The art of pour-over coffee
A pour-over enthusiast's essentials
The dripper
To make coffee using the method known as drip brewing, you will naturally need a dripper: a small but wonderfully effective vessel through which coffee drips into a server or mug. Drippers vary, but the principle is the same. Ground coffee in a filter, usually inside a cone-shaped brewer, undergoes extraction as the drink drips into the vessel from which it will be served.
The most popular model is the classic V60 from Japan's Hario. Its mysterious-sounding name cleverly describes the product: the sides slope at 60 degrees and the brewer is shaped like an inverted cone, or V. Like other drippers, Hario models can be made from plastic, metal, ceramic or glass. Does that affect the taste? As always, it depends! Plastic and metal conduct heat well, while ceramic and glass maintain a stable temperature for longer. This influences the infusion, although we should not overstate the difference.
Filters
Yes, they are essential. Filters are why pour-over coffee tastes so delicate and clean. Their type matters because their thickness affects how much aromatic oil reaches the cup, and therefore the coffee's body. A thicker filter absorbs more oil, producing a lighter-bodied, more delicate drink. It is best to use original Japanese filters made for the dripper. A different filter can spoil your carefully developed recipe. The arguments following Hario's introduction of redesigned filters in 2018 showed just how disruptive a change could be for coffee enthusiasts.
Scales
Measuring the coffee dose lets you control your recipe's proportions. Since brewing one or two cups usually involves around 20–30 g of coffee, it can be difficult to measure accurately on ordinary kitchen scales. Precision scales can be useful; beginners can start with accuracy to 1 g. Remember that you will probably use them not only to weigh the beans, but also to support the server while pouring hot water over the coffee. A water-resistant weighing surface is therefore worth considering.
The right grind makes a big difference
Remember, a good grind is half the battle. The particles placed in the dripper should be roughly the size of coarse grains of sand. Pour-over grind is sometimes described as medium-coarse. What does that mean? The particles should allow water to pass at a pace that extracts the full flavour and aroma. Too coarse, and the water rushes through like a mountain stream. Too fine, and the flow stalls, leaving an acidic-smelling coffee swamp at the bottom of the filter.
Coffee lovers, remember that every grinder behaves differently. It may take quite a few brews to find the ideal number of clicks for your dripper.
How to brew pour-over coffee
There are probably as many championship pour-over methods as coffee beans in the world. If you browse coffee forums, you may have seen debates between followers of James Hoffmann's technique and Scott Rao's. Do not worry: you need not choose a side. Just remember a few simple principles.
First, patience. Pour-over coffee does not like being rushed. With 22 g of coffee and 350 ml of water, extraction should take around 2 minutes 30 seconds to 2 minutes 45 seconds. Next comes pre-infusion. To help release the desired aromas, wet the grounds with a small amount of water for around 30 seconds. This is the blooming phase, when the aromatic bouquet begins to open up. Finally, add the remaining water in stages using slow, circular movements. Most recipes divide this into two pours, while maintaining the water temperature throughout. Which brings us to temperature.
Almost any barista or coffee enthusiast will tell you that coffee does not like boiling water and blooms best with water between 85°C and 96°C. However, light-roasted coffees — usually our choice for pour-over — tend to prefer higher rather than lower temperatures. You can therefore experiment with successive brews, keeping in mind that warmer may work better.
When the last drops reach the server or mug, wait a moment before your first sip. Then lean in and inhale the sweet, spicy or floral aromas. We are not exaggerating: we do this ourselves, enjoying the new scents we discover every time. All that remains is to savour the delicate yet distinctive bouquet of your coffee and look forward to the next cup!
Related categories and guides
See also our drippers and pour-over brewers, brewing filters and coffee grinders.