How to Brew Iced Coffee with the Clever Dripper

Updated in 5/2021 with more optimized recipe!

WATCH KIERSTEN MAKE THE RECIPE HERE!

The Clever Dripper is one of the easiest pour over methods to learn and use everyday. Combining the best features of French press and pour over brewing, the Clever Coffee Dripper produces a sediment-free cup, allows the user to control steeping time, and prevents heat loss.

Ratio for Iced Coffee in the Clever Dripper:

Servings:

Supplies you'll need for a Iced Clever Dripper Coffee:

• 28g coffee, fine-medium to medium grind
• Clever dripper
• Melitta #4 coffee filter
• 150 grams of ice
• Gooseneck pouring kettle - but any kettle can work fine with the Clever! 
• Filtered water at optimal brewing temp of 195 - 205° F
• Decanter large enough to brew into
• Scale
• Timer

Instructions to make Iced Clever Dripper Coffee:

1. Weigh out 28 grams of coffee.
2. Fold the Melitta #4 filter along its bottom and side seams and place the filter in the Clever. 
3. Rinse the filter with hot water. This allows us to eliminate paper taste when brewing our coffee. 
4. Discard hot water from the Clever Dripper by opening up the valve on the bottom. Discard the preheat water from your vessel (this is always an easy one to miss!)
5. Put at least 16 ounces (or around 300 mL) of filtered water, heated to the optimal brewing temperature of 195 - 205° F, in your pouring kettle. You can get water to this temperature by bringing it to a boil, and then letting it sit for 30 seconds to a minute.
6. Grind your coffee using a fine-medium to medium grind setting. It's best to grind recently roasted whole bean coffee, and to do this right before you brew, as you'll be using the freshest coffee possible.
   * Note that you do not have to place the Clever Dripper on top of a decanter before or during brewing. Coffee will not release from the Clever until you place it on top of a decanter, and you do that after brewing
7. Pour the coffee grounds into the Clever Dripper's filter, and tap the Clever, or gently shake back and forth to flatten out the grounds. This helps to remove air pockets and create a flat surface to work with.
8. Place the Clever on the scale, and tare it out (zero out the scale). 
9. Start your timer and begin pouring water over the coffee grounds. Wet all coffee grounds evenly with 50g of water, and then stop pouring.
10. Watch the coffee bloom (degas - look for bubbles) and stir gently with a spoon or swirl the slurry. This will ensure that all coffee is in contact with water during the bloom phase. This is also a great chance to take a sniff - it will smell wonderful!
11. After 45 seconds, start pouring your brewing water, slowly and continuously, in small circles until you reach 300 grams on your scale (so you're adding another 250g of water at this stage).
12. Set aside the Clever Dripper, and use your scale to measure out 150g of ice. (Don't forget to put an empty cup on the scale and tare it out before measuring out your ice).
13. Pouring should be complete around 2:00 to 2:15 minutes.
14. At 2:30, place the Clever on top of the cup containing the ice. The coffee should release down into the cup or serving vessel.
15. Total extraction time should be between 3:00 and 3:30 minutes. If it took longer than 3:30, your grind was likely too fine. If extraction took much less time than this, your grind was too coarse. Adjust your settings and try again. (Don't be afraid to keep trying new settings and taste, taste, taste).
16. After the drawdown is complete, remove the Clever Dripper from the top of the cup, and fill cup or serving pitcher with additional ice. This recipe will produce approximately 16 ounces of iced coffee.
17. Drink and enjoy!
18. Discard or compost your used coffee grounds.

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