How to Brew Pour-Over Coffee: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why Pour-Over?

Pour-over coffee has a reputation for being fussy. It's not. What it is, is intentional — a brew method that rewards a little attention with a cup that's cleaner, brighter, and more nuanced than almost anything a machine can produce.

If you've ever wondered why your coffee at a specialty café tastes so much better than what you make at home, there's a good chance pour-over is part of the answer. Here's how to replicate it.

What You'll Need

• A pour-over dripper (V60, Chemex, Kalita Wave, or similar)
• Paper filters (matched to your dripper)
• A gooseneck kettle (highly recommended for control)
• A kitchen scale
• A burr grinder
• Fresh, quality coffee beans
• Filtered water

You don't need all of this on day one — but a scale and a burr grinder are the two upgrades that will make the biggest difference if you don't have them yet.

The Ratio: Start Here

The foundation of any good pour-over is the coffee-to-water ratio. A reliable starting point is 1:15 to 1:17 — that's 1 gram of coffee for every 15–17 grams of water.

For a standard single cup (roughly 300ml / 10oz):

• 18–20g of coffee to 300g of water

Adjust to taste: more coffee (lower ratio) for a stronger, more intense cup; less coffee (higher ratio) for something lighter and more delicate.

Grind Size

For pour-over, you want a medium-fine grind — similar to table salt. Too fine and the water will drain too slowly, over-extracting and turning bitter. Too coarse and it'll drain too fast, leaving you with a sour, thin cup.

If you're not sure where to start, check out our complete grind size guide for a full breakdown by brew method.

Water Temperature

Aim for 195–205°F (90–96°C) — just off the boil. If you don't have a thermometer, bring water to a full boil and let it sit for 30–45 seconds. That's close enough.

Water that's too cool will under-extract (sour, flat). Water that's too hot can over-extract lighter roasts (bitter). The sweet spot is just below boiling.

Step-by-Step: How to Brew Pour-Over Coffee

Step 1: Heat Your Water

Bring filtered water to a boil, then let it rest for 30–45 seconds to drop to the ideal temperature range.

Step 2: Rinse the Filter

Place your paper filter in the dripper and rinse it thoroughly with hot water. This removes any papery taste and pre-heats your dripper and vessel. Discard the rinse water.

Step 3: Grind and Add Coffee

Grind your coffee to medium-fine and add it to the rinsed filter. Give the dripper a gentle shake to level the bed. Place it on your scale and tare to zero.

Step 4: The Bloom (0:00–0:45)

Start your timer. Pour just enough water to saturate all the grounds — roughly 2–3x the weight of your coffee (so about 40–60g for a 20g dose). Pour slowly and evenly, making sure every ground gets wet.

Let it bloom for 30–45 seconds. You'll see the coffee bed bubble and expand — that's CO2 releasing from fresh coffee. A strong bloom means fresh beans. If nothing happens, your coffee may be stale.

Step 5: First Pour (0:45–1:30)

Begin pouring in slow, steady circles from the center outward, then back in. Pour up to about 50% of your total water weight. Keep the pour gentle and controlled — a gooseneck kettle makes this much easier.

Step 6: Second and Third Pours (1:30–2:30)

Continue pouring in two or three more additions, letting the water level drop slightly between each pour before topping up. Maintain slow, circular pours. Avoid pouring directly onto the filter walls.

Step 7: Drawdown (2:30–3:30)

Once you've added all your water, let the coffee drain completely. The total brew time from first pour to last drip should be 3:00–4:00 minutes.

• Draining too fast (under 3 min): grind finer next time
• Draining too slow (over 4 min): grind coarser next time

Step 8: Taste and Adjust

Remove the dripper, give your cup a gentle swirl, and taste. A well-brewed pour-over should taste balanced — sweet, clean, with a pleasant finish. If it's sour or thin, grind finer. If it's bitter or harsh, grind coarser.

What Coffee Works Best for Pour-Over?

Pour-over is a transparent brew method — it shows you exactly what's in the bean, good and bad. That makes it ideal for high-quality single-origin coffees where you want to taste the origin character clearly.

Our Glory was practically made for pour-over. It's a washed Colombian from the Huila region — a process and origin known for producing exceptionally clean, sweet cups. Brewed as a pour-over, its notes of chocolate and caramelized honey come through with a clarity that's hard to achieve any other way.

Common Pour-Over Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

• Skipping the bloom: You'll get uneven extraction and a flat cup. Always bloom.
• Pouring too fast: Agitates the grounds unevenly and can cause channeling. Slow and steady wins.
• Not rinsing the filter: Adds a papery taste. Takes 10 seconds. Always do it.
• Using stale coffee: No technique fixes old beans. Buy fresh, buy whole bean, grind before brewing.
• Ignoring brew time: Time is your feedback loop. Track it and adjust grind size accordingly.

V60 vs. Chemex vs. Kalita Wave: Does It Matter?

All three produce excellent pour-over coffee — the differences are subtle:

• V60: Fast drain, high clarity, very responsive to technique. Great for experienced brewers.
• Chemex: Thicker filter, slower drain, slightly heavier body. Forgiving and elegant.
• Kalita Wave: Flat-bottom design promotes even extraction. Consistent and beginner-friendly.

Start with whichever you have. Master the fundamentals first — ratio, grind, temperature, and pour technique — then experiment with different drippers if you want to explore.

Ready to Brew?

Pour-over is one of those things that clicks quickly once you try it. The first time you nail the bloom, keep a steady pour, and pull a cup that actually tastes like the tasting notes on the bag — you'll understand why people love this method.

Start with Glory. Grind medium-fine, use a 1:16 ratio, bloom for 45 seconds, and pour slowly. It's a forgiving, rewarding coffee to learn with — and the cup it produces is worth every second of attention.