Mastering the Art of Pour-Over

Directions

Step 1: Grinding Your Coffee Beans

The foundation of an outstanding pour-over coffee is freshly ground beans. Start by selecting the finest beans that ultimately suit your taste buds. To make your quest for the perfect brew easier, consider exploring Ember Brews for exceptional coffee options, like our latest addition, Coava's S.O. Blend, which promises a flavor profile that's both beautifully balanced and seasonally reflective with notes of honey crisp apple, dark caramel, and chocolate covered fruits. Once you've acquired the perfect beans, it's time to grind them. Use a burr grinder to achieve a consistent grind size. For pour-over, aim for a medium-coarse grind, resembling kosher salt. The ideal grind size will allow for a balanced extraction, bringing out the full flavor of your coffee.

Step 2: Heating Water

Boil fresh, filtered water. Once it reaches the boiling point, let it sit for about 30 seconds to a minute to bring it down to the ideal temperature, which is around 195-205°F (90-96°C). A gooseneck kettle will give you precise control over your pour.

Step 3: Preparing the Filter and Dripper

Place the filter in your dripper and rinse it with hot water. This step helps eliminate any papery taste and preheats your brewing vessel, but be careful not to change the shape of your filter if it resembles a cupcake liner. Discard the rinse water.

Step 4: Measuring and Adding Coffee Grounds

Weigh out the coffee grounds according to your desired coffee-to-water ratio. A good starting point is 1:16 (1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water), but you can adjust this ratio to your taste, ideally staying  somewhere between 1:14 and 1:20. Place the coffee grounds into the prepared filter in your dripper. Try placing your dripper on a scale during the pour-over process. This is a great way to keep track of your water to coffee ratio, maintain consistency, and get the taste you're after.

Step 5: Blooming

Start your timer and pour just enough hot water (approximately twice the weight of the coffee grounds) to saturate them evenly. This is called the "bloom." Allow the coffee to bloom for about 30 seconds. During this time, you'll see the coffee grounds swell and release gases. The fresher the coffee, the bigger the bloom. 

Step 6: The First Pour

After the bloom, begin pouring water in a slow, circular motion, starting from the center and moving outward. Pour the water evenly to avoid channeling, where water follows the path of least resistance. Continue pouring until you reach the desired coffee-to-water ratio, keeping an eye on your timer and the drawdown.

Step 7: The Drawdown

As the coffee drips into the vessel below, observe the drawdown time. A typical pour-over should take about 2-3 minutes for the drawdown. If it's too fast, your grind might be too coarse, and if it's too slow, your grind might be too fine. Adjust accordingly for your next brew.

Step 8: Enjoying Your Perfect Pour-Over Coffee in Your Ember Mug 2

Once the drawdown is complete, remove the filter, and savor the aroma of your freshly brewed pour-over coffee. Pour it into your Ember Mug 2 and enjoy! You can drink it black or customize it with your choice of cream, sugar, or syrups.