When you watch someone brew a pour-over coffee, it seems to be easy. But the truth is maintaining consistency is a significant challenge.
The reason why some people continue to practice making the perfect pour-over.
In this article, we will teach you how to make a pour over coffee like a pro.
We’ll also give you some pointers on the water-to-coffee ratio. Keep reading because this is the start of a perfectly brewed coffee!
Pour-Over Coffee Equipment
The right equipment is essential for making a perfect pour-over brew, so let’s go over what you’ll need to make this coffee.
Let’s first start with the essential equipment for the pour-over coffee method.
Coffee dripper
The first is the cone/coffee dripper, also known as the brew basket. It’s a cone-shaped glass or metal (or other materials) used to saturate coffee grounds with water, resulting in coffee.
It also comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The material, shape, and size of your coffee dripper are all important considerations because they can affect the brewing process and the taste of your pour-over coffee.
(If you’re looking for a coffee dripper, you can check out our list of best pour-over coffee makers.)
Coffee filter
Second, there’s the coffee filter. Coffee filters are also available in a variety of materials. However, a paper filter is most commonly used in pour-overs.
It effectively filters the coffee grounds, preventing them from reaching your cup. (If you don’t have a coffee filter available, you can check our article about coffee filters substitute.)
Furthermore, paper coffee filters absorb oil, resulting in a brighter and fruitier coffee flavor.
However, if you have other coffee filters made of different materials and prefer to use them over paper coffee filters, feel free to opt for those instead.
Gooseneck Kettle
The hot water gooseneck kettle is another must-have for pour-over brewing. This is important because it will be used to pour hot water through your coffee grinds.
A gooseneck kettle allows for more precise and controlled brewing.
If you don’t have a gooseneck kettle, a regular kettle will suffice. But if you can afford it, you should.
Also, if you’re planning to buy one, you can check out gooseneck kettle recommendations for pour-over.
Coffee scale
A coffee scale is also important to measure grams and ensure an accurate coffee-to-water ratio.
Brew Pour-Over Coffee Like a Pro
Aside from having the right equipment, here is what you should do to brew coffee like a pro:
Water Quality and Temperature
Water quality and temperature can significantly impact the taste of your coffee, so avoid using tap water, which may contain impurities that give your coffee a metallic taste.
Brew temperature is also important because it determines the extraction time of coffee. Always have your water temperature around 200 degrees Fahrenheit (95 degrees Celsius).
Water-to-coffee ratio
Water-to-coffee ratio is another important factor to master for you to have a perfect pour-over brewing.
Coffee-to-water affects the strength of your coffee and flavor. It determines how much coffee and water you should use.
The most common ratio for pour-over coffee is 1:16, or 1 gram for every 16 mL of water. You may want to make more or less coffee than that depending on your strength preference.
You can refer to the ratio chart below for a more accurate measure.
| POUR OVER COFFEE RATIO | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Ratio – 1:17 | Strong Ratio – 1:15 | ||
| Cup | Water | Coffee (Regular) | Coffee (Strong) |
| 1 | 236 ml | 8 oz | 13.1 g | 15.7 g |
| 2 | 472 ml |16 oz | 27.8 g | 31.5 g |
| 3 | 708 ml | 24 oz | 41.6 g | 47.2 g |
| 4 | 944 ml | 32 oz | 55.5 g | 62.9 g |
| 5 | 1180 ml | 40 oz | 69.4 g | 78.7 g |
| 6 | 1416 ml | 48 oz | 83.3 g | 94.4 g |
Coffee Beans
Coffee beans are essential in any coffee preparation. Make sure you’re using freshly ground coffee AKA grinding whole bean coffee right before brewing.
This will give your coffee a better taste and aroma, and make it overall more flavorful.
The grind size of your coffee bean also has an effect on the flavor of your coffee. So, if you want to make a great pour-over coffee, consider the size.
A medium-coarse grind is the most commonly recommended size of coffee grind for pour-over.
For the roast profile, a medium roast coffee is ideal for pour-overs.
Extraction Process
The extraction time is the amount of time that water is in contact with the coffee grind. Of course, everyone has a different idea of what constitutes a perfect cup.
Your coffee’s strength will be determined by the extraction process. And you get to choose what outcome you want. So, when it comes to this, it is always up to you.
The key is to keep practicing to find out what works for you. Remember that the longer the water is in contact with the grounds, the stronger the coffee.
And, the less time the water is in contact with the grounds, the weaker your coffee will be.
The extraction result is also determined by how the hot water is poured over the coffee grinds.
Many people believe that pouring in a circular motion will result in more even and consistent extraction.
How to make a pour over coffee
Here’s the step-by-step instruction on how to brew a pour-over coffee like a pro.
- Get the equipment needed then set it up.
- Check the water temperature in your gooseneck kettle.
- Pre-wet the coffee filter to remove the paper taste or any unnecessary taste from it.
- Put more or less 29 grams of fresh ground coffee (experiment with what works best for your taste.)
- Then first wet all the coffee grounds and let it bloom for 30 seconds.
- Pour again, starting in the center and working your way out in a circular motion in 3-4 minutes.
- Keep practicing!
Conclusion
To sum this article up, brewing a pour-over coffee like a pro requires a lot of effort, including having the complete equipment, making sure you have the optimal water quality and temperature, studying the coffee-to-water ratio, getting fresh coffee beans, and mastering the extraction process.
All seems daunting at first, but when you get used to it, your final cup is perfect and effortless.
Practice makes delicious coffee!
FAQs
How long does it take to pour over coffee?
Generally, pour-over brewing takes 3-4 minutes and takes 2 minutes of actual brewing time to complete the entire process.
Why is my pour-over coffee weak?
Pour-over coffee is weak because you got the wrong ratio, or your coffee is too coarse, preventing the water from extracting more flavors from it.
Why does my pour-over coffee taste bitter?
Pour-over coffee is bitter because the coffee grounds are too fine, making it harder for the water to make it through the grounds which results in a more bitter coffee.
