The 8 most frequently asked questions about Pour Over coffee answered

Pour-over coffee , also known as filter coffee or slow coffee, is perhaps the most error-prone way of making coffee. But if you get everything right, then your coffee is spot on! Whether you're using a Hario V60 , Kalita Wave, Aeropress , Origami , or other brewing method, there are countless ways to screw up or nail your perfect cup of coffee. 'There is a thin line'.

In this blog I'm going to tell you all about the variables that ensure that your Pour-over coffee is always perfect. By answering your 8 most frequently asked questions about Pour-over coffee, I try to help you avoid these mistakes and take your coffee enjoyment to an even higher level.

What temperature should my water be for pour-over coffee?

We all love a hot cup of coffee, but using water that's too hot will burn the coffee. Burnt flavors are often associated with bad coffee, so avoid drinking bitter, burnt coffee by using water heated between 92°C and 96°C, depending on the brewing method. This is also what the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA ) recommends for pour-over coffee.

Ok, fair is fair, a Cold-brew coffee in the summer can also be very tasty, but I prefer this one as cold as possible 😉.

Which grind size or grind works best for Pour-over coffee?

Source: Unsplash.com

The grind size of your coffee is unfortunately not a one-size-fits-all. This would of course make it a lot easier to always brew the perfect coffee. The grinding degree largely influences the taste of your coffee and is therefore very important to get right. With pour-over coffee you need a medium-coarse grind for a good extraction. Too fine a grind will result in over-extracted, bitter coffee; too coarse a grind results in under-extracted,acidic coffee .

Please note that the medium-coarse grind is an indication, you can always fine-tune it to get the perfect taste from your coffee.

Read also: Grinding coffee beans: what is the best way and why?

Do I really need to flush my paper filter?

Have you ever tasted a slow coffee that tastes like paper? Trust me you will taste this right away. Pour-over brewing methods that use paper filters can leave an unpleasant taste if not rinsed first. You may not notice the paper taste if you use a dark roast bean, but the unsavory taste will be evident with light roast coffee.

Before pouring water on the coffee, place the filter in the dripper, pour hot water over it and rinse away the water that falls through. Moreover, removing the paper taste with hot water is actually a double win, read on quickly.

Should my server or carafe be warm?

Brewing coffee in a cold server results in lukewarm coffee when ready to serve. By heating up your carafe or server, your coffee will stay warm for longer.

But if you have paid attention, you can do this in the previous step with flushing the paper filter. So 2 birds with 1 stone.

What is coffee blooming and why is it important?

We all want to have our cup of coffee as soon as possible, but you need to let your coffee grind bloom before you go all out. Blooming means that you pour twice as much water as coffee grinds over the ground coffee to release the gases in the coffee.

If you start pouring all the water right away, the carbon dioxide that comes out of the coffee will prevent the water from reaching the grind properly. This way you cannot extract all the flavors from the coffee, which leads to under-extraction, which will drastically affect the taste of your cup of coffee.

What should I do if the coffee is blooming?

Good, so you've found yourself needing to "bloom" your coffee. The next step is to get them moving. After you have poured the first part of water over the coffee, some of the coffee particles will clump together.

Grab a spoon, chopstick, or other stirrer and stir the coffee and water to break up any lumps. (Don't stir too aggressively or you risk tearing the filter.)

By preventing the coffee particles from clumping together, you ensure that there is more contact between the water and the surface of the coffee grounds, so that your final cup of coffee tastes as intended.

How and where should I pour my water? In the middle or on the side?

When you pour water over the coffee, make sure you actually touch the coffee bed. As the water level drops and the coffee grounds stick to the sides of the filter, you may be tempted to aim your kettle at those lone grains at the edge of the filter.

Do not do that. Any drop of water that hits the side of the filter - or dripper - can slide right down into the already brewed coffee below, resulting in a seriously diluted coffee as the end result.

How long before brewing should I grind my coffee beans?

Oxygen is coffee's worst enemy. Grind your beans just before you start making coffee. It may seem more convenient to grind your beans the night before, but doing so exposes the coffee to aggressive oxidation and degassing, which will affect the flavor of the brewed coffee even in one evening.

Also, be sure to store whole beans in airtight containers.

Read also: How should you store freshly roasted coffee beans?