How to Make Pourover Coffee

It seems like there is always a new gadget or trend in coffee brewing. We are all for innovation, but sometimes the simplest tried and true methods are still the best. Pourover coffee falls into this category, and we find ourselves often going back to this classic coffee brewing method.

Pourover coffee is certainly one of the simplest methods for preparing coffee. It only requires that you have ground coffee, a filter, and something to hold the filter. You can brew it over a large vessel to make a pot, or you can brew it directly over a single cup.

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.

GRIND IT RIGHT

Since the water will be passing through the coffee grounds and the filter, be sure to use a medium coarse grind. Use a burr grinder to freshly grind the beans if you can, so that the grinds are fairly even in size. You are looking for a grind that looks something like coarse salt or sugar. Check out this article if you need a refresher on grinding.

KNOW YOUR RATIO

No matter what method of coffee brewing you are using, you always want to make sure that your coffee to water ratio is accurate. We always recommend the following ratio: 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 ounces of fresh water. If you are making a large pot of coffee, just multiply this ratio to make multiple cups. 

GETTING READY TO BREW

You will want a filter that matches the size of the filter holder. Seems obvious, but it is important to note. The reason why is that you want the filter to be roughly half to two-thirds full of coffee grounds. This ensures that the water flows through the coffee at the correct rate.

As for the water, we always recommend that you use fresh cold water, preferably filtered. Bring your water to a boil, remove from 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.

Another tip is to first pour a small amount of water over the filter to rinse away that earthy paper taste, and to set the filter in place. Be sure to 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. The faster you pour, the faster the water will pass through the filter and the coffee will be stronger. So you may want to experiment with the rate until you get the strength that you enjoy.  

STEP-BY-STEP

Now we’re all set! Here is the step-by-step method for making great pourover coffee:

1. Open the filter and place in the filter holder.
2. Bring 6 ounces of cold filtered water (per cup) to a boil. Remove from heat, and let sit for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Pour a little hot water over the filter, just enough to dampen it. Pour out this water.
4. Place 2 tablespoons (per cup) of medium coarse grind Charleston Coffee Roasters coffee in the filter.
5. Gently pour a little water over the grounds to wet them, and wait for about 30 seconds.
6. 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.
7. After all of the water has passed through the filter, carefully remove the filter with the grounds and discard.
8. Pour yourself a cup and enjoy!