Why Gooseneck Kettle Is Best For Pour Over Coffee? (7 Reasons!)
Walk into any decent cafe and you will notice them brewing pour over coffees with a gooseneck kettle.
So, why gooseneck kettle is best for pour over coffee?
The main and most important reason is that a gooseneck kettle gives you control over your pour speed. With this factor alone, your pour over coffee flavor profile will improve drastically compared to a regular kettle.
That said, using a gooseneck kettle for pour over coffee brewing also brings a myriad of other benefits.
In this blog post, I will present you 7 reasons why a gooseneck kettle is best for pour over coffee.
Disclosure
Some of the links here are affiliate links, and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. I hope you find the information here useful! Thanks!
At a glance: Why Gooseneck Kettle Is Best For Pour Over Coffee?
What Is A Gooseneck Kettle?
A gooseneck kettle is a kettle with a narrow and long neck for water to flow out. Since people use the gooseneck kettle almost exclusively for pour over coffee brewing, it is also known as a Pour-Over Kettle.
And as you might have guessed already, the gooseneck kettle got its name due to the spout’s resemblance to a gooseneck.
The gooseneck kettle comes in two versions:
Manual Fill: The manual fill version requires you to boil water externally and fill up the kettle for coffee brewing.
Electrical: The electrical version comes together with a water heating function and the ability for temperature control.
While it may seem superfluous to use a gooseneck for pour over coffee brewing, there is more to it than just a visual gimmick.
This brings us to our next point; the reasons why a gooseneck kettle is best suited for pour over brewing.
7 Reasons Why Gooseneck Kettle Is Best For Pour Over Coffee
1. Water Flow Control
Pour Over coffee is a delicate hand-crafted beverage and this demands more care when brewing. In this case, it will be the control of the water flow.
With a gooseneck kettle, the flow is comparatively smoother and the impact of the water stream hitting the coffee grounds is significantly smaller.
If you are using a regular kettle or container to brew pour over coffee, you will notice that the water flow is too turbulent. The turbulent flow will lead to a strong water impact on the coffee bed is too strong and agitates the coffee bed too much.
Eventually, the pour will create craters on the bed of coffee and this will then lead to uneven extraction of coffee.
Since the spout of a gooseneck kettle is long and narrow, the rate of water flowing is slower and hence allowing you to have more control over the flow rate.
2. Balanced Extraction
When brewing pour over with coffee roast profiles such as a light roast with delicate and unique flavors, balanced extraction is crucial.
When done right, the pronounced fruity flavors are what most coffee aficionados will pay for.
With a gooseneck kettle, it is significantly easier to achieve a balanced extraction when brewing pour over coffee. The credit all goes to the ability to control the flow of water with ease.
Since the impact of water hitting the bed of coffee grounds does not agitate it, water is able to flow uniformly through the coffee grounds. Furthermore, the coffee grounds create a resistance against the water flowing through them.
If you were to pour too much water onto the bed of coffee grounds, there will be an extended contact time between the water and coffee. This is not favorable as longer contact time will cause over-extraction of coffee.
Author’s Note: Under-extracting will yield you a sour cup of coffee while over-extracting the coffee and all you taste will be bold bitterness.
3. Consistency
Have you ever brewed two pour over coffees back to back and realized a significant difference in the flavor profile?
This is because pour over coffee brewing method is reliant on these key variables:
- Water flow
- Water Temperature
- Coffee Grind Size
- Brew Ratio
With the use of a gooseneck kettle, you can turn the water flow and water temperature variables into fixed controllable parameters. More on water temperature later on below.
With two variables under your control, the gooseneck kettle solves 50% of your concerns when brewing pour over coffees and hence minimizes the gap of inconsistencies.
4. Water Brewing Temperature Control (Electrical Only)
Water temperature is an important factor when it comes to pour over coffee brewing. Ideally, you will want to brew pour over coffees with water temperatures ranging between 90oC (195oF) and 96oC (205oF).
For this reason, electrical gooseneck kettles are usually equipped with precise temperature control with up to 1oC accuracy.
So what happens if you brew coffee with boiling water?
By using boiling water for coffee brewing, you will risk “burning” the coffee grounds resulting in a bitter flavor in your coffee. These bitter flavors are mainly due to caffeine.
And for your information, caffeine in nature has a bitter flavor.
Winding back to the topic of water brewing temperature; higher temperature waters have more extraction energy.
While caffeine is one of the few final components to be extracted, hot boiling water will accelerate and boost the extraction rate. This is why pour over brewing often uses slightly cooler water temperatures especially if the coffee beans have more delicate tasting notes.
Brewing Tip: With a manual gooseneck kettle. Simply allow your boiling water to cool for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before using it for coffee brewing.
5. Improve Flavor Of Brew
As you nail the rate of water flow with the right temperature when brewing pour over coffees, you are almost guaranteed to notice a major improvement in the flavor of your brew.
This is because, with a good grasp of the water flow control, you will be able to achieve balanced extraction during the brewing process.
In the context of pour over coffee, balanced extraction is the ultimate factor that determines the taste and flavor of the brew. Achieving balanced extraction here will allow you to highlight the flavors of the natural acids present in the coffee beans themselves. Especially if you are using single-origin Arabica coffee beans!
Author’s Note: Speaking of flavors, if you ever come across coffees from microlots, do give them a try. You will be surprised with the unique flavors it presents!
6. Ergonomics
Most people use gooseneck kettles almost exclusively for manual coffee brewing. So there is no doubt that there are a lot of thoughts given to the design for this purpose.
From the handle to the spout, it is all engineered to ease the process of manual coffee brewing.
This is especially evident for handles of gooseneck kettles.
In this context, pour overs require a repetitive circular motion as you brew the coffee. High-traffic cafes will experience hundreds of pour over coffees per day. Imagine the strain on your hand by the end of your shift!
With the ergonomically designed handle, it allows baristas to perform this repetitive circular motion without over-straining your wrist.
In addition to the handles, the S-shaped gooseneck channels water flow gently without much effort from the brewer. This allows the brewer’s arm to move about with ease during the brewing process.
In summary, the gooseneck kettle feels like an extension of your arm and manual brewing with it feels almost natural.
7. Aesthetics
Personally, having a gooseneck kettle just perks up your kitchen countertop or coffee bar.
Gooseneck kettles usually have a sleek design due to their delicate narrow spout. On top of that, it usually comes with a wide array of colors and finishes. You are bound to find one that fits the theme of your kitchen or coffee bar.
Together with the minimalistic and elegant exterior which boosts the gooseneck’s kettle overall aesthetic appeal, you will not go wrong placing it anywhere at the countertop or brew station.
How To Choose A Gooseneck Kettle?
I am certain that the reasons above have convinced you to buy a gooseneck kettle.
And this leads to the question of how to choose a gooseneck kettle.
So to help you with that, let us look at some of the different criteria to choose one of these aesthetically pleasing looking kettles.
Size
In today’s mass market, the gooseneck kettle comes in various shapes and sizes. In general, most gooseneck kettle’s volume range from 0.8L to 1.2L.
If you are only brewing for yourself, a gooseneck kettle with a small volume is sufficient.
Cafe owners may want to opt for gooseneck kettles with higher volume. You do not want to be boiling water all the time at peak traffic hours.
Manual Or Electric Gooseneck Kettle
Physically, the manual and electric gooseneck kettle looks the same and will most certainly perform similarly too. So, don’t worry about the performance here.
The key difference is the ability to control the temperature of the water which is a crucial factor in pour over coffee brewing.
Ideally, the optimum water temperature for pour over coffee ranges between 90oC (195oF) and 96oC (205oF). Since the electrical version is equipped with a temperature control component, it offers precise temperature control.
That said, the extra feature comes with a hefty price tag as well.
The manual goose kettle on the other hand requires a manual fill of hot water. Some versions allow you to heat them up over a stovetop. However, you will have to measure the temperature manually with a thermometer.
Author’s Note: While the electric gooseneck kettle may be expensive, it gives you absolute control over the water temperature. With one coffee brewing variable under control, you will be able to achieve more consistent brews.
Design Ergonomics
All of the gooseneck kettles available in the market serve the same purpose with slightly varying designs.
Since you will be the one using the gooseneck kettle, I’d highly recommend feeling the products physically in person.
Answer these questions:
- How does the handle feel in your hands?
- Do you feel a strain on your wrist?
- Do the water-pouring movements feel natural?
If the gooseneck kettle checks all these boxes, it will be the best kettle for you and also for your coffee.
Design Preference
When it comes to design and aesthetics, it all boils down to personal preference.
After all, one man’s trash might be another man’s treasure.
Fortunately, most gooseneck kettle performance is not highly dependent on the external design and outlook of the kettle.
That said, an aesthetically pleasing-looking gooseneck kettle will definitely brighten up the vibe of your countertop or cafe front. If you are placing it in your cafe’s coffee bar, think about the color and design that matches the interior theme.
Recommended Reads: Both Aeropress and Pour Over Coffee brewing uses Gooseneck kettle, why not check our comparison between the Aeropress and Pour Over brewing methods.
FAQ On Why Gooseneck Kettle Is Best For Pour Over Coffee
How To Use A Gooseneck Kettle?
To use a gooseneck kettle, you have to fill it up with water and boil it over a stovetop. Alternatively, you can boil water externally and fill up the gooseneck kettle separately. For an electrical gooseneck kettle, you simply have to plug it in, fill with water and hit the switch to start boiling.
What Is The Benefit Of Gooseneck Kettle?
The main benefit of a gooseneck kettle is the ability to control the flow of water. You can easily pour quickly, slowly, and in any exact spot you want with absolute precision. This will allow a more balanced extraction of flavors of the coffee grounds which is fairly important for pour over coffees.
Why Are Gooseneck Kettles Popular?
Gooseneck kettles are popular due to the consistency it brings to manual coffee brewing. Furthermore, gooseneck kettles are made from stainless steel, which is durable, does well with conducting heat, and helps to regulate water flow as well as temperature. All of these factors reduce the margin of error when it comes to manual coffee brewing.
Do You Need An Electric Gooseneck Kettle?
No, a gooseneck kettle is not required for brewing good pour over coffee. However, an electric gooseneck kettle will bring major improvements to your coffee brewing. It offers improvements in terms of consistency, water flow control, and temperature control and it is ergonomically designed. All of these factors will help you brew consistently great-tasting coffee each time.
Closing Notes
Are you now convinced why a gooseneck kettle is almost necessary for pour over coffee brewing?
Spending a little of your budget to get a gooseneck kettle will no doubt bring major improvements to your coffee brewing. No more wasting coffee because of terrible brews!
Plus, judging from my 8-year-old gooseneck kettle, I am convinced that these are built to last.
If you find this piece of article informational, please do share it with your fellow friends. baristas and home brewers!
Happy brewing!
Recommended Reads: If you are travelling and forgotten to bring along your scale, you might be interested in knowing alternative ways to make pour over coffee without a scale.
