How to Make Pour Over Coffee

Recipe for The Best Pour Over Coffee

Learning how to make pour over coffee is relatively simple. However, mastering the technique to get the delicious results  will take time and practice. But it is absolutely worth it.

If you aren’t convinced, stop at a local café and order a cup of pour over coffee to taste the possibilities for yourself. Then realize that you can perfect it even further by developing a technique that matches your taste.

Basic Pour Over Method:

  1. Heat water. Experiment within a range of 175℉ to 205℉.
  2. Grind beans to a medium or fine grind.
  3. Add grounds to filter. Shake to even the bed.
  4. Pour just enough water to wet the grounds. Let bloom (swell) for 30 seconds or until it stops.
  5. Pour the remaining water in an even, slow flow while rotating in concentric circles. Make sure to evenly soak all of the grounds.
    It should take about 3 minutes to pour if you are making a liter.
  6. Let drip for another minute or so after the pour is finished.
  7. Serve

Barista Tips for Pour Over Coffee

Baristas are trained in the best way to make pour over coffee. To elevate this basic at-home method, try out a few of these tips.

  • Choose the right beans. Not only do you want high quality whole beans, you want the best beans for this specific method. Consult a coffee expert friend or a local barista to learn how to determine which beans are best for brewing this way.
  • Experiment, experiment, experiment: a passionate brewer will not serve a coffee until they have brewed it multiple times, adjusting different variables (temperature, grind, contact time, pour technique, etc.) to find out what works the best.
  • Adjust coffee-to-water ratio. A standard is 30 grams to 500 ml but that is by no means an unbreakable law. Play around with different ratios to find out which gives you the flavor profile you want.
  • Grind last. Grind right before you are ready to pour so that the grounds are as fresh as possible. Ideally, you want to start pouring water over the grounds less than 60 seconds after they have been ground.

There are many other tricks that baristas swear by. Using the basic method described, you can also come up with your own special twists and technique to make your coffee your own. The beauty of the pour over method is that you can experiment with each stage of the brew.

How to Make Pour Over Coffee While Camping

Camping Pour Over CoffeeWe designed the Nomads to be the best way to make pour over coffee while camping. They’re easy to pack, simple to store, and quick to use. No need to lug around a sizeable pour over device, along with separate filters. The Nomads will fit on mugs or cups up to 4.5″ wide, and provides as good a taste as any other pour over. Try a 10-pack of Nomads, and we know it’ll be one of your newest favorite camping gear.

  • GOES ANYWHERE — Ideal backpacking coffee maker for camping pour over coffee. Single serve coffee filters are lightweight & portable; disposable and mess-free
  • SIMPLE — Single serve coffee pour over is easy, fast and efficient. Just Anchor, Fill, Pour, Enjoy, and Dispose. Wide mouth coffee packets ideal for travel pour over coffee
  • SAVE SPACE — These Single Cup Coffee Filters have a hanging ear-hook design that turns a cup into a coffee pot
  • GREAT TASTE — Don’t settle for instant coffee. Take your favorite coffee with you
  • MULTI-PURPOSE — Use as a camp coffee bag, coffee filter bags, coffee tea bags, Vietnamese coffee filter, or a simple one cup pour over coffee maker
Originally Published May 6, 2016
Revised March 20, 2023