Learning how to make pour-over coffee is a must for all coffee lovers. There is just something so satisfying about taking coffee beans fresh from the grinder, adding water with a gooseneck kettle, and watching brewing perfection drip through the filter into the glass carafe.
If you have not yet experienced this delightful luxury, I encourage you to join me as I teach you how to make pour-over coffee at home that’s sure to receive a rave review.
What Is Pour Over Coffee?
Pour-over coffee is not the same as a drip coffee. It’s a method of hand pouring water over coffee grounds where the brewed coffee drips through a filter into a mug or container.
Learning how to make pour-over coffee allows for more control over the coffee and water so that the flavor and oils can be extracted optimally.
Why I Love Pour Over Coffee
Many of you know that on my walks through the garden and around our place, I almost always have a mug in my hand. I have always appreciated a good cup of coffee (or herbal tea!).
I admit that in the past I spent most of my discretionary budget on drive-through coffee stops.
Now, I rarely go to coffee shops because a few years ago we decided to learn how to make a good cup of coffee at home and up our coffee game!
Almost every time I make a video, and my coffee makes an appearance in the background, I get asked about my technique, how I do it, and what that unusual-looking contraption is!
While I also own a French press and a Breville Barista Express, pour-over coffee is hands-down my favorite way to make great coffee. In fact, Miah and I make our coffee differently so we each make our own coffee every morning.
While he enjoys the espresso machine, I’m all about the pour-over! So it delights me to share with you how to make pour-over coffee right at home!
Ingredients and Supplies Needed
- Coffee – I prefer buying locally roasted coffee. I know that’s more expensive, but I like to support local businesses as much as I can. I always make sure to buy ethically sourced, as this industry can have a really dark side. When you are making your coffee right and taking the time to perfect it, use a good quality coffee bean that you can appreciate all of the intricate flavors!
- Hot Water – I own an electric kettle found on Amazon, and prefer this to boiling water on the stovetop. My kettle has a setting for coffee that allows the water to be at a perfect brewing temperature. Boiling water is too much heat too soon on ground coffee beans and will extract too much out of the beans, thus creating a bitter cup of coffee. If your water comes to a boil, let it sit on the stove and allow it cool for a bit.
- Coffee Grinder – Grind matters! Burr grinders provide the highest quality grind but are expensive. A blade grinder can work just fine. The trick is to pulse your beans instead of holding the button until the beans are ground. This will help achieve the best consistency possible with a blade grinder. You will want to have a slightly coarse grind size unless you prefer a strong cup of coffee. The finer the grind, the stronger the coffee.
- Pour Over Coffee Maker – There are many brands and styles of pour-over coffee makers. Mine is a Chemex found on Amazon, and was gifted to me. It has worked great for many years.
- Coffee Filters – These will differ according to the coffee maker you choose. I have the fabric kind that came with my coffee maker but I prefer to use paper filters found on Amazon. I think they make a better cup.
How to Make Pour-Over Coffee
- Heat the water between 195°F and 205°F. (If the water comes to a boil, simply remove it from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.)
- Place a filter in the coffee maker.
- Grind the coffee beans, and measure a coffee to water ratio using 1-2 Tablespoons of grounds into the filter for every 6 oz. of water used.
- Slowly pour enough water over the grounds until they are just covered, and allow the grounds to expand for about 30 seconds. This step is the blooming process and is releasing the carbon dioxide trapped in the beans. When the carbon dioxide is released, it allows the beans to absorb the remaining water used so that the maximum potential of flavor can be extracted.
- Repeat slow pours moving from the outside in a circular motion to the inside of the beans. The benefit of having a gooseneck electric kettle is to aid in the slow pour and not disburse the coffee grounds to the outer edges.
- Once all the water has poured through, remove the filter, and enjoy!
The entire process takes about 8-9 minutes. If you’re a busy mama like me, you know those minutes will go by quickly as you do all of the other kitchen things in the morning!
Add in a splash of raw cream, a drizzle of honey, or whatever else you like in your cup! It’s as simple as that!
More Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours
- An Incredibly Basic Farmhouse Quiche Recipe
- Dutch Oven Roast Beef (Sweet Miah’s Signature Dish)
- Homestead Dinners: Spatchcock Chicken
- Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe (Easy & Rustic)
- How To Make Homemade Mayonnaise
- Homemade Mozzarella Cheese – Step-by-Step Tutorial (Goat’s or Cow’s Milk)
How To Make Pour Over Coffee At Home
Equipment
- 1 Pour Over Coffee Maker
- 1 Coffee Filter
- 1 Kettle Preferably Gooseneck
Ingredients
- 8 Tablespoons Ground Coffee May be increased if stronger coffee is preferred.
- 48 Ounces Water
Instructions
- Heat the water between 195°F and 205°F. (If the water comes to a boil, simply remove it from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.)
- Place the filter in the coffee maker.
- Grind the coffee beans, and pour into the filter.
- Slowly pour enough water over the grounds until they are just covered, and allow the grounds to expand for about 30 seconds.
- Repeat slow pours moving from the outside in a circular motion to the inside of the beans.
- Once all the water has poured through, remove the filter, pour into your favorite mug, and enjoy!
Notes
- If the water comes to a boil, simply remove it from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
- This recipe can be adjusted to make more or less cups of coffee as needed. Coffee to water ratio should be 1-2 Tablespoons of grounds (depending on how strong you like your coffee) for every 6 oz. of water used.
- The initial pour of water over the grounds is called the blooming process, and is releasing the C02 trapped in the beans. When the C02 is released, it allows the beans to absorb the remaining water used so that maximum potential of flavor can be extracted.
- The benefit of having a gooseneck electric kettle is to aid in the slow pour, and not disburse the coffee grounds to the outer edges.
