What’s the Pour Over Method?

“Pour over” is a straightforward method of brewing coffee. The pour over method involves manually pouring hot water over grounds within a coffee filter. The water drains through the coffee grounds, and creates a smooth and delicious cup of coffee. 

Pros and Cons of the Pour Over Method

The pour over method is considered an “infusion method.” Infusion methods use a constant supply of water and are more efficient at extracting coffee solubles than immersion techniques which cause the water to become saturated. This makes the pour over method (as well as other infusion methods) well suited for single origin coffees because the process really accentuates the intricate flavors and aromas when compared to other brewing methods.

However, since the pour over is a manual technique, it is prone to human error. For example, all infusion methods often result in channeling. Channeling is where the water being poured over the coffee grinds finds it’s way through the coffee rather than absorbing the coffee itself. This typically happens when the coffee grounds are unevenly distributed, and have clumped up within the coffee filter. To get the best brew possible, it’s important to learn how to pour the water evenly over the grounds. 

Making Your Own Pour Over

By now, you’re probably craving a cup of coffee. For those who want to try the pour over method for your next cup, we recommend the Classic Hario V60 coffee server set. It’s the perfect kit to get started and makes the process super straightforward. All you have to do is add coffee grounds and hot water. 

Each kit includes the V60 02 coffee server, the V60 02 coffee dripper, a coffee scoop and a 40 pack of the V60 02 disposable paper filters. The V60 02 coffee server is made of heat resistant borosilicate glass, and features a single large hole that improves pour flow. You can pour water quickly for a light flavor, or pour it in a slower manner for a rich and deep taste. Its sleek design goes really well in modern kitchens and can make four cups of coffee in one go.

To make yourself a pour over just follow these steps:

• Gather a kettle, kitchen scale, grinder, coffee beans, and 400 ml of water.
• Heat the water to 200°F, you can either use a thermometer or simply bring the water to boil.  Then, let it sit for 30 seconds, to get it down to 200° F.
• Measure and grind the coffee. A medium- fine grind, slightly more coarse than table salt will do. We recommend grinding your beans immediately before making your coffee or they may lose their flavor and aroma. We recommend grinding around 25 grams of coffee.
• Fold the flat edge of the V60 paper filter, place the filter in the dripper and place the dripper on the decanter.
• Pour hot water through the filter to wet the paper, and wash away excess residue. Discard the water before brewing. You could save the water for your houseplants!
• Add the ground coffee to the filter, give it a soft shake to settle the grounds into a flat coffee “bed” that will increase extraction. 
• Place the dripper, and decanter on the scale and tare it to zero.
• Add just enough water to the grounds to evenly saturate them, let it sit for 30-45 seconds to allow the coffee to “bloom.” Blooming is a chemical reaction where gasses are purged from the ground coffee.
• Once the timer hits 45 seconds, pour the remaining water in a slow circular fashion on the outer circumference of where your coffee is sitting.
• Stop pouring once you’ve added all 400 ml of water.
• Allow the water to drain.
• Enjoy your coffee!