Batch Brew vs. Pour Over Review
Batch Brew vs. Pour Over - What are the Differences?
Finding the right brewing method for a coffee bar or your home coffee set-up can be tricky. To help you decide what is right for your coffee brewing needs, we have broken down the major differences between pour-over and batch brewing, plus the pros and cons.
We talked to our coffee bar manager, to get a better understanding of these differences and how you can pick between the 2 methods. Keep reading to learn more.
Batch brew
In contrast with pour-over, batch brew is a well-known way to automatically brew large quantities of coffee. It’s also a percolation brewing method and has been well-known across the country for years as a diner-style drip coffee.
Though, these days, batch brewers can produce high-quality coffee more than you might think. First and foremost, once set up correctly, this method eliminates human mistakes from the equation. Once the machine is dialled in, he says the quality can be replicated batch after batch.
“It can still be dialled in, so the coffee can have an exceptional flavour and can be a proper representation of it, he notes.”
Ultimately, the batch brew is convenient, quick, and needs minimal training to perfect. Once brewed the coffee can then simply be stored and then served to form a carafe. This normally works well for high-volume cafes wanting to avoid brewing delicious coffee cup by cup.
Pour-over coffee
Pour-over coffee has been around for quite some time but has recently enjoyed improved popularity thanks to the 3rd wave of coffee. This brewing method involves pouring warm water over coffee grounds in a filter held by a pour-over dripper.
The hot water then moves through the grounds and into a serve or cup or cup below. Unlike the French Press which uses immersion to extract taste from coffee, Pour over is what we call a percolation brewing technique.
Pour over method is sometimes also called manual or hand-brewing because of the way it is prepared. It can be more intricate than other techniques but gives a balance, flavour-rich cup of coffee.
Popular manual brewers include the Chemex and Hario V60. The V60 is a cone-shaped brewer with angled walls and beveling that help to achieve even extraction. The Chemex, meanwhile, is a super classic one-piece brewer and carafe that permits you to make bigger batches.
Control vs. Automation
The batch brew is automated, so it is naturally a further convenient technique. At a basic level, it is essentially a mechanized version of the pour-over. The brewer handles all of the extraction variables you would normally have to manage with pour-over, leaving less space for human error.
Conversely, he explains that the advantage of pour-over is that it provides you absolute control over each variable when brewing a cup of coffee.
You determine the brew time, ratio, and pouring method for every cup, he says. Pour over lets you make efficient, quick adjustments on the fly.
Meanwhile, for batch brewers, you can usually simply make adjustments to the ratio and grind. Though, he adds that more complex adjustments might need more in-depth knowledge of the brew machine’s inner workings.
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Brew Preparation
He explains that the preparation for a batch brew and pour over should be fairly the same, as a batch brew is efficiently just, a “scaled up” pour over. Though, it is vital to note that grind size is vital to achieving a well-balanced cup.
Too coarse a grind will lead to an acidic, sour, and under-extracted cup. On the other side, a grind that is too fine will provide the coffee with a dirty or bitter flavour. As a general rule of thumb, you’d use a coarser grind size for batch brew than pour over, as it steeps for a long time and takes longer to brew.
Medium grind size is the most common choice for batch brew, with the same texture to smooth sand. For conical pour-over brewers – like the Hario V60 – use a medium-fine grind same as table salt. For the Chemex, you will want to go slightly coarser.
Flavour differences
When it comes to comparing the tastes each brewing method can achieve, he says there’re a lot of variables to consider. All things being equal, you’d be able to get pretty close, he says. A coffee bar that can invest in modern, high-end batches brewers should be pretty on par with what a pro and focused barista can do with pour-over.
Though, depending on the quality of your batch brewer, you’d get a very different final product with each of the 2 methods. An entry-level batch brewer can still make a flavorful cup of coffee but might produce a bolder and more full-bodied one that’s less refined.
Pour over, meanwhile, yields a taste and provides a little more clarity and balance since the extraction variables can be tailored by hand. This technique is wonderful for single-origin coffee where you want to highlight a specific characteristic, for example.
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Freshness
Coffee that is left to stand in a batch brewer or urn is not as fresh as brewing cup by cup. While you will be able to serve more customers from a batch brewer, the coffee would not be as vibrant if it sits for a couple of hours.
Ultimately, Pour over is the right way to get the freshest cup. If the coffee is freshly ground and brewed shortly afterwards, you will get a fresh and tasty cup with each brew.
Batch Brew vs. Pour Over – Which is better?
Pour over coffee might be preferable if you are more experienced and have the time to dedicate to learning the art of the method. If you are willing to invest time in learning, you can brew high-quality coffee at home at a minimal cost.
It is also the right option if you are just making a cup or 2. Batch brew meanwhile is much more convenient and helpful if you are serving lots of filter coffee. It is still a wonderful choice for brewing coffee but lacks a similar level of control and sustained freshness.
Overall, he recommends that coffee bars invest in both ways. A barista should, in my opinion, be emotionally invested in crafting pour-over coffee, he says. At the same moment, each barista I know feels super comfortable when supported by consistent reliable batch brewers.
Why Eversys Though?
Consistent Coffee Quality
In-Cup quality
Technology
Eversys equipment is built in modules, ensuring rapid access for technical intervention with minimal downtime and reduced maintenance costs.
Eversys machines are equipped with two grinders allowing for two parallel recipes to be set up at a time, and you can even choose to dose some powder from each grinder and produce it through a singular extraction. The ventilation, which is set below the bean hoppers, drives out unwanted heat and moisture. Electronic control maintains consistency of product throughout the day.
The brewing chamber holds up to a significant 24 g of coffee, allowing for a wide range of brewing recipes. The Reverse extraction brewing system optimises powder efficiency as the espresso is produced.
The steam / water unit provides temperature consistency and unsurpassed productivity.
Milk is frothed with steam – like a traditional barista – through a set of reactors, ensuring optimal texture and taste.
The hydraulic module is dedicated to the sole production of coffee, 1.6 litres of water guarantee unfettered productivity.
E'levelling System
1.5-Step Programme
The Eversys e'API
More Features...
1. Grinding
Eversys designed ceramic blades driven by a powerful yet quiet motor, whose heat is cleverly channelled away from the coffee beans, to maintain their quality, via a set of fans. Electronic control maintains consistency of product throughout the day, ensuring optimal extraction at all times.
2. e'Levelling & Tamping
Automatic Levelling is the ability to initiate a movement to the brewing chamber, create a vibration which enable the powder in the chamber to spread more evenly, which leads to a better, more consistent extraction. The 24 -gram brewing chamber to facilitate single cycle large beverages is controlled by electronic tamping to guarantee consistent quality.
3. Temperature control
Dedicated coffee boilers, separate from the water/ steam boiler, provide productivity and temperature stability, essential parts of in-cup quality.
4. Brewing
Reverse gravity extraction vertical infusion optimises powder efficiency as the espresso is produced.
5. Milk Frothing
Milk is frothed with steam in the one-step system, promoting flavour as well as texture, mirroring the barista experience.
6. Creating
All products are pre-programmed to be dispensed in a consistent and efficient manner, placing seamless productivity and quality at the forefront of the customer experience.
Coffee Machines to Match any style.
Eversys espresso machines are trusted by the world’s finest coffee roasters, cafès, and restaurants for their reliability, durability, and timeless aesthetics.
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