Hmmmm, I wonder if some of the best pourover brewers in the world should get rid of their scales?
http://new.livestream.com/worldcoffee/BrewersCup2012Finals/videos/1566404 Perhaps the winner was geeking out when he was creating a custom water hardness from locally available water, maybe he should have guessed at approx 12-14gms for his ground coffee instead of the 11.8gms he determined was best, maybe he shouldn't have removed the fines before extraction, or modified his pour, or...
If he couldn't use a scale, would his coffee suffer? I think so.
Like I tell my boys, if you are going to do something do it right. Think like a pro and act like a pro, even if you aren't a pro. Brewing a
world class cup of coffee requires precision and attention to detail. I might not be brewing at a world class level but I don't like brewing coffee with mediocrity in mind. Using a scale improves my pourovers.
It's not an inconvenience to use a scale, nor is it expensive, the scale I've been using for the last few years cost me less than $20 and even though it is battle scarred it still works perfectly.
I'm not trying to convert anyone into a scale brewer, if you are happy with your system, rock on.
(Don't miss the bonus Melitta brewing history lesson from 2nd place Andy Sprenger)