Pour Over Coffee Guide: Ratio, Grind Size & Technique

Pour over is one of the best ways to taste what makes a coffee special. It gives you a clean, clear cup where fruity, floral and sweet notes really shine. It looks fancy, but it's simple once you know the basics. Here's everything you need to brew a great cup.

What you'll need

• A pour over dripper such as a Hario V60, Kalita Wave or Chemex, plus the matching paper filters
• A burr grinder. Even grounds make the biggest difference. See our Fellow Ode Brew Grinder review.
• A kitchen scale that measures in grams
• A kettle, ideally a gooseneck kettle for a slow, controlled pour
• Fresh whole bean coffee

The best pour over ratio

A great starting point is 1:16: 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water. Most people land somewhere between 1:15 (stronger) and 1:17 (lighter).

• One cup: 20g coffee + 320g water
• Two cups: 30g coffee + 480g water

Grind size

Aim for medium to medium-fine, about the texture of table salt. Chemex works best a bit coarser (medium-coarse) because of its thicker filter.

Water temperature

Use water between 195°F and 205°F (90–96°C). If you don't have a thermometer, let boiling water rest for about 30 seconds.

Step-by-step pour over recipe (1 cup)

1. Heat your water and grind 20g of coffee.
2. Rinse the filter with hot water to remove any paper taste and warm your dripper and mug. Pour out the rinse water.
3. Add the coffee, shake the dripper gently to level the bed, and set everything on the scale. Tare to zero.
4. Bloom: pour about 40–50g of water, enough to wet all the grounds, and wait 30–45 seconds. Fresh coffee will bubble and rise as it releases gas.
5. Pour in stages: slowly pour in small circles, avoiding the very edge of the filter, until you reach 320g total. Two or three pours works well.
6. Let it drain. Total brew time should be around 2:30–3:30 for a V60 or Kalita.
7. Swirl and enjoy.

Troubleshooting your cup

• Sour, weak or thin? The coffee is under-extracted. Grind finer or pour more slowly.
• Bitter, harsh or drying? The coffee is over-extracted. Grind coarser.
• Draining too slowly? Your grind may be too fine, or you may be pouring too aggressively.
• Tastes flat? Check your beans' roast date. Fresh coffee makes a noticeably brighter, sweeter cup.

For more fixes, read Why Is My Coffee Bitter or Sour?

The best coffees for pour over

• Ethiopia Natural: bright and fruity, with strawberry, vanilla and floral notes. A pour over favorite.
• Guatemala: balanced and sweet, with roasted hazelnut, brown sugar and green apple.
• Nutty Berry Union: milk chocolate, lemon zest and berries in one cup.

Every bag has its roast date printed on it and ships within 5 days of roasting, so it's at its best for pour over.

Keep exploring: Shop Ethiopia · Try the 6-bag sampler · Coffee subscription: save 15%