How to brew coffee with a Kalita Wave

The Kalita Wave is a dripper from Japan with a flat bottom, three small holes and a fluted paper filter. The flat bed and the small holes slow the water down and spread it evenly, so it is much harder to get an uneven cup than with a cone.

This recipe uses short pulse pours to keep the water level steady. It makes one large mug and suits any light or medium filter roast. The 185 size fits this dose best; use the smaller 155 for doses up to about 16 g.

Kalita Wave recipes

Everyday

Our one mug starting point with short, steady pulse pours.

20 g · 1:16 · 3:00 to 3:30

Drop Coffee's Wave

One cup on the small Wave, five pours on a steady clock.

16 g · 1:16.3 · 2:45 to 3:00

Madcap's Wave

Hot water and small, even pours every time the level drops.

21 g · 1:16.9 · 3:15 to 3:45

Recipe

Coffee

Water

Makes about

Change any amount and the whole recipe scales with it.

Ratio: 1:16
Water temperature: 94°C
Grind: Medium, like coarse sea salt
Time: 3:00 to 3:30

What you need

Kalita Wave dripper and a Wave paper filter to fit it
Kettle, ideally a gooseneck kettle for a steady pour
Digital scale with a timer
Burr grinder
Mug or server

Method

1
Heat water to about 94°C. Put the Wave filter in the dripper and rinse it with hot water, pouring into the middle so the folds keep their shape. Tip the rinse water away.
2
Grind 20 g of coffee medium and add it to the filter. Shake the dripper gently to level the bed, then zero the scale.
3
Start the timer and pour 50 g of water to wet all the grounds. Let it bloom for about 40 seconds.
4
At 0:45, pour in small circles in the centre to 120 g. Let the level drop a little.
5
At about 1:15, pour to 190 g, and at about 1:45, pour to 260 g, keeping the water level steady.
6
At about 2:15, pour the rest to 320 g. Let it drain. It should finish between 3:00 and 3:30.