The Pour-Over: Slow Down and Taste the Difference
There's something unhurried about a pour-over. While the day settles in the morning quiet, you bloom your grounds, watch the bloom rise, and pour in slow, deliberate spirals. The result is a cup that's clean, bright, and entirely yours.
Pour-over brewing extracts coffee with precision. No pressure, no shortcuts. What you put in, you taste. That's why starting with quality whole bean coffee matters more here than with almost any other method.
What You'll Need
- A pour-over dripper — shop our 600ml Pour-Over Coffee Brewer
- A gooseneck kettle
- A burr grinder - shop our burr grinder
- A kitchen scale
- A timer
- Fresh, high-quality whole bean coffee — we recommend a single-origin light or medium roast for pour-over
The Ratio
Start with a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio: 25g of coffee to 400ml of water. This is a reliable baseline — adjust to taste as you dial in your brew.
Grind Size: Medium-Fine Is Your Friend
Grind size is the single biggest variable in pour-over. You're aiming for medium-fine ... finer than drip, coarser than espresso. Think table salt. Too fine and you'll over-extract (bitter, harsh). Too coarse and you'll under-extract (sour, thin).
A quality burr grinder gives you the consistency flat-blade grinders can't. If you're buying pre-ground, look for bags labeled specifically for pour-over.
Water Temperature
Target 200°F (93°C) — just off boil (about 30 seconds after your kettle clicks). Too hot scorches light roasts. Too cool and you'll miss the floral and fruit notes entirely.
The Brew: Step by Step
- Rinse your filter. Place a paper filter in your dripper, set it over your cup or carafe, and pour hot water through. This removes papery taste and pre-warms your vessel. Discard the rinse water.
- Add your grounds. Add 25g of ground coffee and give it a gentle shake to level the bed.
- The bloom pour. Start your timer. Pour 50ml of water slowly over all the grounds in a spiral from center to edge. This is the bloom — CO₂ escapes and the grounds swell. Wait 30–45 seconds.
- Continue pouring. Pour in slow, steady spirals, keeping the water level consistent. Add water in stages — pour to ~200ml, let it draw down slightly, then continue to 400ml total. Aim to finish all pours by 2:30.
- Wait for the drawdown. Total brew time should be around 3:00–3:30. If it's faster, grind finer. Slower, go coarser.
Taste and Adjust
After your first brew, taste with intention. Bright and sour? Grind finer or use hotter water. Bitter and harsh? Coarsen your grind or lower water temp slightly. The ideal pour-over is balanced; sweet, clean, and complex.
Start with the Right Coffee
Pour-over rewards transparency. Light and medium roasts. Ethiopian naturals, Colombian washed, Kenyan SL28 — shine brightest. Browse our full coffee collection to find a roast that suits your palate, from delicate florals to rich, dark chocolate notes.
Brew slowly. Taste deeply. That's the Alligator Lake way.