What is Pour Over Coffee & Is It Worth My Time?

Pour over requires more time and attention than other brewing methods, but it’s so rewarding.

• Pour over is a coffee-making technique that involves pouring water over coffee grounds slowly and carefully.
• The difference between this method and many other techniques is the manual component.  
•  Pour over is most rewarding because it can bring out rich flavor notes, not otherwise created by typical coffee makers.

If you’ve ever gone to a coffee shop, you may have seen the option to order pour over coffee. It usually is priced higher than the drip coffee option, and it takes a while longer to receive. But why is that? And what exactly does pour over mean?

Hopefully, this post will answer your questions regarding the mysteries of pour over coffee. You can also grab my top 5 pour over brew tips below if you’d like a quick start guide instead.

Pour over is a technique that involves pouring hot water slowly over coffee grounds. 

At its very core, pour over is a coffee-making technique that involves pouring hot water over coffee grounds. The water then flows through a filter and into your vessel of choice (i.e. a mug or carafe).

Pour over is a manual brew method.

With this brew method, you have more control over the variables involved in making coffee. In other words, pour over is a manual brew method, so a person has to manually facilitate the process. Therefore, you have to heat the water, grind the coffee, and pour the water.

For best results, pour over requires a specialty kettle. 

For this method, you will need an excellent instrument to offer you full control over water flow and water temperature. Being able to control these two factors will help you achieve a better result, as you will be able to create a more consistent extraction. 

While you are welcome to use a standard electric kettle, it will likely prove to be more of a challenge when making pour over coffee. The spout of a typical kettle is typically too wide, and is much better suited for loose leaf tea.

You may have seen those kettles with the long necks at hipster coffee shops, and those work best for this brewing method. The gooseneck allows you to better control the flow of water

You’ll also need a brewing instrument and a good grinder.

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Besides an excellent kettle, you’re going to need a brewing vessel. This is where you’ll place your filter and your coffee grounds. My brewing vessel of choice is the Chemex, as it produces such a clean cup of coffee. I have the 8-cup and the 6-cup sizes at home, but usually I use the 8-cup just out of habit.

For alternative options, Hario, who I greatly respect in the world of coffee products, sells very popular drippers in a number of available materials (silver, glass, ceramic). I actually use one of Hario’s wonderful gooseneck kettles, and I’ve had it for several years now.

You also need to invest in a high-quality grinder. Grinding your beans to the right size plays an important role in determining the quality of your final brew. Breville sells a really stylish and high-functioning grinder. The Baratza Virtuoso+ is also highly recommended by coffee professionals.

Pour over brings out rich flavors not otherwise created by typical brewing methods i.e. a coffee maker. 

Choosing to use the pour over method to make your coffee will allow you to experience your coffee in ways you haven’t before. Not only is it rewarding being more involved in the coffee-making process, but it also brings out intricate flavors of your coffee.

The reason being that the water is able to extract the fragrances and oils of coffee in its own time and at its own pressure.

Pour over coffee may take some patience, but it is very rewarding in the end and most definitely worth the involved effort.