POUR OVER

Pour Over >How To Brew: Pour Over

Brewing Perfect Pour-Over Coffee

Pour-over is the brewing method you see in specialty cafes, where the barista carefully pours water from a fancy kettle over a cone of coffee. It might look complicated, but it's one of the most rewarding ways to brew at home. Why? Because it gives you a super clean, clear, and vibrant cup that lets you taste all the unique, delicate flavours of your coffee beans.

This guide will demystify the process and show you how to brew a delicious pour-over coffee, free of bitterness or weakness.

What You'll Need (The Essentials)

  1. Pour-Over Brewer: Something like a Hario V60, Kalita Wave, or Chemex.

  2. Filter Papers: Make sure they are the right size and shape for your brewer.

  3. Gooseneck Kettle: While not 100% essential, the controlled pour from a gooseneck makes a huge difference.

  4. A Good Burr Grinder: Absolutely crucial for the right grind size and consistency.

  5. Digital Scales: For measuring your coffee and water accurately.

  6. Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans: Lighter, single-origin roasts really shine with this method.

  7. Timer: Your phone's stopwatch is perfect.

  8. Mug or Server: To brew into.

The Pour-Over Recipe: Your Starting Point

This recipe is for a single, delicious mug of coffee (about 250ml).

  • Ratio (IN/OUT): 15 grams of coffee to 250 grams (250ml) of water. (A classic 1:16.6 ratio).

  • Grind: Medium-fine. It should look and feel similar to table salt.

  • Total Brew Time: Aim for around 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

The Step-by-Step Brewing Guide

Step 1: Prepare Your Station

Place your filter paper into the cone, put the cone on top of your mug or server, and place the whole setup on your digital scales. Boil your kettle. Once boiled, thoroughly rinse the paper filter with hot water. This does two important things: it washes away any paper taste and pre-heats your brewer and mug. Don't forget to tip this water out before you start!

Step 2: Weigh and Grind

Weigh out 15 grams of whole beans. Grind them to a medium-fine setting. Add your ground coffee into the now-empty, wet filter. Give it a gentle shake to create a flat, even bed of coffee. Tare your scales to zero.

Step 3: The Bloom (The Most Important Step)

  1. Take your kettle just off the boil (wait about 45-60 seconds).

  2. Start your timer and pour just enough water to wet all the coffee grounds evenly. Aim for about 30-40 grams of water.

  3. You'll see the coffee bed puff up and bubble – this is the "bloom" as trapped CO2 escapes.

  4. Let it sit and bloom for about 30-45 seconds. This step ensures an even extraction later on.

Step 4: The Main Pour

After the bloom, continue pouring the rest of your water.

  1. Pour slowly and steadily in small, concentric circles, starting from the centre and working your way out. Avoid pouring directly down the sides of the filter paper.

  2. Your goal is to pour all 250 grams of water by about the 1:30 - 1:45 mark on your timer. You can do this in one continuous pour or in a few separate "pulses".

Step 5: Let It Drain (The "Drawdown")

Once all the water is in, give the brewer one final, gentle swirl. This helps settle the coffee bed into a flat surface for a final, even extraction. Now, just let the water drain completely through the grounds. The last drips should finish around the 2:30 - 3:00 minute mark.

Remove the brewer, give your coffee a stir, and enjoy!

Taste and Troubleshoot

The final brew time is your best clue. Your main tool for adjusting it is your grind size.

The Golden Rule: Only change one variable at a time!

  • Is the coffee BITTER, harsh, or astringent (drying on your tongue)?

  • It means: Your coffee is over-extracted. The brew probably took too long (e.g., over 3:30 minutes).

  • The Fix: Make your grind COARSER. This will allow the water to flow through faster.

  • Is the coffee SOUR, weak, or watery?

  • It means: Your coffee is under-extracted. The brew was likely too fast (e.g., under 2 minutes).

  • The Fix: Make your grind FINER. This will slow the water down, giving it more time to extract all the delicious, sweet flavours.

By paying attention to your brew time and making small adjustments to your grind, you'll be brewing clean, sweet, and incredibly flavourful pour-over coffee in no time.