Pour over coffee tends to have a richer flavour than regular drip coffee as the brewing time is slightly longer. This means the water has more time to extract the flavours from the grounds. Most coffee aficionados will agree this is the superior way to enjoy a cup of coffee.
MAKING POUR-OVER COFFEE ACHIEVES THREE MAJOR THINGS:
- One, it'll make you & your friends think you're more of a barista than you actually are
- Two, it'll help you feel like you're in an industrial-themed Japanese cafe & not your kitchen
- Three, it's just about the cleanest, smoothest cup of coffee you can make.
What’s the best machine to make pour over coffee?
There are multiple contraptions you can buy to pull this off, but the most widely known are Chemex, which can make pour-over for either 3, 6 or 9 people, and the Hario V60. You can get a starter kit at Allpress. Our beautiful brew stand is from Venture Designs & we have used a Hario Dripper (size 02) & a Coffee Gator Kettle.
How do I make the perfect pour over coffee?
Here are our top tips to make the perfect pour over coffee:
BUY FRESH, WHOLE BEANS
Remember, a cup of coffee is only as good as the beans you start with.
PROPERLY STORE YOUR BEANS
To keep coffee fresher for longer, make sure you're storing it correctly. While a vacuum sealed container with a one-way valve is advised by experts, a standard air-tight jar will suffice for most.
HOW & WHEN YOU GRIND MATTERS
Grind your coffee immediately before brewing to release the best flavour. Grind size and consistency are important. Pour-over usually requires a medium to medium-fine grind.
RATIOS ARE IMPORTANT
Measure coffee by weight instead of volume. Ideally, the ratio of 1:20 (that's one-part coffee to 20 parts water, or about 7.5g of coffee to 150ml of water). This makes a strong cup of coffee.
PRE-INFUSE YOUR GROUNDS
Pouring hot water over the grounds to help release any remaining carbon dioxide gas left over from the roasting process. Skipping this step will allow the carbon dioxide to repel water during part of the brewing process, effectively making the coffee weaker.
BREW AT THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE
The desired brew temperature for drip coffee is between 90 and 96 degrees Celsius.
USE THE FILTERED WATER
The quality of the water used when brewing is often ignored. You want water that's roughly with a mineral balance of approximately 150 parts per million, achieved by using a Brita filter or equivalent. This ensures the best brew extraction.
