Pour-Over Coffee Guide

What You Need

Pour-over is the preferred method at most specialty coffee shops for a reason: it produces the cleanest, most nuanced cup possible. The paper filter removes oils and sediment, letting origin flavors and processing character shine through.

• —Pour-over dripper (V60, Kalita Wave, or Melitta)
• —Paper filters (matched to your dripper)
• —Gooseneck kettle (essential for pour control)
• —Medium-fine ground coffee (table salt consistency)
• —Scale and timer
• —Server or mug

Coffee-to-Water Ratio

Start with 1:16 ratio. Pour-over is more sensitive to ratio than immersion methods, so a scale is strongly recommended.

Step-by-Step

1. 01Boil water to 205°F (96°C). Place filter in dripper, rinse with hot water to remove paper taste and preheat.
2. 02Add coffee grounds. Create a small well in the center.
3. 03Bloom: Pour 2x the coffee weight in water (e.g., 40g for 20g coffee). Wait 30-45 seconds as CO₂ escapes.
4. 04First pour: Slowly pour in concentric circles from center outward, reaching 60% of total water by 1:15.
5. 05Second pour: Continue slow circles to reach total water weight by 2:00.
6. 06Let it drain completely. Total brew time should be 2:30-3:30 for a V60, 3:00-4:00 for Kalita.

Troubleshooting

If your brew drains too fast (under 2:30), grind finer. Too slow (over 4:00), grind coarser. If flavors are muted, increase water temperature. If bitter, decrease temperature or grind coarser. The bloom should bubble visibly — if it doesn't, your coffee may be stale.

Best Beans for Pour-Over

Light to medium roasts are ideal for pour-over. This method excels at revealing delicate floral, fruity, and citrus notes that get lost in darker roasts or immersion methods. Ethiopian washed coffees, Kenyan AA, and washed Colombians are classic pour-over choices.