How to Perfect Your Pour Over
Pour overs may be having their day in the sun, but this hands-on brewing method has been around for decades. Whether you’re new to pour over brewing or dialing in a V60 or Bee House, these tips will help you brew a cleaner, more balanced cup every time.
Quick Answer: To make great pour over coffee, use freshly ground coffee, a 1:17 coffee-to-water ratio, water around 205°F, and a slow, steady pour that starts with a bloom.
For detailed demos of different drippers, hop over to our Brew Guide where we’ll walk you through it step-by-step.
Rinse Your Filter Before Brewing
Before you brew, place your filter in the brewer and rinse it with hot water. This quick step washes away any papery, woodsy flavors, helps the filter seal properly, and warms up your brewer. Starting with everything hot keeps your brew temperature stable—and your coffee tasting clean.
Grind Coffee Fresh and to the Right Size
There are three main elements in the question of grind: when, how and what size.
Grinding right before you brew is important because fresh coffee begins to oxidize and age faster as soon as you grind it.
Grinding your coffee on the correct setting is also key – the size of your grind particles affects extraction, so getting this dialed in for your method is important. We have a basic guide to grind here.
If you’re still dialing things in, your local Stumptown café or specialty coffee shop can help you match the right grind for your brew method. If you do have a grinder at home, use that reference grind to fine-tune your settings—laying grounds on white paper makes it easier to compare particle size.
And lastly, when it comes to type of grinder, burr is better. A blade grinder chops the coffee in irregular sized pieces, leading to uneven extraction. We love Baratza electric grinders for their quality, customer service and repair policy. See more in our Grind Guide.
Master the Bloom and Pour Technique
The first pour is known as the bloom pour. The bloom pour saturates all of the grounds and will help later with an even extraction. Pour about twice the amount of water to coffee and stir gently. This should take between 30-45 seconds.
You should pour in slow and steady spirals to keep things even. A gooseneck kettle really helps you with precision – avoid the light spots, go toward the dark
Use Clean, Hot Water
Brew with water you’d actually want to drink—clean water makes cleaner-tasting coffee. Heat your water to about 205°F, or roughly 30 seconds off the boil, for ideal extraction.
Dial In Your Coffee-to-Water Ratio
Using a consistent water to coffee ratio will help you with your dose. Then you can adjust for taste. As a general rule, we suggest about a 1:17, coffee to water weight ratio. In other words, for the Chemex we use 42 grams of coffee and about 700 grams of water.
And lastly, make adjustments! If your coffee tastes weak or sour, you should adjust your grind to make it finer. If it tastes too bitter, adjust your grind to make it coarser.
Pour Over Coffee FAQ
What grind size is best for pour over coffee?
A medium-fine grind works best for most pour over methods. If your coffee tastes sour or weak, try a slightly finer grind. If it tastes bitter, go a bit coarser.
What is the best coffee-to-water ratio for pour over?
A good starting point is a 1:17 coffee-to-water ratio by weight. From there, adjust slightly to taste depending on the coffee and your brew method.
What temperature should pour over water be?
Aim for water around 205°F, or about 30 seconds off the boil. Water that’s too cool can under-extract, while water that’s too hot can mute flavor.
Why does my pour over coffee taste bitter or sour?
Sour coffee is usually under-extracted, often from a grind that’s too coarse or a brew that’s too fast. Bitter coffee is typically over-extracted—try a coarser grind or a slightly faster pour.
More burning brew questions? We’re here to help. Check out ourfull brew guides or reach out to us.
