Pour-over coffee is a favorite brewing method for many enthusiasts because it offers control, clarity of flavor, and a peaceful, hands-on routine. Whether you’ve got a Hario V60, Kalita Wave, Chemex, or any dripper, this step-by-step guide will help you refine your pour-over technique to consistently brew a great cup. Let’s dive in!
What You Need:
- Pour-over dripper (e.g. V60 cone, Kalita flat bottom, or Chemex)
- Paper filter (proper size for your dripper) – rinse it before brewing to remove any papery taste.
- Fresh coffee beans (light to medium roasts shine in pour-overs due to their bright, complex notes).
- Burr grinder (grind right before brewing; aim for a medium-fine grind for cone drippers, slightly coarser for Chemex).
- Gooseneck kettle (for controlled pouring).
- Scale and timer (optional but highly recommended for consistency).
- Mug or carafe to brew into.
Step 1: Heat Water – Bring your water to ~200°F (93°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, boil water and let it sit 30 seconds. Having the right temperature is important for optimal extraction; too cool can under-extract (sour), too hot can over-extract (bitter). Most pour-over recipes thrive between 195–205°F.
Step 2: Weigh and Grind Coffee – A good starting ratio is 1:15 to 1:17 coffee-to-water by weight. For one cup (about 12 oz finished), use 20g of coffee to 300g of water (that’s a 1:15 ratio). Grind the coffee to a texture like sand – for V60, medium-fine (a bit finer than drip machine). For Kalita or Melitta, similar grind. For Chemex, go a bit coarser (medium, like kosher salt) since the thicker filter slows the flow. The grind size is crucial: too coarse yields weak, under-extracted coffee; too fine yields over-extraction or clogging.
Step 3: Rinse Filter (and preheat) – Place the paper filter in the dripper and pour some hot water through it, thoroughly wetting it. This rinses out papery flavors and also warms up the dripper and carafe/mug below. Discard the rinse water.
Step 4: Add Coffee Grounds – Pour your freshly ground coffee into the filter. Gently shake or tap the dripper to level the coffee bed for an even surface (this promotes uniform extraction).
Step 5: The Bloom – Start your timer. Begin by pouring just enough water to wet all the grounds (usually ~2x the weight of coffee, so about 40g of water for 20g coffee). Pour slowly in a spiral or just evenly to saturate. You should see the coffee “bloom” – it will puff up and release CO₂ gas (fresh coffee blooms more visibly). Wait about 30-45 seconds. Blooming allows gases to escape and pre-wets the grounds, preventing dry pockets and aiding even extraction.
Step 6: Continue Pouring (Pulse Pours) – After the bloom, continue adding water in stages:
- Pour in a slow, controlled spiral, adding water until you reach about half your total water (e.g., up to ~150g if total is 300g). Try to avoid pouring on the filter sides directly; focus on the coffee bed. Use a gooseneck kettle for precision – it helps you maintain a thin, steady stream.
- Pause if needed to let the water level drop a bit, then do another pour or two to reach your total. For our example, you might pour 100g, then another 100g, etc. The key is even coverage and not flooding too quickly. Each pour can gently agitate the coffee bed and bring fresh water to grounds.
- If your dripper has a single hole (like V60), aim to keep water level consistent, not too high (prevent overflow) but enough to keep grounds immersed and flowing. If multi-hole (Kalita Wave), still pour evenly but its flat bed design helps control flow naturally.
Step 7: Total Brew Time – Aim for a total brew time around 3 to 4 minutes for most pour-overs (for our 300g water example, ~3:00 is common). If the water draws down much faster (say 2 minutes or less), your grind is likely too coarse or you poured too fast – result can be under-extracted (sour, weak). If it’s taking over 4 minutes and still draining, your grind might be too fine or you over-poured – this can lead to over-extraction (bitter) and also risk of a clogged brew. Adjust grind next time accordingly. Note: different drippers have different ideal times (Chemex often 4-5 min for larger volumes, V60 ~3 min for a cup).
Step 8: Enjoy – Once the water has finished dripping through and the bed of grounds looks flat (no big pools of water left), your coffee is ready. Remove the dripper and discard the filter with spent grounds. Give the brewed coffee a gentle swirl in the carafe or stir in the mug to homogenize it (the first drips vs last drips can vary in strength). Now taste that delicious cup you’ve crafted!
Additional Tips for Mastery:
- Consistency is King: Use the same recipe repeatedly as you dial in. For instance, always 20g coffee, 300g water, target 3:00 minute brew. Then tweak one thing at a time (grind slightly finer if too quick, or vice versa) and note results.
- Water Technique: Pouring in slow concentric circles helps evenly extract. Try to avoid just dumping water in center or on edges exclusively. If you notice grounds sticking high on the filter sides, you can carefully target them with a bit of water to reintegrate into the brew.
- Temperature and Acidity: If your coffee consistently tastes a bit sour (under-extracted), besides grinding finer, you can try using slightly hotter water within the safe range (like 205°F). Hotter water extracts faster. Conversely, if coffee is harsh or bitter, let water cool a little more (195°F) or pulse pour more gently.
- Equipment Upgrades: A gooseneck kettle (even a stovetop one) massively improves your control over pouring. A coffee scale is vital to practice the golden ratio and ensure you hit the target water amount. Some scales like the Hario or Acaia even have built-in timers to help with bloom and pour timing.
- Try Different Filters/Drippers: The same technique above can apply to any pour-over device, but note differences: Chemex filters are thicker (slower draw, super clean cup), Kalita’s flat bottom yields a bit more even extraction naturally, V60 is very responsive to pouring technique and grind. Each has slight recipe tweaks (e.g., V60 often uses a spiral pour, Kalita might do more center pouring due to its flat bed). But start with this general method and refine per device.
With practice, you’ll start hitting that sweet spot where the coffee tastes balanced: sweetness comes through, acidity is pleasant and lively but not sour, bitterness is minimal to none. You’ll taste the nuanced flavor notes the roaster described. Pour-over is as much an art as a science – enjoy the process of finding your perfect routine. Soon you’ll find that making your morning pour-over becomes a ritual you cherish, and the cup in your hand will reward you with clarity and depth that’s hard to beat. Happy pouring!