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Are you ready to level up your coffee game and experience the rich, fascinating flavours of pour-over coffee? This beginner's guide will walk you through the art of pour-over brewing, step by step. Whether you're a coffee novice or a seasoned coffee connoisseur, there's something for all of us in this guide today. Remember this is a guide, but you may want to adjust some of the steps as you go!
Why Choose Pour-Over Coffee?
Before we dive into the brewing process, a quick intro to why pour-over coffee is worth the effort. Personally I find it one of the most calming parts of my day so well worth the few extra minutes, but beyond that, pour-over brewing allows you to control various elements to extract the most flavour from your beans. Here are a few reasons to consider pour-over coffee:
- Flavour Precision: You have precise control over the coffee's strength and flavour profile, making it the preferred method for coffee enthusiasts.
- Brew Freshness: You grind your beans and brew your coffee when you want it, ensuring that each cup is as fresh as it can be.
- Minimal Equipment: Unlike complex espresso machines, pour-over requires minimal equipment – a pour-over such as the Hario V60, filters, and a kettle are all you need.
Essential Equipment for Pour-Overs
To get started, you'll need a few items:
- Coffee beans: Freshly roasted coffee beans of your choice. Some of our current local favourites include Sample Coffee, Skittle Lane, Seven Seeds
- Grinder: A burr grinder for consistency.
- Pour-Over Cone: The Hario V60 is a popular choice.
- Filters: Choose appropriate filters for your pour-over.
- Kettle: A gooseneck kettle is ideal for precision in pouring. We love the Hario V60 Buono Matte Black gooseneck kettl
- Scale: To measure coffee and water accurately.
- Timer: To monitor brewing time accurately. You can use the timer on your scales, or you can use any timer you may have (for example your phone).
Brewing Steps
Step 1: Boil Water
Start by boiling water to about 200°F (93°C). Allow it to cool slightly to 195°F (90°C).
Step 2: Measure Coffee
We recommend a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15 (1g of coffee to 15g of water). Adjust to your taste. We would normally start with 16 grams of coffee and about 240ml water.
Step 3: Grind Coffee
Grind your coffee with your choice of grinder to a medium-coarse consistency, similar to coarse sand. We recommend our Porlex Mini hand grinder
Step 4: Pre-wet Filter
Place the filter in the pour-over cone, place the cone over your cup or pot and rinse it with hot water. This ensures we eliminate any paper taste and bring the equipment to a nice hot temperature.
Step 5: Add Coffee
Place the ground coffee into the filter, ensuring it's level.
Step 6: Bloom the coffee
Pour just enough water to saturate the coffee grounds, we normally do about 50 grams, and allow it to bloom for 30 seconds. There should be some bubbling and foaming action!
Step 7: Begin Pouring
Start pouring water slowly in a spiral motion from the center outward. Maintain a consistent flow to avoid over-extraction. Do not go too far to the edges as you want to be constantly wetting the coffee grounds.
Photo by Tolga deniz Aran
Step 8: Wait and Enjoy
Your coffee will slowly drip into the pot or cup. Total brew time should be around 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Want it iced? Let the coffee cool slightly and then add ice!
Tip: Try tasting as it cools as the flavour profile will change with great beans!
Troubleshooting Tips
- If your brew is too weak, or the brewing time is too fast, try a finer grind to increase the brewing time
- If your brew is over extracted, and the brewing time is too long, try a coarser grind to reduce the brewing time
- Experiment with different coffee beans to find your favourite flavour profiles.
Conclusion
Didn't seem that hard to mastered the art of pour-over coffee did it? Try this guide, listen to the sound of the pour-over, dripping slowly into your cup. I hope you will find not only the coffee enjoyable, but also the process itself. With a bit of practice, you'll be able to brew a delicious cup that suits your unique taste. Don't forget to explore various beans to find your perfect pour-over brew. Happy brewing!
Photo by Sümeyye Uğurlu: