14 Tips For Perfect Pour-Over Coffee

From Redditor /u/ritobugger

The ceramic filter holder works fine. Get a good grinder, not a blade one. Buy a cheap digital kitchen scale that reads at least in grams, preferably 0.1 grams. Also, grab a kettle if you lack one.

Adjust the water to bean ratio to suit your taste. I prefer a strong cup; use 25 grams of beans for 375 grams of water (1:15).

From Redditor /u/Fightmeilikecheese

For my Chemex, I keep it simple. Trial and error guides the process. The pour matters as much as the grounds. I use medium coarse grounds. Too coarse speeds the drip; too fine slows it down. You must find that balance. After boiling water, I wet the filter. I place the Chemex on the scale, zeroing it. I add my ground beans to the wet filter and multiply that number by 14.

For example, 30g coffee times 14g water equals 420g total (on your scale). This is not 420g of coffee; it measures the brewing process. This is my ratio because too much water waters it down. I like all the coffee flavors together.

420 grams is the magic number for brewing. I add about 30g of water and wait thirty seconds for the bloom. Next, I add about 200g of water in a circle, waiting for some to drain. I stop then continue slowly in a circle.

I wait until 400g, then I stop and let the water drain. I need a flatbed by the three-minute mark. If coffee sits on the sides, I knock it down with the remaining 20g of water. Then, at three minutes, I lift the filter.

If water remains, I lift it and let it drain onto my mug. I drink it (It's bitter, but I won't waste good coffee). Then, I toss the grounds and filter in the trash.

That is my coffee ritual every time I use the Chemex.

From Redditor /u/AnOriginalId

Watch James Hoffmann on Youtube for advice, reviews, and how-to videos. This week, he made a video on the ultimate V60 technique.

Chris Baca is also worth watching.

I cannot add much more than what these two say about the subject.

Edit: Do not treat ratios and grinds as rules. You make coffee for yourself, not others. I make coffee slightly weaker than most suggest. They are starting points. Then, you adjust the recipe to make coffee you like.

From Redditor /u/marbymarbs

Pour just over double the coffee weight. Coffee grinds hold about double their weight in water. Wait roughly 30 seconds; the grinds need that time to soak up the water.

Pouring too much water drips underextracted coffee. Pouring too little means the grinds don't get enough water for extraction.

Redditor /u/b_ng

I looked around for recipes.

What works perfectly for me is:

Use 30g of freshly ground, roasted beans.

Start the scale at 0g. Use water between 200-205F.

Use double the weight for the bloom, using 60g of water.

Wait 40-50 seconds for the bloom.

Use 100g of water.

After the first 100g drips, add another 100g of water.

Once that water drips, fill the scale to about 350g.

My coffee has no sourness now. I used to stir the grounds, but now I don't touch them. I let the water drip.

Try it and let me know if it works!

I found this method, it changed my life. Getting a Baratza Encore gave me even grinds. I grind beans on setting 14. I use a Hario V60 now, and I hope to move to a Chemex. I pre-wet the filter with 205F water. When pouring, I aim for every spot and dark area, and I try to make a lot of foam.

Redditor /u/antnego

Use an online calculator and a scale to help.

https://www.osakacoffee.com/calculator/

Dial in a recipe you like and make it the same every time. The pour-over technique matters less; it is more forgiving than you think.

Use hot (205F) water. Your beans should grind within 15-30 seconds of the first pour.

I take the heated water in a gooseneck kettle. I carefully bloom the grounds with about 80g of water in a circular motion. Then, I quickly stir for even distribution and gassing. After 30 seconds, I start in the middle of the grounds and move outward, avoiding the edges of the filter. I work back in. I keep the filter about half to three-quarters full of water during the brew. This should take 2.5 to 3 minutes total for the last pour.

You should get a decent result from this basic formula. Tweak it by changing the brew time, temperature, and coffee water ratio to your taste.

Redditor /u/janmariegray

Do not use Amazon paper filters with a Chemex. They are fake and taste bad, even if you rinse them. Buy filters from a good store. Use really good beans roasted within a couple of weeks. Good luck! My coffee life changed!

Redditor /u/sleeppastbreakfast

Start out? Get a Hario 02 plastic V60 (£5/6). Its size lets you pour more and makes a nice circle. You can grab a cheap pouring kettle on Amazon. For the grinder, I use a Delonghi KG79, which cost £38, but you can start with a hand grinder.

From Redditor /u/ChollyCafe

Most guides tell you to rinse the paper filter first. I skip this step. I like the flavor better. It tastes sweeter. Rinse those bleached white filters always.

From Redditor /u/JethroMcClintock

I had an 'ah-hah' moment last week. Control brew time by changing water levels. More water means more surface area for the coffee to seep. Brew too fast? Keep the water level lower. Hit target brew times and something is wrong. Check grind size and other factors.

From Redditor /u/FluskyButt

Use most pour-over methods with that dripper. You might need to adjust the grind size because it has smaller holes. I prefer Scott Rao's new method. It scales up or down easily based on brew size. Use a 3:1 ratio for the bloom, stir gently or swirl. Then, pour one main amount for a small 15-gram dose, or two or three equal pours for 20-gram doses, pausing between pours so the slurry drains halfway.

Brew time shifts based on grind size, quality, dose, pours, roast, origin, etc. I cannot prescribe a time. Start with a medium grind. Make it finer slowly until you taste astringency. Then, make it slightly coarser for the best extraction.

From Redditor /u/MarkHathaway1

Boil water. Let it sit a few seconds.

I use a small plastic cream cup that holds the same amount as my coffee cup. I add some hot water to pre-heat the carafe and mug.

I pour water and add coffee grounds to the cone filter. Tap the filter to level the coffee. Then, I use about 1/4 cup of hot water to wet the grounds (bloom for about 30 seconds). Use a spoon to nudge coffee grounds to the bottom of the cone. Then, I fill the small plastic cup and pour slowly over the grounds into the carafe for coffee. The grounds keep some water; I throw that away.

I swirl the carafe to help some fines dissolve into the water and coffee. Let it settle and cool for a minute or three, then pour for drinking. Undesirable slurry often forms at the end of the pour; I let it go down the drain. This changes with each pour-over but is usually less than 3-4 tablespoons.

Water and coffee grounds for one cup change based on how strong you want your coffee and the coffee type. Start somewhere—say, a 15:1 water to ground coffee ratio—then change it on next tries to get your taste.

I usually make one cup. Making two or three is similar if you keep the proportions right.

From aRedditor

I got a V60 pour-over at Stumptown in NYC weeks ago. I saw the barista stir the grounds before and after the bloom. I had never heard of this. I asked, and he said there are two ideas. One says don't touch the grounds for gentleness and evenness. The other claims not touching leaves dry pockets.

I liked this idea, so I've tried it at home. Stirring the grounds works. You see dry pockets without stirring. Pour-over fans: gently stir the grounds for a totally even extraction!

From Redditor /u/wjmonty96

Find your grind size and ratio. I use a 16.5:1 water to coffee ratio in all my pour overs. That means 20g of coffee and 330 grams of water.