Workshop Coffee's Clever Dripper Recipe

Workshop Coffee’s Clever Dripper recipe uses 19g of coffee to 300g of boiling water, with a steep time of around two minutes.

Unlike most guides, Workshop Coffee’s method starts by adding the water first, then the coffee. This subtle change keeps the grounds evenly saturated and prevents clogging for a much faster drawdown phase.

The resulting cup of coffee is sweeter and more balanced than the average Clever Dripper method.

James Hoffmann's Clever Dripper recipe was adapted from this one. You can find the recipe and timer for that recipe here.

The Clever Dripper combines the full immersion of a French press with the clarity of a pour-over, making the Clever Dripper a perfect brew method for beginners.

Notes

• If you prefer a finer grind, make sure to reduce the steeping time.
• The drawdown should end around 1 minute or more, but may end in 45 seconds if you use a higher-end grinder which can produce more consistent grounds.
• If the coffee tastes hollow/weak grind slightly finer. If too bitter/overwhelming, grind coarser.
• If you want to brew for 2 people, you can increase the amount to 32g of coffee to 500g of water, if you have the larger Clever Dripper. Be very careful when brewing this amount, as the water level will be close to the edge of the brewer.
• The first bit of liquid that pours out the dripper when you place it on the cup will be clearer than the rest of the coffee. This is because there's some space underneath the filter that a small amount of water sits in throughout the brewing process. This is normal, and should be expected for most Clever Dripper brews.

Recipe Preparation

• Rinse and heat the filter and brewer with hot water and throw out the water from your vessel/carafe.
• Do not put the coffee into the brewer!
• Once your water is ready, start the timer.