Pour over coffee is one of the simplest methods for preparing a great cup of coffee – this tried-and-true brewing method only requires a few tools and basic steps. As the name suggests, you simply pour hot water over coffee grounds, and allow the water to drip through the grounds and into the vessel below. You can brew it over a large container to make a pot, or you can brew it directly over a single Mug using our Pour Over Coffee Cone. To ensure you make the best cup possible, here are our tips for how make pour over coffee at home.
Prep Your Ingredients
The only things you need to make pour over coffee are ground coffee, water, a filter, and something to hold the filter. But with so few ‘ingredients’ you need to be sure that each one is perfectly prepped, and the first step is to be sure to grind your coffee beans correctly. Since water will be passing through the coffee grounds and the filter to extract the coffee flavor, a medium coarse grind is best. Use a burr grinder to freshly grind the beans if you can, so that the grounds are uniform in size and are not burnt. You are looking for a grind that looks something like coarse salt or sugar.
Water is the second key ingredient in pour over coffee, so be sure to use fresh cold water, preferably filtered. Bring your water to a boil using a kettle, remove from the heat, and let the water sit for about 30 seconds to one minute. You want the water to be just off the boil in order to unlock all of the great flavors inside of your beans, and to avoid scorching them.
The coffee to water ratio needs to be accurate for maximum flavor, and the following is a good standard recipe for success no matter the brewing method: 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 ounces of fresh water. If you are making a large pot of coffee, simply multiply this ratio to make multiple cups.
For the filter, choose one that best matches the size of the filter holder. This is important because you want the filter to be roughly half to two-thirds full of coffee grounds to ensure that the water flows through the coffee at the correct rate.
Once you have the coffee and water ready, it’s time start pouring. Start with pouring a small amount of water over the filter to rinse away that earthy paper taste, and to set the filter in place (throw away this water). Then pour another small amount of water over the grounds in the filter to dampen them. Wait for about 30 seconds, and then continue pouring the water.
Try to pour consistently and evenly over the grounds, preferably with a small stream of water. Openings at the bottom of the Le Creuset Pour Over Coffee Cone make it easy to see how fast you’re pouring and also when the mug is full. The rate of pouring will directly affect the amount of flavor that is extracted, so you may want to experiment with the pour rate until you get the coffee flavor that you enjoy.
Pour Over Coffee Step by Step
Here is the step-by-step method for making great pour over coffee at home.
- Set the filter - Open the filter and place it in the pour over coffee cone.
- Boil the water - Bring 6 ounces of cold filtered water (per cup) to a boil. Remove from the heat and let sit for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Dampen the filter - Pour a little hot water over the filter, just enough to dampen it. Pour out this water.
- Add the ground coffee - Place 2 tablespoons (per cup) of medium coarse grind coffee in the filter.
- Bloom the grounds - Gently pour a little water over the grounds to wet them, and wait for about 30 seconds.
- Pour the water - Once the grounds have ‘bloomed’, continue slowly pouring water over the grounds in a circular motion to be sure that all of the grounds are wet.
- Ready to enjoy - After all of the water has passed through into the cup, carefully remove the filter with the grounds and discard.
