What is pour over coffee?

What is a pour-over?

The National Coffee Association (NCA) describes pour-over as a method where you simply hand-pour water over coffee grounds in a filter, which extracts flavor as the coffee drips into a container.

What do you need for pour-over coffee?

• A pour-over brewer and filters (paper, metal or cloth).
• A kettle, ideally with a gooseneck spout.
• A thermometer, unless the kettle has one.
• A digital scale.
• A grinder; the NCA calls it optional but preferred, and recommends a burr grinder.

What grind, water temperature and ratio?

Start with a medium grind. If the coffee tastes bitter, grind coarser; if it tastes flat, grind finer. The NCA gives water at 93 C plus or minus 3 C (our conversion: about 190 to 205 F), citing a Specialty Coffee Association standard. The ratio is 1 gram of coffee to 13 to 16 grams of water.

How do you make pour-over coffee?

1. Heat the water to the target temperature.
2. Place the filter and rinse it, then discard the rinse water.
3. Let boiled water rest about a minute.
4. Add the coffee and level the bed.
5. Bloom with twice the coffee’s weight in water and wait 30 to 45 seconds.
6. Pour the remaining water slowly and steadily, spiraling outward from the center.
7. Remove the brewer and serve.

Contact time between coffee and water should be 2 to 4 minutes, per the NCA.