World Brewers Cup champion 2016 split the method into two halves: the first 40% controls flavor (acidity vs. sweetness), the last 60% controls strength.
Tetsu Kasuya won the World Brewers Cup in 2016 with this simple method, and it has since become one of the most popular methods in Chinese, Japanese, and global coffee culture.
The revolutionary concept: split the brew into two separate parts — each controlling a different variable.
4 (40%) — sweetness and acidity:
The first two pours, together 40% of total water (120 out of 300g in our case), determine the flavor profile:
- Smaller pour 1 (40g instead of 50g) → sweeter cup. Why? A smaller first pour extends contact time with the dry coffee, increasing extraction of sweet compounds.
- Larger pour 1 (60g instead of 50g) → brighter cup. More water at the start = faster, brighter extraction of acidic compounds.
6 (60%) — strength:
The last 3 pours, 60% of water (180g), determine cup strength:
- 3 pulses (the classic) → medium strength, balanced cup.
- 2 pulses (combining pour 4 and 5) → stronger cup. Fewer pulses = less agitation = slower drawdown = more contact time.
- 4–5 pulses → lighter cup. More agitation = faster drawdown.
The method requires a relatively coarse grind and lower water temperature (92°C) — these keep the brew long (3:30) and allow multiple pulses without over-extraction.