How to Make Pour Over Coffee: A Step-by-Step Guide

At Cold Blooded Caffeine, we're all about creating exceptional coffee experiences while making the journey as approachable as possible. Today, we’re diving into one of the most popular methods of brewing coffee at home: the pour over. Pour over coffee is beloved for its portability, affordability, and the control it offers over every aspect of the brewing process. Let’s get into it!

Why Choose Pour Over Coffee?

Portability

Pour over coffee setups are incredibly portable. With a Chemex or V-60, a small handheld grinder, and a kettle, you can brew high-quality coffee anywhere. Whether you’re traveling or staying in a hotel, a pour over setup is easy to pack and use.

Affordability

Compared to other coffee brewing methods, pour over equipment is relatively affordable. You can grab one of the many pour over brewers on the market for between $30 and $50, a decent scale around $20, and a good handheld grinder about $50. You can assemble a complete pour over setup for under $200, making it a cost-effective choice for coffee enthusiasts.

Control

One of the biggest advantages of pour over coffee is the level of control it offers. You can precisely control the water temperature, coffee amount, grind size, and brew time. This allows you to optimize the extraction process and perfect your cup of coffee.

Optimization of Extraction

Understanding extraction is crucial to making great coffee. Extraction refers to the amount of soluble compounds that are dissolved from the coffee grounds during brewing. Ideally, you want an extraction rate between 18% and 22%. Under-extracted coffee (less than 18%) tastes sour and watery, while over-extracted coffee (more than 22%) tastes bitter and thick. Mastering this balance is key to achieving the perfect cup.

How to Make Pour Over Coffee

Equipment Needed

• Chemex or other pour over brewer
• Scale
• Filter
• Kettle
• Coffee grinder
• Freshly roasted coffee beans

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Grind Your Coffee Use a slightly coarser grind than you would for a drip coffee maker. I recommend a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15. For a standard 12-ounce cup of coffee (350 grams), you’ll need about 23 grams of coffee.

2. Heat Your Water Heat your water to just under boiling, around 205°F (96°C). Use filtered or spring water to avoid adding impurities to your coffee.

3. Rinse Your Filter Place the filter in the brewer and rinse it with hot water. This removes any paper flavor and preheats the vessel. Discard the rinse water.

4. Add Coffee Grounds Place your brewer on the scale, add the ground coffee to the filter, and tare the scale to zero.

5. Bloom Start your timer and pour 50-75 grams of water over the coffee grounds, ensuring all the grounds are saturated. Let it sit for 30 seconds. This initial pour releases gases from the coffee, creating a “bloom.”

6. Primary Pouring Phase After the bloom, continue pouring water in a circular motion or figure-eight pattern. Pour steadily until you’ve added about 200 grams of water, bringing the total to 250-275 grams.

7. Final Pour Take a short break to let the water seep through, then continue pouring until you reach your target of 350 grams. The total brewing time should be between 3 to 4 minutes; aim for about 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

8. Enjoy Your Coffee Once brewing is complete, remove the filter and discard it. Pour your coffee into your favorite mug and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Final Thoughts

Making pour over coffee is a simple yet rewarding process. The ability to control every variable allows you to tailor each cup to your exact preferences. Plus, cleanup is a breeze—just toss the filter and rinse your brewer.