Best Pour Over Coffee To Water Ratio; A Barista Weighs In
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How much coffee do I use for pour over? This is one of the most common questions I get asked from people when they’re first learning how to make their own pour over coffee.
The pour over coffee to water ratio, may not be all that intricate, but it is an incredibly important factor for brewing a cup of pour over coffee that is balanced while still highlighting some of the more refined flavors of the bean.
Key Takeaways:
So, what is the best pour over coffee to water ratio?
Pour over coffee brewing method calls for a 1:16 coffee to water ratio. In other words, to make coffee for two people, use 17 oz. (500ml) of water and 32 grams (~ 6 tablespoons) of medium-fine grind coffee. Water temperature should be 195°F to 205°F and total brew time should be 3-4 minutes.
Whether you are a first-time brewer or a pour over master brewer, brewing your best cup of coffee requires a perfect coffee to water ratio. In this article, we will explain in detail how you can achieve that golden ratio that best suits your taste buds.
What Is The Best Coffee To Water Ratio For Pour Over
First, let’s be clear – your ideal pour over coffee ratio might differ from my recommendations. Everyone is different and likes coffee in their own way, but you can use this guideline to help you find your perfect pour-over coffee ratio.
When it comes to making pour over coffee, a true enthusiast doesn’t settle until they’ve brought out the best flavor the beans can offer.
I generally recommend my friends to make 2-3 brews of the same coffee at the same time with slightly different, appropriate adjustments to grind size and coffee to water ratio, and then to taste them as they cool. This is the best way to find out YOUR perfect pour over coffee to water ratio.
If you like the taste of one of your brews better than the others, that means you have found the ratio for your Golden Cup.
As a starting point, you can use this guide to achieve that Golden ratio for your pour over.
As a general rule, I recommend a coffee to water ratio of 1:16. To put it simply, for every 1 part coffee, use 16 parts water.
If you want to make 1 cup of pour over coffee, you will need 10 oz. (300ml) water, and 19 grams (~3 tablespoons) of coffee.
How did I get to this particular number?
This is how!
Recommended pour over coffee to water ratio – 1:16
Water (ml) – 300
Amount of coffee = 300/16 = 18.75 = ~19 grams or approx. 3 tablespoons.
As far as pour over brewing goes, the biggest tips I can give are to use good quality, freshly ground coffee, and a gram scale to ensure proper ratios of water to coffee.
If you are planning to buy a coffee scale, I highly recommend the Coffee Gator digital scale. It not only measures in pounds and ounces but in volume as well. Accurate from measuring as small as .003 oz to as heavy as 6lbs, this scale is perfect for weighing coffee due to its measuring accuracy.
Hario V60 Drip Scale and Timer is another coffee scale that I cannot recommend enough. What really sets the HARIO coffee scale apart is its optimized timer for pour over brews (or any manual brew for that matter). With the combined efficacy of the timer and the scale, you get consistently delicious coffee from dosage to infusion.
Pour Over Coffee To Water Ratio Chart
To make things easier for you I have made a simple chart that you can refer to, all you need to know is how many cups of coffee you want to brew.
The first two columns of the chart represent the amount of water. Follow the chart horizontally to find the amount of coffee you should use for that specific amount of water.
| Water (oz.) | Water (ml) | Coffee (oz.) | Coffee (grams) | Coffee (tablespoon) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 237 | 0.5 | 15 | 2.5 |
| 12 | 355 | 0.75 | 22 | 3.5 |
| 16 | 473 | 1 | 30 | 5 |
| 24 | 710 | 1.5 | 44 | 7 |
What Is Pour Over Coffee
The pour over coffee brewing method involves pouring hot water through coffee grounds in a filter. The water drains through the coffee and filter into a carafe or mug.
Pour over coffee offer more control of the coffee-making process. You can experiment with your ideal water temperature and grind size to find the perfect cup of coffee.
What Do You Need To Make Pour Over Coffee
You don’t need a hundred accessories to make good coffee, but there are some items that are necessary for consistent quality.
- Pour over coffee maker
- Coffee Grinder (Burr grinder)
- Gooseneck Kettle (best for pour over)
- Paper Filters
- Coffee Scale (ensures accuracy and consistency)
- Coffee Beans (as fresh as possible)
- Filtered Water
How do you bloom pour over coffee?
Bloom is a quick bubbling up of carbon dioxide and coffee grounds that occurs when freshly roasted coffee is brewed. Giving your coffee a half-minute to bloom, depending on how recently it was roasted, will enhance its flavors.
So, how do you bloom pour over coffee?
To bloom pour over coffee, begin pouring water slowly over the coffee, starting at the outer rim and moving in a steady spiral toward the center of the grounds. Pour about twice the amount of water as coffee used, and stir gently. Wait 30 seconds for the coffee to “bloom” and release CO2.
How to Make Pour-Over Coffee
Making a pour over coffee takes time, but it’s straightforward once you get the hang of it.
What You’ll Need:
- Water: 500ml
- Coffee beans: 32 grams (as fresh as possible)
- Pour over coffee brewer
- Paper filter
- Gooseneck kettle
- Burr grinder
- Carafe to brew into
Step 1: Grind beans to the consistency of fine sea salt or table salt and set aside. Also, bring your filtered water to a boil (add slightly more water to the pot as you’ll need some to wet your filter.
Step 2: Transfer boiled water to a preheated kettle with a gooseneck. Meanwhile, put the paper coffee filter inside the brewer and rinse it with hot water. This helps get rid of any papery taste and also preheats your brewer.
Step 3: Add coffee grounds to the filter and shake gently to settle.
Step 4: Add just enough water to cover the coffee grounds (~66ml) so the coffee can “bloom.” Then wait 45 seconds. This is a step that lets CO2 escape from the coffee to help improve the overall flavor.
Step 5: Begin pouring again very slowly, allowing the water to reach halfway up the cone. The crust formed by the initial pour should break up.
After foam forms on top of the grounds, begin the rest of the brewing. Do this by adding the rest of your water into the center of the brewer, keeping the water level high. Try to never let the grounds go completely dry. Total pour time should take 3.5 minutes.
Step 6: Once brewed, remove the filter and enjoy your freshly brewed pour over coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be the water temperature for pour over coffee?
As a general rule, for pour over coffee brewing method, water should be heated to about 195 degrees Fahrenheit to 205 degrees Fahrenheit or 90.5 degrees Celsius to 96.1 degrees Celsius.
What grind size should be used for pour over coffee?
As a general rule, medium-fine coffee grind size is ideal for pour over coffee brewing method. Medium-fine grind size is the same as table salt or sand in texture. A finer grind size may produce coffee that is bitter and a coarser grind size may result in a weak, mild coffee.
Why do you have to bloom your coffee?
Coffee beans get infused with carbon dioxide and other gases during the roasting process. Blooming the coffee before actually brewing it releases some of those gasses to produce coffee with a cleaner taste.
Amit Gupta
Hi, my name is Amit Gupta, and I am the owner and contributor at Cafeish. My obsession with coffee started when I received my first French press as a gift almost ten years ago. Since then, my love of coffee – and the number of coffee gadgets I own – has grown considerably.
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