How to Make the Perfect Cup of Coffee using the Pour Over Method

Are you looking to perfect your pour over technique? Or maybe you’re just learning about coffee pour overs for the first time? Either way, you’ve come to the right place. Here are the steps for creating the perfect pour over coffee.

CHOOSE YOUR DEVICE

here are about a million different contraptions for making a pour over coffee. Though some may have some extra features, like the Clever Dripper’s drip control, the essential steps remain the same. One of our favorite ways is using a classic Chemex, so that’s what we’ll be featuring here.

GRIND YOUR COFFEE

Obviously you want to use the best, fresh ground coffee you can find -- maybe even one that helps rescue pups. Once you’ve scoured the earth to find that, grind it to a medium coarseness. People often overlook the importance of the grind’s coarseness. Too coarse and you won’t extract the proper flavor during brewing. Too fine and you’ll over extract for a more bitter brew. Every coarseness has its purpose and for pour overs, we want medium.

MEASURE YOUR GROUNDS

That coffee scoop isn’t just a funny looking spoon. It measures exactly two tablespoons when leveled off.  That is the perfect amount of grounds for every 6-8oz of water, depending on how strong you like your coffee. If we’re using our 8 cup Chemex, that means we want about 8 to 10 coffee scoops worth of grounds.

RINSE YOUR FILTER

Boil water in a kettle until it reaches a temperature of about 200°F. If you’re using the Stagg kettle, there is a built-in thermometer to let you know when you’ve hit the mark. Now place your filter into your Chemex and pour a little bit of your hot water over the filter to rinse it. This helps remove any unwanted flavors from the filter itself. Dump the rinse water from your Chemex and measure 8 cups of water for your pour.

THE MAIN EVENT: THE POUR

Place your measured grounds into the wetted filter and begin your pour slowly.  Start in the center of the grounds and work your way around in circular motions just until you’ve wet all the grounds -- and STOP. Let the coffee bloom for 30 seconds, this important step allows the coffee to release gases so that you may get a proper extraction. After 30 seconds, finish pouring over the grounds in the same, slow and circular method as before until your water is spent.

ENJOY

When the coffee drips from your filter slow to a reasonable pace, you may remove the filter and pour your first fresh cup. Congrats on making the perfect pour over. It’s an age-old simple process, but one that can really be perfected if you pay attention to the small details. Now go drink that coffee… and pet your dog for us.