The pour over is the most popular coffee brewing device to capture and experience the nuance of gourmet coffee. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about pour overs and how to brew an exceptional cup of coffee on any pour over device.
What is a Pour Over
A pour over is a type of infusion brewing where hot water is poured over ground coffee.
How Does a Pour Over Work?
A metal, glass, or ceramic brew basket containing a filter and ground coffee sits above your mug or carafe. Hot water is poured over the ground coffee and brews as it passes through the coffee. The freshly brewed coffee exits the brew basket through perforations in the bottom of the basket and into your mug or carafe with only the help of gravity.
Pour Over Coffee Ratio
A good starting point for pour over coffee is a 16:1 water-to-coffee ratio (16 grams of water to 1 gram of coffee). However, the ideal ratio ultimately depends on your personal taste preferences. Experiment with ratios ranging from 15:1 to 17:1 to find the perfect water to coffee ratio for your pour over. Keep in mind that other factors, such as grind size and water temperature, can also impact the final taste of your coffee.
Learn more about Coffee to Water Ratio.
Pour Over Coffee Grind
You will want to grind your coffee with enough coarseness that the water passes through the grounds within your desired brew time. To achieve this, we recommend a medium grind consistency which feels similar to table salt. Most pour overs use a paper filter. Paper filters produce a very clean cup of coffee because of how well they capture small particles of coffee.
Learn more about coffee grinding on our How to Grind Coffee guide.
Pour Over Coffee Recipe
- Water to coffee ratio: 16:1
- Water: 450g
- Coffee: 28g
- Grind: Medium (table salt)
How to Make Pour Over Coffee
Technique is very important when brewing a pour over. Start with a level bed of coffee in your brew basket. To obtain an even extraction, pour your hot water with a gooseneck kettle using circular motions that spiral out from the middle to the outside and back to the middle again. When the brewing is complete, you should see a level bed of coffee in your filter once all the water has drained out.
- Step 1 - 0:00 Add 50g of water to allow freshly roasted coffee to degas
- Step 2 - 0:30 Slowly add 200g of water using circular motions
- Step 3 - 1:00 Add 100g of water again with circular motions
- Step 4 - 2:00 Add the remaining water and let it filter through the coffee with a complete brew time of around 3:30 to 4 minutes
