How to Make Pour Over Coffee at Home (Step-by-Step Guide)
Share
Pour over is one of the simplest ways to make a clean, flavorful cup of coffee at home. You pour hot water over ground coffee by hand, so you control everything: how much coffee, how hot the water is, and how fast it flows. The result is a bright, clear cup that lets a good single-origin coffee show off its tasting notes.
The good news: you don't need to be a barista. With a few basic tools and the recipe below, you can brew a great cup in about five minutes, start to finish.
Pour over at a glance
- Ratio: 1:16 coffee to water (20 g coffee to 320 g water, about one large mug)
- Grind: medium-fine, about the texture of table salt
- Water temperature: 195–205°F (90–96°C), just off the boil
- Bloom: 40–50 g of water, wait 30–45 seconds
- Brew time: 2–3 minutes after the bloom
- No scale? About 2 tablespoons of coffee per 6 oz of water
What you'll need
- A pour over dripper. Any cone or flat-bottom dripper works (V60-style, Kalita-style, Chemex, or a simple plastic cone).
- Paper filters that fit your dripper.
- Fresh coffee. Whole bean ground just before brewing gives the fullest flavor. If you don't have a grinder, order your coffee pre-ground for pour over (medium-fine).
- A kettle. A gooseneck kettle makes a slow, steady pour much easier, but any kettle works if you pour gently.
- A kitchen scale (recommended). Weighing beats scooping for consistent results.
- A timer. Your phone is fine.
- A mug or carafe to brew into.
How to make pour over coffee: step by step
- Heat your water. Bring fresh, filtered water to a boil, then let it sit for about 30 seconds so it lands around 195–205°F (90–96°C). Heat a little extra for rinsing the filter.
- Weigh and grind your coffee. Measure 20 g of coffee (about 4 tablespoons) and grind it medium-fine, similar to table salt.
- Rinse the filter. Place the filter in your dripper, set it on your mug or carafe, and pour hot water through it. This removes papery flavors and preheats everything. Throw out the rinse water.
- Add the coffee and zero the scale. Pour the grounds into the filter, give it a gentle shake to level the bed, set everything on the scale, and tare it to zero.
- Bloom (0:00–0:45). Start your timer and pour about 40–50 g of water, just enough to wet all the grounds. You'll see the coffee bubble and rise as it releases gas. Wait 30–45 seconds.
- Pour in stages. Slowly pour in small circles from the center outward, avoiding the filter walls. Pour to about 180 g, pause for a few seconds, then continue to 320 g. Keep the water level steady rather than filling the dripper to the top.
- Let it drain. Once you hit 320 g, let the water finish dripping through. Aim to wrap up about 2–3 minutes after the bloom.
- Swirl, taste, enjoy. Remove the dripper, give the coffee a swirl, and let it cool for a minute. Flavors open up as the cup cools a little.
Brewing for two? Double everything (40 g coffee to 640 g water). Larger batches drain more slowly, so you may need a slightly coarser grind.
Troubleshooting: sour, bitter or weak coffee
Change only one thing at a time, and grind size usually makes the biggest difference.
- Tastes sour, sharp or thin, and drained fast: the coffee is under-extracted. Grind a little finer, or use slightly hotter water.
- Tastes bitter, harsh or drying, and drained slowly: the coffee is over-extracted. Grind a little coarser, or pour more gently.
- Tastes weak or watery: use a bit more coffee. Try 1:15 instead of 1:16 (about 21 g coffee to 320 g water), and weigh instead of scooping.
- Tastes both sour and bitter: water is likely finding channels through the coffee bed. Make sure the bloom wets every ground, pour in gentle circles, and avoid pouring down the sides of the filter.
- Tastes flat or stale: coffee loses aroma after grinding. Grind just before brewing, and store beans airtight away from heat and light.
Which Minero coffee should you brew as pour over?
Pour over shines with coffees that have bright, layered tasting notes. These three single origins from Minas Gerais, Brazil all list pour over (medium-fine grind, 1:16, 2–3 minutes) in their brewing tips.
Geisha Radiance: for floral, crystal-clean cups
Tasting notes: floral, clean, honey, passion fruit and a sweet finish. A medium roast Geisha from Campestre, grown at 3,641–3,838 ft, with a 91-point score. Pour over is how we recommend brewing it, to highlight the florals.
Shop Geisha Radiance →
Sunny Island Melody: for bright, fruity mornings
Tasting notes: fruity, sweet, citrus and pineapple. A light roast Maragogipe from Cabo Verde, naturally processed and grown at 3,871 ft. If you like a lively, juicy cup, start here.
Shop Sunny Island Melody →
Ruby Tango Jubilee: for berry sweetness with a creamy body
Tasting notes: blackberry, citrus, creamy, with a hint of pineapple. A medium roast Red Bourbon from Cabo Verde, naturally processed and grown at 3,871 ft. It's a balanced choice if you want fruit without losing sweetness.
Shop Ruby Tango Jubilee →
Every Minero coffee is available as whole bean, or ground to order. Choose Pour Over in the grind options for a medium-fine grind that's ready to brew.
Pour over FAQs
What is the best coffee-to-water ratio for pour over?
Start at 1:16, for example 20 g of coffee to 320 g of water. Want it stronger? Move toward 1:15. Lighter? Try 1:17.
What grind size should I use for pour over coffee?
Medium-fine, about the texture of table salt. If your brew runs fast and tastes sour, go finer. If it runs slow and tastes bitter, go coarser.
What water temperature is best for pour over?
Between 195°F and 205°F (90–96°C). If you don't have a thermometer, boil the water and let it rest about 30 seconds.
How long should pour over coffee take?
About 2–3 minutes after a 30–45 second bloom. Very fast or very slow brews usually mean the grind needs adjusting.
Do I need a gooseneck kettle?
No, but it helps. A gooseneck gives you a slow, controlled pour. With a regular kettle, pour slowly and in small amounts.
How much coffee do I use without a scale?
About 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 6 oz of water is a good starting point. A scale makes your results much more repeatable.
Pour over vs. drip: what's the difference?
Both use paper filters, but pour over gives you control over every pour. For a drip machine, we suggest a medium-coarse grind at 1:15 for 4–6 minutes. You'll find more on grinds and ratios in our FAQ.
Ready to brew?
Pick a coffee, grab your dripper and try the 1:16 recipe tomorrow morning. Then adjust the grind one step at a time until it tastes just right to you. Looking for something to sip over ice instead? Read our guide to cold brew coffee.