is still the easiest way though: the cleanup with a Clever requires getting the grounds out as a little bag, separating the stopper bits from the rest to rinse everything then popping it back in again. With the press, you just unscrew, push the puck out, rinse all three pieces and stow them away. A clever will be way better for making larger amounts of coffee though, unless you feel like making concentrate and diluting it an aeropress won't go beyond a mug.

[@ChristineSK]

@@Bob-nc5hz You don't really need to dismantle the Clever Dripper everyday though. For me, I just tip the whole filter paper+coffee grounds to the bin, rinse it thoroughly with hot water and that's it. Mine is clear so I can see the inside is clean after rinsing.

[@danofthesouth]

It's a fantastic brewer

[@MarcelaProvaznikova]

I use clever dripper exclusively at home and this technique is just ingenious. ❤❤❤It took me some time to commit to it, but I am not coming back. Thank you James for another useful tip.

I've found the lid is really useful for storing. If you put the lid with the handle upside, then put the brewer on top of it then the handle will push up the bottom of the brewer. This way the silicon ring is not pushed down, so hopefully will last longer and also it allows the bottom chamber to air out. On other topic I would be totally curious if the patterns on the lid have any meanings. They seems to be really specific and asymmetric and it doesn't look particularly good or don't resemble anything. So I would suspect they would have some role, but so far could not found anything.

[@spuppy852]

That plastic bump on the center of the lid is actually there for you to store the Clever on top of it, and it pushes the bottom open to dry.. In other words, it's there so you don't have to store it upside down ;)

[@kg-Whatthehelliseventhat]

Great tips

[@wyocoyotewyocoyote9007]

I am convinced the lid has benefit brewing, heat retention, keeping some nice things from evaporating. Of course far more of this happens in your open cup. Had an aha moment and am experimenting with rapidly cooling my coffee to desired temp with a lid on it. I think I'm onto something. I like hot coffee so I'm talking down to 160 F/ 71 C ish. Jar with lid in freezer.......same in ice water bath or your mug with the same clever top in the freezer. Problem is w/o a heating mug you'll have to savor it pretty quick. I'm not really an iced coffee dude, even when hot out.......but that might be the better test.If you use a mason jar (screw top shatter proof ) like for canning you'll get a bit of a vacuum, might not be able to get the lid off?

[@jmwhittaker]

Huge fan of the Clever Dripper. It’s great for using when I was at the office and still get a fine brew. This technique was new but it works so well I’ll use it from now on. Thanks James.

[@ShiftLockRU]

I never liked my percolation brews. I tried really hard and found nothing in taste but hollowness, lack of texture and bitternes. It sounds like underextracted coffee to me. But more finely ground brews take SO much longer drawdowns it freaks me out. Thanks for that opportunity of getting back to that way of brewing. P.S. It's alive! 35 sec drawdown instead 2:30!! Mouthfeel and sweetness is good, but i think i can go a little bit finer or just up a dose, thanks again!. (I mimicrate this way of brewing with a simple drip coffee maker without a carafe for ones who interests.)

[@miguelbarrio]

This is a great tip, thank you. I heat up a kettle to 97F with double the water. Once hot I pour about 250g into a Bonavita ceramic brewer (has a stopper that operates with a small lever) with a Filtropa #4 filter. I let it sit for say 1min which warms everything up and rinses the filter. I let the water out, then pour 280g of hot water and finally the grounds as you recommend. Grinder is a ceramic burr manual grinder. Works great. Drainage takes about 1m15s, faster than if I had put the grounds first, which was about 2m15s

[@BradAhrens]

WATER FIRST?! My life is a lie.

[@duch8923]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/earIXmSIhZqdqdE

[@tijmen131]

@@duch8923 hahaha that reminds me of a video made by Fairbairn films kzbin.info/www/bejne/moLaZapvjMyLmbM&ab_channel=RickAstleyVEVO

[@AdamJRichardson]

What's next, putting tea in before the milk??

[@duch8923]

@@tijmen131 I hate you

[@trentbosnic]

There were already a bunch of other Clever Dripper tutorials that suggest this, where have you been?? It never made sense to pour the water over a clump of coffee when you can get a nice even bed of coffee by pouring it on after

[@nastyakovalenko7346]

My ratio was 6 grams per liter, temperature was 94celsius. It took me 5 minutes to brew. I did it in a classical way: coffee first and left it for 2 minutes to blossom with the plastic top above. Thanx for your method, it's interesting to try. Now it's my favorite alternative way of brewing!❤️

[@NeoAkira101]

Yeah this made an excellent cup of coffee. Thank you!

[@richardduydang8248]

Love my Clever Dripper! Much, much easier than the V60, and pretty much the same great result, thanks to James' instruction. Much appreciated!

[@sarahhanson7321]

Thank you so much for this, James. The Clever Dripper has been my favorite brewer for a while, but I've recently found myself wanting to see if I could improve the taste of my coffee a bit. I can't wait to try this tomorrow morning. :D

[@Evanthegirl]

Just tried this out! We’ve had a clever coffee for years, but the draw down time made us stop using it when we moved to a higher altitude and had to start grinding finer. I had been playing with it again recently because I wanted something that would let me steep the bloom for 30 seconds without losing the liquid. This, however, is an awesome method! It let me grind fine enough to get good flavor with water that boils at 203°F, but it didn’t take 6 minutes to all drain! I’ll be using this for my morning cup from now on. It’s also easy enough to do when I’ve only been awake for 3 minutes.

[@RocketMagnetUK]

I would think the reason for the faster filtration when adding the coffee to the water is the larger particles sink faster forming a higher porosity bed.. exactly how a filter aid works and prevent the filter paper "blinding".

[@studio-wild]

This will undoubtedly help my Clever brews. Also got one for my mom a while back since it's a no-fuss way to get great coffee in the morning. Good stuff!

[@Ateka9]

Hello James! I would like to hear your opinion about how dark roasts can make a difference in your various brewing methods. I say that because here in Canada (and probably most of North America as well) we use really dark roasts for almost all kinds of coffee brewing, from drip to espresso. And everytime I watch one of your video, I can't help but notice how light your roast is, compared to ours. Thank you!

[@danish6878]

Dark roast is shit

[@Joseph-C]

@@danish6878 Spoken like a true Dane

[@Joseph-C]

Dark Roasts extract much more readily than light roasts. If you're using James' recipes with dark roasts, you MUST grind courser than he does or you will be hit over the head with a wall of black bitterness, due to the over extraction. When you run dark and light roasts thru a grinder on the same setting, the dark roasts will have far more fines in them due to dark beans being more dry and brittle. So, coursen up the grind a bit, and use lower temperature water to avoid the charred taste if some still comes through in end cup. Enjoy.

[@petersvanberg4261]

Bought this when I lived in the US 7 years ago, love it. And I actually fill it with 500 ml water/30 gr coffee every morning for me and my gf. It gets very full! Put it on a preheated coffeepot after a few minutes.

[@POVShotgun]

I just realized that this is the golden 17 to 1 Scott rao ratio. This technique has honestly killed regular pour over for me. It’s perfectly consistent.

[@nicolamorel4428]

...and then the Clever Drippers went sold out everywhere on the Internet. Great work James, as always.

[@jasonrusch]

I've been using the clever to brew for over 2 years. This brew method is amazing, thank you. Only negative of the clever is a little leakage past the valve after years of use, super minor. I think it just needs more rigorous cleaning to avoid this.

[@cameronfeezee4989]

ever used the moka pots? I am new to this type of brewing both moka and clever so I am not sure which is best

[@jasonrusch]

@@cameronfeezee4989 no best between them. I love my Moka Pot too, but it makes different coffee. IMO

[@cameronfeezee4989]

@@jasonrusch thank you! I want 8oz appr coffee, so if I understand it right, I'd have to get a large moka to produce a literal 8oz?

[@jasonrusch]

@@cameronfeezee4989 yes, the sizes are not based on a "normal" cup. A "6 cup" moka pot makes just 10 oz of coffee.

[@cameronfeezee4989]

@@jasonrusch perfect explanation! No idea why others explain it to where you're left still not understanding,😊

[@dmytrobriukhatskyi6195]

Thanks for sharing this hack! Using it for the last week and it works like a charm. I must say the lid comes in handy when it's 15°C in your room. I have also heard a story from a national champion about people who mastered their recipe for Brewer's Cup with a Clever Dripper but failed to produce the same taste due to ~10°C difference between the place where they were training and the competition, and they were not using a lid.

[@Jacob-qk4kz]

This is the guide I was the most in anticipation for! My home brewing setup (when I decided to try something beyond a french Press and using a cheap blade grinder) started with a Clever and a Hario Skerton. Some of my best tasting coffees I ever made was using that combination. Yes, it pooled at times, but it was never that noticable - with most draw downs being about a minute or less. I got a Commandante last year, and since then I started getting pooling on every single brew; with draw downs going up to 2 or 3 minutes. I was never able to dial in my clever in combination with the Commandante. If you grind finer it pools, and if you grind coarser to offset the pooling it tastes hollow. I tried your method now and almost had a little dance of joy when the draw down was a mere 40 seconds. How does the grind size you use translate over into Commandante clicks? (For your V60 and French press as well?)

[@james2614mc]

Just for reference I use 30 clicks on mine and its perfect for me

[@hakki368]

Clever Dripper is awesome. The issue of the drawdown time between the 2 methods, to me is a miniscule concern. It just shows the impatience of people. I haven't experienced the clogging issue in my over 3 years now using the Clever Dripper, using both methods.

[@keithmatz2487]

Thanks for the video, James! The Clever dripper is my daily coffee maker, so I was really interested in this. Tried the 'water first' technique this morning. Works well, definitely drained faster, and a good cup of coffee. Not sure I can taste the difference, but it was good! Now I need to work on my grind size and dosing ratio...

[@petercansfield4432]

I agree with you Keith I really need to work on the grind size and ration to get the sweetness I'm expecting

[@marylowder2931]

The lid is great when all done, and the dripper is cleaned. Next put the dripper on top of the ridges of the lid and it opens the stopper so it dries properly, preventing mold or stickiness.

[@t0m714]

'I sometimes feel it doesn't get the recognition it deserves' well, that's about to change! Buy 'em now folks...

[@wesnewman]

I use a Clever Dripper every morning. So much easier than a regular pour-over and I think you get better results. Thanks for the guide! Nice work as always.

[@CareyBarnett]

#Simulating the Clever Dripper My wife doesn’t want me to buy *another* coffee maker, so I simulated a Clever Dripper. She had bought some organic, fair trade, inexpensive coffee from the local grocery chain, and it was terrible in the V60. I couldn’t get it right. After some experimentation I was able to get a coffee-like (yes, it was that weak) brew from an Aeropress. I use an inverted method, and that’s just immersion, so a French Press should work, I reasoned. It was better, and, after adjusting the grind a couple of times, I got an ok brew out of the French Press. In the meantime I’d been watching Clever brewer videos, and that’s immersion, plus a filter, so... I brewed in a French Press without the plunger (it could be any vessel, really), then I poured it through a V60, and the results were almost as good as a V60 with decent coffee. Now I think I feel justified in buying a Clever Dripper. What do you think?

[@Yirgamalabar]

Interesting method. In what way were the results inferior to just using the V60?

[@CareyBarnett]

@@Yirgamalabar the V60 is a little brighter; a little cleaner. It’s easier not doing the pour, but there’s more to clean ;-)