Perfect pour-over technique

Pour-over brewing is a meditative ritual that produces exceptionally clean, nuanced coffee. With practice, you can achieve cafe-quality results at home.

Start with freshly ground coffee—about 15-18 grams for a single cup. Your grind should be medium, like table salt. Heat your water to 195-205°F (90-96°C). If you don't have a thermometer, let boiling water rest for 30 seconds.

Place your filter in the dripper and rinse it with hot water. This removes papery taste and preheats your equipment. Discard the rinse water, add your grounds, and create a small well in the center.

The bloom is crucial. Pour just enough water (about 2x the coffee weight) to saturate all the grounds. Wait 30-45 seconds while CO2 escapes—you'll see the coffee bed bubble and rise. This releases gases that would otherwise interfere with extraction.

Now pour in slow, steady circles, starting from the center and moving outward, then back. Keep the water level consistent, never letting the bed dry out. The total brew time should be 2.5-3.5 minutes.

With practice, you'll learn to adjust variables. Brew too fast and sour? Grind finer. Too slow and bitter? Grind coarser. This control is what makes pour-over so rewarding.