There are many ways to make your morning cup of joe, whether it's with a French press, a drip machine, and more.
However, there is one method that coffee aficionados always seem to prefer over the rest: pour over.
"The preference for pour over is that, when executed correctly (i.e. proper grind size, water temperature, saturation), the result is by far the most dimensional and balanced of any brew method (in my opinion)," says Scott Price, head of roasting and production at Mud Coffee. "The time that the water is in contact with the grind is optimal to ensure that all the proteins and lipids (which carry most of the flavor) are extracted from the coffee, but not so long that it pushes over-extraction or astringency" .
Michael Phillips, 2010 world barista champion and global director of engagement and education at Blue Bottle Coffee, agrees.
"Pour over is my personal preferred method of making coffee, so I tend to make them often, about two to three times a day on average," Phillips says.
We talked to coffee roasters and baristas to find out everything you need to know so you can make the perfect cup of pour-over at home.
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What is pour over coffee?
"Pouring is technically the same as what most people will call 'dripping'. The water comes into contact with the coffee grounds from above, then, through the force of gravity, makes its way through the bed from the grounds, through some sort of filter (typically paper) and into a pitcher below," says Phillips.
However, a manual pouring process using the correct skill set provides much more control than automated machines and allows for better drinks to be created.
This drip method is in contrast to another popular brewing method, the French press.
And for some coffee roasts, the experts we spoke to prefer pour over.
"For darker coffees, a French press or auto-drip would be suitable, as they will extract much more quickly and potentially introduce more 'roast' bitterness in a pour," says Price.
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"A French press can make a delicious cup, but it tends to be heavily defined by its metal filtration that allows sediment to pass into the cup," says Phillips.
"This can give a greater sense of body, but it also reduces clarity, giving a more muddled flavor profile. Personally, I like the cleaner cup you get from a pour, but this is mostly a matter of preference."
In addition to making a tastier cup, the act of pouring is a bit slower, meaning you can take the time to take a mental break.
"Beyond the cup, the act of pouring is a meditative exercise that helps ground and center me within the five minutes it takes to brew," says Phillips.
The ritual of doing so is almost as enjoyable as the cup afterward.
So if you're ready to dive into the world of pouring, we asked our experts for their step-by-step recipes for making your drink.
Instructions for pouring
Step 1: Heat the water
The first key to making the perfect pour-over cup is heating the water to the right temperature.
"This may surprise readers, but because there is so much heat loss during pouring and brewing, it's safe and helpful to use the water right after boiling," says Scott Rao, coffee consultant and author of coffee books. coffee as 'The Professional Barista's Handbook'.
Another thing to pay attention to is the quality of the water.
"Use clean water, preferably filtered, but not distilled," says Cox.
"Minerality helps brew coffee, but there's too much on tap and not enough in the brew."
Step 2: A fresh grind is a must
All of our experts recommend grinding your coffee fresh just before brewing.
In terms of consistency and quantity, opinions differ slightly, but Cox suggests starting with a general ratio of 1 ounce grains per 16 ounces of water, ground to the consistency of sand.
If your first cup doesn't taste the way you want, Phillips suggests changing the grind instead of the amount of coffee you use.
"Grinding too coarse can result in a drink that tastes sour quickly," he says.
"Grinding too fine can result in a slower brew that tastes bitter. The trick is to find the sweet spot in the middle, and you usually only find it through trial and error."
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Step 3: Moisten the filter, add the coffee and prepare to pour
Now that your water is hot and your coffee is ground, you can set up your pour-over machine and add a filter to it.
Many of our experts recommend wetting the paper filter by pouring a little water through it before adding the coffee;
however, Kasperowicz says this step is not necessary.
Before you begin the next step, have a timer handy, as you'll need to know when to start and stop your pours.
Step 4: Wet your ground coffee and wait
You might think it's time to pour, but there's still one more critical step before fully brewing: flowering.
"How the water is added is a VERY debatable topic among coffee professionals, but most techniques involve adding a small amount of water to start (we do about 50 grams) and then letting it steep for a further 45 seconds or less," Phillips says.
"This is the flowering phase where the coffee is letting out the gas trapped when it was roasted."
This stage is so important because, according to Cox, if you don't allow the gases in the coffee to escape, your cup won't taste good.
"You should see big bubbles coming out of your coffee," he says.
"These are natural trapped gases from escaping fresh coffee. If you don't give it time between pours, this gas gets trapped in your final drink and can make it taste too acidic."
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Many experts recommend pouring about three times the weight of your ground coffee in water to make sure it's completely moist.
Step 5: Pour slowly and be patient
After letting your coffee bloom for 30 to 45 seconds, you're finally ready to pour.
This step requires the most technique, so don't worry if you don't get it the first few times.
However, the experts we talked to have different methods for their pours, so you can try them all and pick the one you like best.
Cox says that after you flower your grounds, you should pour.
"Pour in enough water to moisten the coffee grounds halfway, wait, let it drain a bit, and repeat."
Phillips has a slightly stricter technique: "Proceed to add the remaining amount of water over a series of pours, adding a few, letting it drain, adding a little more, and so on. We like to do four pours in our coffees."
Rao, on the other hand, does fewer pours, but encourages you to occasionally rotate the container to mix the coffee with the water.
"When pouring, hold the kettle at a constant height, pour gently with a vertical stream of water, and try to spread the pour evenly around the suspension," he says.
"When the timer reaches 0:45, pour until the total weight of the water reaches 200 grams. Rotate the container for just one second," he says.
"When the water level above the ground is less than half an inch, pour off the remaining water using the same technique as before. Swirl the container for a second. It should be served when the coffee has drained through the grounds."
Step 6: Enjoy!
Once your coffee has finished dripping, you can throw away (or compost) the leftover coffee grounds and filter, rinse your container, and enjoy the perfect cup of pour over.
Our experts say the key to making a great pour over cup is to test the cup afterwards and figure out what you can change to make your next cup even better.
"Once you make a
pour-over
, you don't have to be a trained barista to make adjustments and make it taste just the way you like it, as long as you keep a consistent routine and pay attention," says Kasperowicz.
"If it tastes too bitter for you, grind a little coarser next time and keep the rest of your grind the same and that should help. Too sour? Grind a little finer. Too weak? Use a little less water."
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But above all, our experts recommend experimenting and having fun.
"Find the things that work and make the coffee you like. If other people don't agree or don't like it, they don't have to drink it!"
Pour over coffee equipment
In addition to asking our experts how to make pour-over coffee, we also asked them for recommendations on the best equipment to brew it:
Kalita Wave 185
MX$ 1,084 and
$24.49 USD;
on amazon
The Kalita Wave also comes recommended by almost every expert we spoke to.
It's a great option if you only need to make one mug at a time, and it comes in a wide variety of colors.
pour over coffee maker
MX$849 and
USD$44.63;
on amazon
If you make coffee for more than one person, this is definitely the pour over maker presentation for you.
The pitcher is built into the pour, beautiful, elegant and modern.
Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper
MX$ 520 and
$22.49 USD;
on amazon
Rao and Price recommend this dripper for its simple design and delicious results.
Porlex Mini Coffee Grinder
MX$2,294 and
USD$66.55
The Japanese-made Porlex Mini is a dream for frequent travelers.
Whether you're frequently on the road and have a more refined taste than the standard in-room coffee station can satisfy, or you often go camping, this hand grinder can keep your coffee just the way you like it no matter where you are.
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