Journal · At home
Better pour-over at home
A simple recipe, the four things that matter most and how to fix a cup that tastes off.
Pour-over coffee has a reputation for being fussy. It does not need to be. A good cup comes down to four things you can control at home: fresh coffee, the right grind, the right ratio and water at the right temperature.
A recipe to start with
- 20 grams of coffee, ground medium-fine, about like table salt.
- 320 grams of water, just off the boil, roughly 195–205°F.
- Rinse the paper filter with hot water and discard the rinse.
- Pour about 40 grams of water to wet all the grounds and wait 30 to 45 seconds. This is the bloom: fresh coffee releases gas and puffs up.
- Pour the rest slowly in steady circles, keeping the bed evenly wet, until you reach 320 grams.
- Aim to finish draining in about three to four minutes in total.
That is a ratio of 1 part coffee to 16 parts water. Most people find their favorite somewhere between 1:15 and 1:17.
Change one thing at a time, and taste after each change.
The four things that matter most
- Fresh beans. Coffee is at its best within a few weeks of roasting. Buy whole beans and grind just before brewing.
- A burr grinder. Blade grinders make uneven pieces that brew unevenly. A burr grinder is the single best upgrade for home coffee.
- A scale. Scoops vary with the roast and the grind. Weighing coffee and water is the easiest way to make a good cup twice.
- Good water. Coffee is mostly water. If your tap water tastes off, filter it.
Fixing a cup that tastes off
- Sour, thin or sharp: the coffee is under-extracted. Grind a little finer, or pour a little more slowly.
- Bitter, dry or harsh: the coffee is over-extracted. Grind a little coarser.
- Weak: use more coffee for the same water.
- Too strong: use more water for the same coffee.
Change one thing at a time, and taste after each change. Within a week of mornings you will have a recipe that is yours.
When our cafes open in 2027, every Chocojava barista will be glad to talk recipes, and every bag of whole-bean coffee will carry a suggested starting point.
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