How to Make Pour-Over Coffee: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide
Why you can trust SteepDeals
SteepDeals is research-driven and reader-supported. Our brewing guides distill the methods used by specialist roasters and champion baristas into simple, repeatable steps — cross-checked against the recipes that consistently produce the best cup. We only make money if you buy through our links, never in exchange for a recommendation. See how we choose →
Pour-over looks intimidating, but it's really just four things done well: the right ratio, the right grind, water at the right temperature, and a steady pour. Nail those and you'll make a cleaner, sweeter, more flavorful cup than any drip machine — for the cost of a filter. This is the exact method we'd teach a friend, using a Hario V60 as the example (the steps work for any cone dripper).
The recipe at a glance
What you'll need
- A pour-over dripper + filters. A Hario V60 and its 02 paper filters. New to drippers? See our best pour-over coffee makers.
- A gooseneck kettle. The narrow spout is what gives you a slow, controlled pour — the whole game. See gooseneck kettles →
- A burr grinder. Fresh, even grounds matter more than anything else. See our best grinders under $200.
- A digital scale. Pour-over is a recipe — weighing coffee and water is the fastest path to consistency. See a 0.1g scale →
- Fresh whole beans. Ideally roasted within the last month. Grind right before you brew.
Step by step
Heat your water
Bring water to 200–205°F — just off a boil. Too hot scorches the coffee; too cool under-extracts it. No thermometer? Boil, then wait about 30 seconds.
Grind the coffee
Weigh 22 g of beans and grind medium-fine — roughly the texture of table salt. If your brew runs too fast and tastes weak, go finer; too slow and bitter, go coarser.
Rinse the filter
Put the filter in the dripper and pour hot water through it into your cup or carafe. This removes papery taste and pre-warms everything. Dump that rinse water.
Add coffee & zero the scale
Add the grounds, give the dripper a gentle shake to level the bed, set it on the scale, and tare to zero. Start your timer with the first pour.
Bloom (0:00–0:45)
Pour just enough water to saturate the grounds — about 45 g — in slow circles. You'll see it bubble and swell; that's CO₂ escaping. Let it sit 30–45 seconds. This is the step most beginners skip, and it makes a big difference.
Pour in stages (0:45–2:15)
Pour in slow spirals from the center outward, adding water in two or three pours until you reach 350 g total. Keep the water level steady — not overflowing, not fully draining between pours.
Let it draw down & enjoy
Let the water drain through — total brew time should land around 2:45–3:15. The bed should look flat and even. Give it a swirl, pour, and drink.
Dialing it in: fix a bad cup
| If it tastes… | The problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sour / thin / weak | Under-extracted | Grind finer, or use hotter water |
| Bitter / harsh / dry | Over-extracted | Grind coarser, or slightly cooler water |
| Drains too fast (<2:15) | Grind too coarse | Go finer |
| Drains too slow (>3:30) | Grind too fine | Go coarser |
Change one variable at a time and taste. Grind size is your most powerful lever — reach for it first.
Common beginner mistakes
- Skipping the scale. Eyeballing means a different cup every day. Weigh everything.
- Using pre-ground coffee. It goes stale fast and rarely matches your dripper's ideal grind. Grind fresh.
- Pouring too fast. A hard, sloppy pour channels water through the bed unevenly. Slow, steady spirals.
- Boiling-hot water. Straight off the boil scorches; let it rest ~30 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best coffee-to-water ratio for pour-over?
Start at 1:16 — 1 gram of coffee to 16 grams of water (our recipe: 22 g coffee to 350 g water). Want it stronger? Try 1:15. Lighter? 1:17.
Do I really need a gooseneck kettle?
For a manual dripper, it's the most helpful tool you can buy — the controlled pour is what makes pour-over work. If you'd rather skip it, an automatic pour-over machine pours for you.
What grind size should I use?
Medium-fine, about the texture of table salt. Adjust from there: finer if it brews too fast and tastes weak, coarser if it's slow and bitter.
How much coffee for one cup?
About 15 g coffee to 250 g water for a single ~8 oz cup, scaling the 1:16 ratio. Our recipe makes a large mug or two small cups.
Prices and availability change frequently — check current prices on Amazon via the links above. As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, we earn from qualifying purchases.