Our favorite barista, Taylor Connelley (PC'18) , shows you how to make the perfect pour over at home!!!
Pour over materials!!!
Here is what you need:
Gooseneck kettle; preferably electric so you can better control the temperature of the water. The gooseneck style of kettle also allows for better control of the water distribution, definitely a must! shorturl.at/rDP12
Scale; preferably with a timer so you can time the bloom (will unpack what that means in a few!) https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Coffee-Scale-Timer-Pour/dp/B07XY15THS
Chemex; while this is a brand, it also what the glass blown structure that allows the pour over to happen! I have a 3 cup, which is a smaller size, but any will do! https://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/three-cup-classic-series-coffeemaker.html
Filter paper; can be found on the chemex website or at some third wave coffee shops. https://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/filters.html
Ground bag of your favorite beans! I love Onyx Coffee Lab, as they are ethically sourced & have personal relationships with the farmers, tells you what process the bean was harvested by (natural vs. washed), and are super super flavorful! https://onyxcoffeelab.com/collections/coffee
Pour over steps!!!
1. Fill your kettle with water!
2. If electric, set the kettle to the pour over setting, (mine is 205), or whatever temperature your beans specify! If your kettle is manual, place it on the stove and monitor until it reaches the desired temperature.
3. Meanwhile, while you’re waiting for your water to boil, measure out your coffee grinds. It is extremely important to be exact here, as the ratio of coffee grounds to water will directly impact the quality of your pour over. Your bag of beans will most likely give you this ratio already, so just follow its instructions!
4. After the water reaches the desired temperature, it is time for the bloom! This term, while it may seem confusing or complicated, is an important step in ensuring the tasting notes of your beans will be as prominent and flavorful as possible. A bloom is simply defined as the introduction of a small amount of water to coffee grounds, allowing the quick release of carbon dioxide bubbles. The release of the carbon dioxide bubbles indicates that the coffee is freshly harvested, as it only maintains these properties for a short while. Again, each bag of beans is different, so refer to what is best for your specific cup of coffee! Mine requires a 30 second bloom using 60 grams of water. The most common mistake is putting too much water, which over extracts the grounds, making the coffee lose its flavor & thereby becoming more bitter.
5. After the bloom, it’s go time, baby! But before you get too excited, it’s important to be mindful of the technique by which you introduce the water. In order to ensure that the water is evenly distributed amongst the grounds, a circular motion is used. Start in the center, and evenly pouring out the water, slowly begin to create bigger circles, working your way out to the edge of the filter paper.
6. Repeat this process, being mindful to monitor the grams of water being utilized, until you reach the required amount of water suggested by your bag.
7. Wait for the water to filter through the paper. The time required for this process may be more than the traditional brewing method of a coffee pot, but trust me— it’s worth it! I’m one of the least patient people ever, but this process is FUN & produces the yummiest coffee. The nature of a pour over allows for maximum flavor extraction, so I would challenge you to drink it black so you can appreciate all of the tasting notes the roasters, farmers, and harvesters intentionally worked to obtain.
8. With the summer months rolling around, there is an option to subtract 100g of water & replace it by putting 100g of ice in the chemex before applying the filter & grounds. This ultimately makes the coffee cool, despite still using the boiling kettle water. After the water filters through, pour the coffee over an iced glass & enjoy.!!!
