Pouring technic (coffee) - the difference between clockwise and counterclockwise pour [closed]

Question

What is the difference between a pour that is clockwise and to one that is counterclokwise, how does it effect the brew in the end? I've read that if you pour counterclockwise it will loosen the coffee grind meanwhile if you pour clockwise it will fasten your coffee grind. Hope to get some help here :) M

Answer 1

I think what you mean by clockwise or counter-clockwise swirling is as you pour coffee into a cup. From a physics point of view there's no reason why one would be better than the other. It's like the incorrect assertion that water swirls one way down a drain in the northern hemisphere, and the other way in the southern hemisphere - it sounds good but is completely wrong. The direction of swirl has nothing to do with the fastening or loosening of coffee grinds.

Swirling coffee takes practice, baristas almost always use their right or left hand exclusively, and they will almost always swirl the same direction. Once they get good at it the technique seems to work, if they try swirling the other way it doesn't. The likely correct conclusion to this is that they simply aren't as practiced swirling the other direction, so it doesn't work as well. Saying without any basis in fact or science that swirling clockwise "fastens your coffee grind" sounds cool and makes the practice of making coffee seem more complicated than it actually is.

Answer 2

There is no reason that I know of why there should be any difference. More to the point, I have experimented with this, and found no difference at all, nor if I vary which way I rotate the pour.

The force of the water on the grounds will likely have a more pronounced effect than the rotation used, as the addition of new water will upset the grounds, depending on how fast the water is being poured.