When it rains, it pours...

work = making a mess

And even when its not raining and its a particularly beautiful day outside...it still pours...it "pour-overs" more like it...I guess.

I have been using my "pour-overs" that I recently wood fired and I'm really enjoying the ease of use as well as the very clean, smooth tasting cup of joe that it produces. I am a little late coming to this party as I have never used one of these things before. I have seen them and was aware, but just never had first hand experience with them until the coffee shop, Beaver Falls Coffee and Tea, where I have the Self Serve Pottery Kiosk set up, asked about me making these items. Well, I am happy they did inquire. Bethany, the co-owner, took the time last week to school me in the proper techniques in using the object and also in what makes a good pour-over. We weeded out a couple that did not function so well and settled on a basic design that works very nicely. We measured my wood fired pour-overs up against the plastic type and found that my wood fired ones that are of equal size, maybe a bit bigger, work almost identical to the plastic one. I mean by this, that they produced a fine cup of coffee and even the brewing time was very close to the plastic one. The smaller ones brew a little faster but the taste is still very good.

So yesterday while I was waiting on a few things to dry, I thought I would make a quick step by step visual...I start with a #2 Mileeta paper filter, roughly 2 scoops of fine ground beans and 8 ounces of hot, hot water. I soak the coffee grounds with a little of the water first to let them open up and become a bit aromatic, then slowly pour the water all in the pour-over...the smaller one I am using in the images took roughly around 3 minutes...give or take...and it was goooood.

I think I will be having one more of these late this afternoon before I drive into the Burgh to go to the opening for the "Potters of Indiana County" show at the Clay Place at Standard. I have a few smaller pieces in the show including a pretty  nice pour-over tankard set. Maybe I'll see you there? Then its on to Little Mahoning Creek Pottery on Monday to drop off a bunch of work for our upcoming wood firing. I will post pics from the show next week...until then, stay caffeinated.