Brewing · 10 min read
Pour-over coffee is the intersection of ritual and science, a brewing method that rewards attention with extraordinary clarity of flavor. While an automatic drip machine applies water indiscriminately, pour-over puts the brewer in control of every variable: water temperature, flow rate, agitation, contact time, and turbulence.
The equipment landscape is rich and varied. The Hario V60, with its large single hole and spiral ribs, offers maximum control but minimal forgiveness. The Kalita Wave, with its flat bottom and three small drainage holes, provides more even extraction and a wider margin for error. The Chemex, with its thick bonded filters, produces an exceptionally clean cup. Each has its advocates; each rewards mastery.
The bloom is the first and arguably most critical phase. When hot water meets freshly ground coffee, trapped carbon dioxide escapes in a dramatic expansion of the coffee bed. A standard bloom uses twice the weight of coffee in water, followed by 30 to 45 seconds of patience. Watch the bed swell and bubble; smell the first volatile aromatics released.
After the bloom, the main pour commences. Most championship-level recipes use a pulse-pouring technique: measured additions of water at regular intervals. A typical V60 recipe might use five pours of 50 grams each, at 30-second intervals, targeting a total brew time of three minutes and fifteen seconds.
Water quality is the invisible variable that separates good pour-over from transcendent pour-over. Coffee is approximately 98.5 percent water. The Specialty Coffee Association recommends water with 75 to 250 milligrams per liter of total dissolved solids. The difference between good and ideal water is not subtle — it is the difference between phone speakers and studio monitors.