I have a thing for a great cup of coffee; pour over coffee is one of my very favorites for many reasons. One, it tastes absolutely divine – two, it’s the smoothest cup of coffee you’ll ever experience – three, along with it being a special treat, it’s fun to make.
Before we get started, it’s important to note that the right tools for making pour over coffee are essential. They’re easy to find, inexpensive, and necessary to achieve an optimum cup of pour over coffee.
Pour Over Coffee My Way
- Gooseneck Coffee/Tea Kettle
- Dripper Cup
- Paper or reusable cone filter
- Thermometer
- Burr Mill Grinder
- Measuring Spoon
Ingredients: Makes approximately 2 8 oz. cups of coffee
- 6 level tablespoons of coarsely ground coffee of your choice
- 4 to 5 cups boiling water (195° to 205° F)
Directions:
Before we begin, I felt it necessary to set the stage. To make an optimum cup of coffee using this method will require a number of pours of water over the grounds. The first pour allows the coffee to “bloom.” As hot water first hits the grounds, Co2 is released; the grounds will swell and rise a bit called “blooming.” After that, the goal for each additional pour is to allow all the grounds to slowly sink to the bottom of the filter to gently extract the coffee. Each pour will create a gentle swirl that will stir the coffee, allowing the water to move evenly around the grounds to enhance the extraction. Too much water will drown the grounds, which will not allow a proper extraction to develop a full, flavorful cup of coffee.
Let’s begin
- Grind the fresh coffee beans on a very coarse setting.
- Bring the filtered water to a boil (Between 195° to 205° F).
- Wet the paper filter and place it in the brewer tool/dripper. (Or use a reusable cone filter.)
- Place the coarsely ground coffee in the filter and gently tap the side of the dripper to level the surface of the grounds. With your finger put a divot in the center of the grounds. Place the brewer tool/dripper on or above a carafe or cup.
- Starting at the outer rim and moving in a steady spiral toward the center point of the grounds begin pouring the hot water slowly over the grounds. Make sure all the grounds are saturated. If necessary, add a bit more water. Now, wait 30 seconds to allow the grounds to “bloom.”
- After 30 seconds, starting in the center of the grounds, pour in a steady spiral toward the outer edge, then back toward the center and then back to the edge. Now, wait 45 seconds or so.
- As the mixture of water and coffee from the second pour settles to the bottom of the filter, repeat the same process until you’ve achieved approximately 16 ounces of coffee.
- When the water and coffee grounds from your last pour settles to the bottom of the filter, allow the liquid to stop dripping. Voila, you have an excellent cup of coffee. If desired, add a bit of cream and/or sugar to taste.
Notes: Any type of roast or flavored coffee will do, but always use a very coarse grind of coffee. A smaller grind will not allow for a proper extraction because the water will not slip through at an appropriate rate. Sometimes an increased measure of grounds is good; possibly 3 to 4 tablespoons. Play with the coffee ground ratios a bit to achieve what works best for you. For a lightly roasted single-origin coffee, less coffee is generally better to allow the nuance of the flavor to shine through. Why a gooseneck kettle? It’s a must to give you the control you need to do a steady slow circular pour over the coffee grounds. If you desire to make a double or triple batch of coffee, make sure you have a bigger dripper, carafe and follow the ratios used above. The amount of water and number of pours to make a larger batch of coffee will also increase exponentially.
There are times making pour over coffee might not be in the cards. It does require a bit of time and some patience. Regardless, when I have the time and the desire, it’s a very nice treat. Give it a try, just a warning; it will become an addiction once you have given it a whirl.
Time for a drink…
P.S. Take a moment to check out my new recipe booklet’s for sale on this site and purchase some of the tools I used for this “Pour Over Coffee My Way” below. 🙂