What grind size should I use for Kalita Wave Coffee?
Start with a medium grind for the Kalita Wave, similar to table salt or sand, and move toward medium-coarse if the coffee tastes bitter or drains slowly. Many guides aim for about 3 to 3 and a half minutes. Guides differ between medium and medium-coarse, so adjust to your coffee, your grinder and your taste.
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In this article
What grind size is best for the Kalita Wave?
Medium is the usual starting point. Some guides recommend medium-coarse, around coarse sea salt, because the flat bed of the Kalita can over-extract (turn bitter) when the grind is too fine. Grinders are not standardized, so use the setting names as a starting point, not a rule.
A simple recipe to start with
A common starting recipe for a 155-size dripper (Craft Coffee’s guide uses 21 g of coffee and 300 mL of water) looks like this:
- Coffee: 21 g, ground medium just before brewing.
- Water: 300 g, just off the boil.
- Bloom: pour about 40 g, wait 45 seconds.
- Pulses: pour steadily in small circles in several additions until you reach 300 g.
- Total time: about 3 to 3.5 minutes. Use a rinsed paper filter.
Guides suggest different ratios and bloom sizes, so scale the recipe to taste.
How to adjust the grind
| What you taste or see | What to change |
|---|---|
| Bitter, dry, harsh | Grind coarser |
| Sour, thin, weak | Grind finer |
| Water drains very slowly, well past 4 minutes | Grind coarser |
| Water drains very fast, under 2.5 minutes | Grind finer |
Change one thing at a time, by one click or step on your grinder.
Why the Kalita Wave behaves this way
The Kalita Wave has a flat bottom with a few small holes and a wavy paper filter that touches the dripper only in a few places. This makes the brew drain evenly and forgiving, but it means a grind that is too fine can clog and over-extract.
Common mistakes
- Using pre-ground coffee that is too fine. Ask for a pour-over or medium-coarse grind.
- Pouring too fast. Pour gently so the bed stays flat.
- Skipping the filter rinse, which many guides say removes a papery taste.
- Using water that is too cool.
Which setting equals medium on your grinder varies, so use the drain time and taste as your guide.
People also ask
What grind size for Kalita Wave?
Start at medium and go to medium-coarse if the coffee is bitter or drains slowly.
Is Kalita Wave grind finer than V60?
We found no official comparison. Guides vary: some say medium-coarse, others medium-fine. Test against your own taste.
How long should a Kalita Wave brew take?
Roughly 3 to 3.5 minutes in total is a common target in brew guides. Adjust the grind if yours is far outside that.
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