How to Make Pour-Over Coffee at Home

Pour-over has a reputation for being fussy, but the method is simple. The fuss is really just being consistent: same dose, same water, same timing, so when you change one thing you can taste the difference. This is the recipe from our product pages, with the reasons behind it.

The recipe

Use 15g of medium-fine coffee to 250ml of water at 92–96°C. Bloom with about 40ml for 30–45 seconds, then pour the rest slowly in a few stages. The whole brew should finish in two and a half to three minutes.

What you need

• A dripper (V60, Kalita Wave or Chemex) and paper filters to fit
• Freshly roasted coffee, ground a little coarser than espresso and a little finer than a cafetière
• A kettle (a gooseneck makes pouring easier, but it isn't essential)
• Scales and a timer

Step by step

1. Rinse the paper filter with hot water and bin the water. This gets rid of the papery taste and warms the dripper.
2. Add 15g of ground coffee and give the dripper a gentle shake to level the bed.
3. Start the timer and pour about 40ml, just enough to wet every bit of coffee. Leave it for 30–45 seconds. This is the bloom: fresh coffee gives off gas, and you'll see it puff up and bubble.
4. Pour the rest of the water slowly in circles from the centre outwards, in two or three goes. Keep the water level steady and try not to pour down the side of the filter.
5. Your brew should finish somewhere between 2:30 and 3:00.

Reading the result

Your timing and your cup will tell you what to change. If it drains much faster than 2:30 and tastes thin or sour, grind finer. If it takes well over three minutes and tastes bitter, grind coarser. Change the grind first, and leave the dose and the water alone until you've tried that.

Which dripper?

A V60 gives you the most control but forgives the least, so your pouring matters more. A Kalita Wave has a flat bottom and a more even, forgiving extraction, which makes it a good first dripper. A Chemex uses thicker paper and gives a very clean, light cup, and it usually likes a slightly coarser grind and a longer brew.

Fresh beans matter more here

The bloom tells you a lot. A lively puff means the coffee is fresh, and a bloom that barely moves usually means stale beans and a flatter cup. Buy smaller bags more often and grind just before you brew.

Which Amici coffee suits pour-over?

The paper filter holds back the oils, so clear, distinct flavours come through. I'd start with the Colombian (caramel, citrus and green grape) or the Guatemalan (maple, caramel and honey). Our guide to choosing an Amici coffee covers the rest.

Quick questions

Do I need a gooseneck kettle? No, but the narrow spout makes slow, even pouring much easier.

Why does mine taste sour? Usually under-extraction: too coarse, too cool or too quick.

Why does mine taste bitter? Usually over-extraction: too fine, too hot or too slow.

If pour-over becomes your daily brew, a coffee subscription keeps fresh beans arriving so you don't run out.