Pour-over brewing gives you a bright, clean cup that shows off what makes each coffee different. It rewards a little precision, but the method itself is simple.
What you need
- A pour-over dripper and a paper filter
- Freshly roasted whole beans and a burr grinder if you have one
- A kitchen scale and a kettle, ideally with a narrow spout
The ratio
Most brewers start at about 1 part coffee to 15 to 17 parts water by weight. For one large mug, try 22 grams of coffee to 350 grams of water. Grind to roughly the texture of coarse sand.
Step by step
- Heat water to just off the boil, around 195°F to 205°F.
- Rinse the paper filter with hot water to remove any papery taste, then discard that water.
- Add the ground coffee, level the bed and start a timer.
- Bloom: pour about twice the coffee's weight in water, enough to wet all the grounds, and wait 30 to 45 seconds while fresh coffee releases gas.
- Pour the rest slowly in spirals, keeping the water level steady, and finish pouring by about 2 minutes.
- Let it drain. Total brew time of 3 to 4 minutes is a good target.
Adjusting the taste
If the cup tastes sour or thin, grind a little finer. If it tastes bitter or harsh, grind a little coarser. Change one thing at a time and you will dial in your favorite beans within a few mornings.
A house guide from the Tacoma Table desk at Tacoma TV 97.