I love meeting friends at coffee shops for lattes and conversations. More than that, I love enjoying a slow morning at home making coffee myself. I’ve tried nearly every method out there: drip machine, Keurig, French Press, Nespresso, espresso machine and pour over. My go-to favorite, however, is the pour over. It’s quick, simple, and has a lot of flavor pay off.
The concept of pour over coffee is a bit intimidating, I know. But once you have your basic tools you’ll love the way you can control your morning cup o’ joe. The speed you pour the water, the grind of the beans…you have control! I will preface the rest of this post by saying: I drink my coffee black. So most of my recommendations and preferences are based on the fact I’m not adding any creams or sugars.
My Favorite Tools for Pour Over Coffee
The images below link to Amazon. If you do buy I may get a kick-back.
This is the pour over brewer that I have. I love the built-in filter – although I use a paper one in addition for easy clean up. The cork handle makes it easy to pour without burning your hand. I also love that it’s easy to remove so I can put the carafe in the dishwasher if needed. This one is also a bit of a larger size which means I can use it if I’m making coffee just for me or for a few more people. Options people, I have to have options.
Having an electric kettle with the “gooseneck” is a game changer for pour over coffee. The long, narrow neck allows you to have a more controlled pour. This is the one I have. Next time I am planning to invest in one with the digital temp control. Then I won’t have to wait for the boiling water to cool. The less time that stands between me and my first cup of coffee, the better.
How to brew pour over coffee at home:
I am a firm believer that a good cup of coffee begins with great beans and good water. I’m a self-proclaimed water snob. I cannot stand most tap water – I feel like I can taste the chlorine! And who wants chlorine flavor in their coffee? Definitely not me. So, water tangent over, you need good purified water.
Coffee beans. A lot of this is trial and error to discover what you like. I personally prefer a lighter roast for most coffees. Over the years I’ve been able to invest in my little at home barista station. One of those investments is a coffee grinder. There’s something so magical about the smell of fresh ground coffee – and the freshness cannot compare. That said, I think that the pour over method still allows a great cup from pre-ground beans.
My Favorite Pre-Ground Coffee for Pour Over:
- I recently came across the brand Coffee Over Cardio: It’s a woman-owned business that is honestly completely on brand for me. Fortunately the coffee is as good as the brand, ha! Use code 10shi for 10% off if you want to give it a try. My favorite from them is Flourish (hello Kona!). Shop here: http://coffeeovercardio.com/discount/10shi
- Starbucks Veranda Blend: Great blonde roast! I really like how mellow it is.
If you’re grinding the beans yourself, you don’t want them too fine. Think somewhere between kosher salt and sand. You want them fine enough to hold water, but not so fine that you’re creating mud. Again, something you can test to see what you prefer.
The steps to making your Pour Over Coffee
Once you have your Coffee and Water, it’s time to make your pour over. I’ll link my favorite tools below.
Step 1: Begin boiling water
Step 2: While water boils pre-heat your carafe and coffee mug.
I just use hot water from the sink and fill the carafe. This helps your coffee and mug to maintain its temperature. This tip is especially great if you’re a slow coffee drinker like me. I like to savor my cup, not chug it.
Step 3: Measure out your coffee and put in filter.
The carafe I link above has a metal filter. I personally like to also use a paper filter to avoid any “mud” at the bottom. I put 3 – 4 scoops in depending on the coffee and how much I’m making. If you’re wanting to be especially precise you can actually get a digital scale and do an exact coffee to water ratio. I don’t have time for that so I simply guess and adjust based on how I liked my cup previously.
Step 4: Allow water to cool 2 minutes after boiling.
You don’t want to put straight boiling water onto your grounds. That will burn the beans and result in a more bitter cup. Let it cool 2 minutes, trust me.
Step 5: Time to start brewing! Dump out the water used to pre-heat the carafe and place filter in side. Slowly pour just enough water to saturate the beans, then PAUSE! Wait about 30 seconds to allow the grind to “bloom.” Then, resume pouring slowly in a circular motion. At this point you want to make sure you’re keeping all the grounds saturated. This is not a race! Pour slow and allow the filter to fill.
Step 6: Wait patiently and enjoy the smell.
Once you’ve poured the amount of water over the grounds, it’s time to wait for gravity to do its thing. This does not take long.
Step 7: Remove the filter and enjoy!
