Pour-Over Coffee Guide: Ratio, Grind and Technique

What you need

• A dripper: Hario V60, Kalita Wave, Chemex, Melitta or similar
• Paper filters that fit your dripper
• A burr grinder (see our grind size guide)
• A kitchen scale that reads in grams, ideally with a timer
• A kettle; a gooseneck spout makes controlled pouring much easier
• Fresh whole-bean coffee

Step by step

1. Heat the water. Bring it to a boil, then let it sit for about 30 seconds. Lighter roasts like hotter water; darker roasts can taste harsh with water right off the boil, so try a few degrees cooler.
2. Rinse the filter. Place the paper in the dripper and pour hot water through it. This removes papery taste and preheats the brewer and cup. Discard the rinse water.
3. Grind and level. Grind just before brewing, add the coffee to the filter and shake gently to level the bed. Tare the scale.
4. Bloom. Pour about twice the coffee’s weight in water (40 g for 20 g of coffee), wetting all the grounds. Fresh coffee will puff up and bubble as carbon dioxide escapes. Wait 30–45 seconds.
5. Main pours. Pour slowly in small spirals from the center outward, avoiding the paper walls. Many people pour in two or three stages, for example to 150 g, then 250 g, then 320 g, keeping the water level steady.
6. Drawdown. Give the dripper a gentle swirl after the last pour to flatten the bed, then let it drain. A flat bed at the end usually means an even extraction.
7. Taste and adjust. Note the total time and how it tastes, then change one variable next time.

Ratio: how strong should it be?

The ratio controls strength. Most people enjoy something between 1:15 (stronger) and 1:17 (lighter). The Specialty Coffee Association’s classic brewing guidance works out to roughly 55 grams of coffee per liter of water, about 1:18, while many specialty cafes brew a little stronger. Pick a ratio you like and keep it fixed while you adjust grind.

Fixing sour or bitter coffee

Taste tells you what to change. Sourness usually means under-extraction (not enough was dissolved from the grounds); bitterness and dryness usually mean over-extraction.

Change one thing at a time. Grind is the most powerful adjustment.

V60 vs Kalita Wave vs Chemex

• Hario V60: cone with one large hole and spiral ribs. Fast flow, so your pouring controls the brew. Rewards technique with clarity and bright flavors.
• Kalita Wave: flat bottom with three small holes. More forgiving and consistent; good for beginners.
• Chemex: elegant glass brewer with thick bonded filters that remove more oils and fines, giving a very clean cup. Use a slightly coarser grind and expect a longer brew, around four minutes or more for larger batches.
• Melitta-style cones: inexpensive and widely available; a small hole slows the flow, so they suit simple, steady pours.

Small things that matter

• Water quality: coffee is about 98–99% water. If your tap water tastes off, filtered water makes an immediate difference.
• Freshness: beans are usually at their best from a few days to a few weeks after roasting.
• Grind consistency: a burr grinder produces more even particles than a blade grinder, which reduces the mix of sour and bitter flavors.

Taking pour-over to the trail? See our camp coffee methods. Want something richer and simpler? Try the French press.