How to Make Pour Over Coffee: A Step-by-Step Guide

I've been roasting coffee since 1980, and one of the things I like about pour over coffee is its simplicity.

You have coffee, hot water, a filter and a few minutes to pay attention to what you're doing. There isn't a machine making all the decisions for you.

If you're learning how to make pour over coffee at home, don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. Start with good coffee, get a few fundamentals right, and then let your taste guide you.

Pour Over Coffee Recipe: The Quick Answer

Here's the Weaver's method I recommend as a starting point:

Coffee: 2 heaping tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 ounces of water
Grind: Fine-to-medium
Water: About 205°F
Filter: Rinse with hot water before brewing
Bloom: Wet the coffee grounds first and let them bloom
Pour: Add the remaining water slowly in a controlled circular motion

Once you've made a cup, taste it before you start changing things. If you want to adjust the brew, change one variable at a time.

How to Make Pour Over Coffee Step by Step

1. Heat the Water

Heat fresh water to approximately 205°F.

While the water is heating, place the paper filter in your pour over brewer. Rinse the filter with hot water to remove any papery taste and warm the brewer, then discard the rinse water.

2. Grind and Measure the Coffee

Start with a fine-to-medium grind and use about 2 heaping tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of water.

If possible, grind the coffee shortly before you brew it.

Add the ground coffee to the filter and gently level the coffee bed.

3. Bloom the Coffee

Pour just enough hot water over the coffee to saturate the grounds, then stop and give it a moment.

Fresh coffee will swell as the water reaches it. That's the coffee bloom.

I still enjoy this part. You can see the coffee come alive, and the aroma tells you the brewing has begun.

4. Pour Slowly and Evenly

Continue adding water slowly in a controlled circular motion.

Try to saturate the coffee evenly instead of pouring all the water into one spot. A gooseneck kettle can make this easier because it gives you more control over the flow of water.

Let the water move through the coffee as you continue pouring.

5. Let It Drain and Taste

When the water has passed through the grounds, remove the brewer and taste the coffee.

That's the part that matters.

If you like what you're drinking, you've made a good cup of coffee. If you don't, make an adjustment and try again.

What Grind Is Best for Pour Over Coffee?

I recommend starting with a fine-to-medium grind for pour over coffee.

Then watch how the coffee brews and pay attention to how it tastes.

If the water passes through very quickly and the coffee tastes weak or thin, try grinding a little finer.

If the water drains very slowly and the coffee tastes heavier or harsher than you'd like, try going a little coarser.

Change one thing at a time. That's how you learn what actually made a difference.

What Are the Best Coffee Beans for Pour Over?

There isn't one coffee bean that everybody has to use for pour over. The best coffee is the one you enjoy drinking.

But I especially like pour over when I want to taste the individual character of a coffee.

That's why single-origin coffees can be so interesting with this brewing method.

For a brighter, fruit-forward cup, try our Ethiopian Coffee, a medium roast with blueberry, marmalade, mocha and floral characteristics.

If you prefer more chocolate and caramel character, Guatemala Antigua Coffee takes the cup in a richer direction.

And if you want a smooth, balanced everyday coffee, Original Blend Coffee is a medium roast with chocolate, caramel and subtle citrus characteristics.

The interesting part is brewing two different coffees with the same pour over method.

That's when you really begin to taste the difference.

Explore Weaver's Single Origin Coffee Beans →

How to Fix Pour Over Coffee That Doesn't Taste Right

If your pour over isn't tasting the way you want, don't change everything at once.

Weak or thin? Try a slightly finer grind or a little more coffee.

Draining too quickly? Try grinding finer.

Heavy or harsh? Try a slightly coarser grind.

Draining too slowly? A coarser grind may help.

Different every time? Focus on making your measurements and pouring technique more consistent.

Then brew another cup and taste it.

A Better Pour Over Starts With Paying Attention

I've spent more than four decades roasting coffee, and I'm still interested in what happens when you change one small thing and taste the result.

That's what I like about pour over.

You don't need to chase somebody else's idea of the perfect cup. Learn the basic method, use freshly roasted coffee, and pay attention to what you're tasting.

Then try another coffee.

That's where it gets interesting.

Shop Weaver's Coffee for Your Next Pour Over →

— John Weaver
Master Coffee Roaster & Co-Founder