Why Do We Pour in Circles When Brewing Coffee? A Dual Perspective on Circular vs. Center Pouring

Contents:
1. Why Do Most People Prefer Circular Pouring?
2. Why Are More Professionals Turning to Center Pouring?
3. Combining the Best of Both: Center Pouring + Small Circles
4. Choose the Right Pouring Style Based on Your Desired Flavor

In the world of pour-over coffee, pouring in circles has almost become an unspoken standard. Whether it's in tutorial videos, behind coffee shop counters, or on competition stages, we often see baristas pouring ring after ring in the dripper with a steady circular stream of water. But if you look closely, you’ll also find some unique brewing styles that rely solely on stable center pouring, without circles, yet still produce clean and sweet-tasting coffee. So, should we pour in circles or not? What are the advantages of each method? This article will help clarify this seemingly basic yet crucial question.

Why Do Most People Prefer Circular Pouring?

The most common pour-over technique involves pouring in a circle from the center outward, then back to the center, usually in multiple stages. Circular pouring isn’t just visually appealing—it serves important functions:

• Evenly wets the coffee grounds, avoiding extraction only in the center.
• Promotes uniform water flow through the coffee bed, reducing the risk of channeling.
• Lightly stirs the grounds through the motion of water, encouraging convection and flavor release.

For beginners, circular pouring helps establish a visual rhythm and makes it easier to cover all areas of the coffee bed. Additionally, most commercial drippers (like the V60) are designed with spiral ribs, which enhance water flow when used with circular pouring and better extraction. This method is especially suited for light-roasted, high-acidity, and complex beans, allowing different soluble compounds to be released in stages.

Why Are More Professionals Turning to Center Pouring?

While circular pouring is widely practiced, more and more baristas are switching to stable center pouring. The logic behind center pouring includes:

• Water flows naturally outward along the dripper’s ribs, evenly spreading through the bed.
• Centered pressure gently pushes grounds outward, creating internal agitation.
• This gentle internal convection improves sweetness and cleanliness without over-disrupting the coffee bed.

Especially when using a well-designed cone-shaped dripper (like the V60), water naturally follows the spiral grooves, promoting consistent extraction through internal turbulence—no elaborate motions required. This approach often results in a mellow body, pronounced sweetness, and clean finish, making it ideal for medium-light roasts or when aiming for a pure flavor expression.

Combining the Best of Both: Center Pouring + Small Circles

These two pouring techniques are not mutually exclusive and can be combined together. Many brewing styles now advocate a stable center pour with small circular motions no larger than a10 dollar coin. This hybrid strategy allows you to:

• Maintain the stability and control of center pouring
• Slightly agitate and moisten the grounds with small circular motions
• Encourage full flavor development without over-disruption to the coffee bed

This compromise is both easy to perform and highly stable, making it suitable for everyday brewing, professional settings, or situations where grind consistency (e.g., from a hand grinder) may be uneven.

Choose the Right Pouring Style Based on Your Desired Flavor

Try testing the same coffee beans using two methods: one with wide circular pours, and one with only a stable center pour. Observe differences in flavor, aftertaste, acidity, sweetness, and mouthfeel. These experiments not only deepen your understanding of brewing mechanics but also help you develop your own sensory control.

Circular pouring isn’t just for show; center pouring isn’t a shortcut. Every pouring style has its own logic rooted in flavor development and physical extraction dynamics. The key isn't blindly following a trend, but rather understanding the relationship between your pouring method and the resulting flavor.

When you know why circular pouring enhances aroma and complexity, and why center pouring improves sweetness and stability, you’ll be able to make deliberate choices that suit each coffee. That’s the beauty of pour-over: using just water and coffee grounds to unlock infinite flavor possibilities.

Recommended Products:

  ​​

〔Justin Coffee〕

✔ High-Altitude Estate Coffee Beans ✔Freshly Roasted Coffee Bean Specialty Store  ✔Million-Dollar Sorting Machine for Flawless Beans
✔ CQI international coffee quality appraiser quality control
✔ State-of-the-art, Million-dollar Coffee Bean Sorting Machine Removes Defective Beans

5 Commitments to Premium Coffee, Delivering the Best Quality to You!

We welcome your communication.