Guide

How To Make Pour Over Coffee

Learn how to make balanced pour over coffee with the right ratio, grind size, water temperature and pouring technique.

By Online Coffee Guide Editorial TeamPublished April 9, 2025Updated February 23, 20263 min read

Person pouring water from a gooseneck kettle over a pour over coffee dripper on a scale.

On This Page6 Sections

Quick Answer

To make pour over coffee, start with 20g coffee and 320g water, a medium-fine grind, water around 93-96 C, a 30-45 second bloom, and a total brew time around 2:45-3:30. Pour slowly and evenly. If the coffee tastes sour, grind finer or extend brew time. If it tastes bitter or dry, grind coarser or shorten contact time.

Key Takeaways

1A 1:16 ratio is the best starting point for balanced pour over.
2Grind size and pouring control extraction more than the dripper brand.
3Blooming helps wet the coffee bed evenly before the main pour.

Pour over coffee brewing setup with kettle, dripper, grinder, beans, scale, and brewed coffee. — A repeatable pour over routine depends on dose, grind size, water temperature, pour pattern, and drawdown time.

Pour over coffee is simple in equipment but sensitive in execution. The paper filter gives clarity, while the pouring pattern, grind size and brew time determine whether the cup tastes sweet, sour, thin or bitter.

Starting Recipe

Reader GuideCoffee Reference Table
	Variable	Starting Point
	Coffee	20g
	Water	320g
	Ratio	1:16
	Grind	Medium-fine
	Temperature	93-96 C
	Bloom	40g water for 30-45 seconds
	Total brew time	2:45-3:30

This recipe works for most cone or flat-bottom drippers. Adjust it by taste, not by loyalty to a recipe.

Step-By-Step Method

Rinse the paper filter and preheat the brewer.
Add 20g of freshly ground coffee.
Pour 40g water for the bloom and wait 30-45 seconds.
Pour steadily in circles until around 180g.
Pause briefly, then pour to 320g.
Let the coffee drain fully.
Taste before changing the recipe.

Troubleshooting

Reader GuideCoffee Reference Table
Cup Problem	Likely Cause	Fix
Sour and sharp	Under-extracted	Grind finer, slow the drawdown or increase temperature
Bitter and dry	Over-extracted	Grind coarser or reduce agitation
Thin and weak	Too much water or too coarse	Use stronger ratio or grind finer
Muddy	Too many fines or too much agitation	Grind coarser or pour more gently
Inconsistent	Uneven pouring or channeling	Pour evenly and keep the coffee bed level

Which Coffee Works Best?

Light and medium roasts work especially well. Washed coffees often show clarity and acidity; natural coffees can feel fruitier and more aromatic. If you want a smoother daily cup, choose a medium roast with chocolate, nut or caramel notes.

What To Read Next

Use the Pour Over Coffee Guide for the full method overview, the Pour Over Ratio Guide for ratio decisions, and the Coffee Grind Size Guide for grind troubleshooting. For gear, connect to Pour Over Setup Guide and Coffee Filters Guide.