For a true coffee lover, nothing is more satisfying than participating in every step of the coffee making process and getting the most out of precious, beloved beans. From choosing the roast to getting the perfect grind to choosing the best method to extract that liquid gold, it's as much a ritual as it is an adventure into the pristine world of caffeine.
And while there are many ways to make your own coffee, nothing says “the great coffee lover who knows his cup” other than pouring the coffee on you.
But what is a pour over coffee and how can you make a consistently great cup of coffee?
pouring water over coffee
Pouring water over the coffee is a fairly simple way to get brewed coffee. Basically, you put a paper cone in your brewing equipment. Then put your ground beans in the filter, pour hot water over it and wait a few minutes until the coffee-laden liquid collects in the lower chamber.
Many avid coffee drinkers opt for this method of brewing because it offers a controlled way to evenly distribute water between beans. This technique results in a crisp, flavorful coffee without any traces of bitterness.
How to make a great water pour over coffee?
Step 1.
Boil the water. Measure and boil at least 600 ml of water. The ideal water temperature for pouring over coffee is between 195F and 205F. Therefore, when our water starts to boil, turn off the heat and leave it for 30 seconds to a minute.
Step 2.
Grind the coffee. It's best to use freshly ground coffee of your choice, so grind the coffee beans you need to pour over your coffee. Professional baristas and home coffee enthusiasts also say they invest in a quality burr grinder for a consistent grind that results in coffee extraction.
A good brewing ratio is 60 grams of coffee per liter of water, or you can try a coffee/water ratio of 1:12 to 1:17. However, you can make adjustments according to your own preference.
Step 3.
Pre-wet the filter.
Wet your paper filter so that your coffee does not taste like paper. It also allows your filter to stick to the sides of your brewing equipment for a better fit.
Wet-adhere the filter to the spout of your brewing equipment, and then carefully pour hot water all over the filter in a circular motion for about five seconds. Then pour the water that has passed through the filter into the glass.
Step 4.
Make the coffee bloom. Pour the coffee grounds into the filter and tap gently to make sure the grounds are set evenly. Make sure the filter is stuck to the brewing equipment.
Then add enough hot water to get all floors wet. This blooming process of the coffee allows the coffee to swell and expand, while releasing carbon dioxide. This also releases the wonderful smell and flavor of the coffee and prepares you for the delicious cup in front of you.
Step 5.
Start adding water. Pouring water over coffee may be simple, but it still requires some form of finesse. Do not rush to pour the water over the coffee.
The correct way to pour over the coffee is to slowly pour the water over the ground in circular motions. Start at the outer edge of the coffee that hits the filter and slowly work your way towards the center, saturating all the grounds evenly. This should take about 15 seconds. Then stop and let your coffee drip before making the second pour.
Step 6.
Keep pouring water.
Once you see that there aren't many ground coffee drips or that the coffee grounds are no longer saturated with too much water, it's time to make your second pour. The interval from the end of the first pour to the beginning of the second should be about 30 seconds.
Starting in the middle of the filter, again in a circular motion, slowly pour in a steady stream of hot water, towards the outer edge and then back to the centre. Make sure you don't miss the outer edges of the coffee.
This even, circular motion in and out and back in helps prevent soils from collecting unevenly around the filter and missing extraction. It also creates turbulence that mixes the coffee in the filter so that the water contacts the entire coffee grounds. This takes about 45 to 65 seconds, depending on how much coffee and water you have.
Step 7. Final water dump.
As the coffee mixture passes through the filter to extract your precious brew, pour additional water in the same slow, steady motions as the second pour. This will take 15 to 20 seconds.
Complete your final pour as the mixture drops to the bottom of the filter and into your glass. This should take 15 to 20 seconds. Then serve your coffee.
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