In English, “pour over” means “pour over”. This is exactly how hot water is slowly poured over the ground coffee in a special funnel with a filter by hand. This elegant method of coffee preparation combines simplicity and sophistication and allows you to maximize the aroma and taste of the beans, creating a clean, clear drink without bitterness.
Melitta Benz invented the first paper filter for brewing coffee in the early twentieth century in Germany. Her innovation quickly gained popularity among coffee drinkers, as it made the process of brewing coffee more convenient and the result tastier.
Coffee in a pourover is considered to be tastier and much healthier: the filter retains oils that can increase cholesterol levels.
Selection of brewing equipment
Among the most popular types of pourover: Hario V60, Kalita Wave, Clever Dripper, and Touch. Each model has its own characteristics: V60 produces a clean, bright cup with pronounced acidity, Kalita ensures stable extraction thanks to its flat bottom, Clever is a hybrid design that combines pour-over and infusion methods to deliver a rich, clean coffee taste, and the Ukrainian Dotyk is primarily about handmade aesthetics and national flavor.
When choosing a funnel, you should consider its shape, material (glass, ceramic, plastic, metal), airflow ribs, and compatibility with filters.
The most popular brands include Hario, Kalita, Timemore, Origami, and Clever. To make puerh coffee, you need: a funnel, filters, high-quality grinding of beans, scales, a kettle with a narrow spout, a timer, and, of course, clean water.
Selecting coffee beans and preparing them
Highland speckled Arabica varieties are best suited for the pourover method, as they have a bright, multifaceted flavor with fruity, floral or chocolate notes. Beans from Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, or Guatemala are ideal. The choice depends on what flavors you prefer.
One of the key components is grinding. It should be medium or slightly larger than medium, reminiscent of sea salt. Too fine a grind will lead to oversaturation, bitterness, and cloudiness, and too coarse a grind will lead to an “empty” taste and under-extraction.
The degree of grind determines how fast the water passes through the coffee, which directly affects its flavor. Try different variants: if the taste is too sour, make the grind finer, if it is too bitter, choose a coarser grind. It’s important to find the right balance, and you’ll get your perfect cup.
The process of brewing coffee
To brew coffee in a steamer, it is important to follow the exact proportions and sequence of steps.
The classic proportion is 1:15-1:17 (one part of ground beans to 15-17 parts of water). For 15 g of grinding, you will need about 250 ml of water. If a scale is not available, you can use 1 tablespoon of ground grain (approximately 7-8 g) per 120 ml of water.
The water temperature should be 92-96°C. Boil the water and wait 30-60 seconds before brewing.
It is very important to rinse the paper filter with hot water to remove the paper taste and warm up the funnel.
Wetting is the first step: a small amount of water is added. After 30-45 seconds, “blooming” begins – the release of gases. Only then is water slowly poured in, in a circular motion. The walls of the filter should remain dry.
This method requires attention but rewards with a clean, flavorful drink.
Step by step recipe for cooking
What you need for brewing:
- Funnel
- Paper filter
- Freshly roasted coffee (15 g)
- Water (250 ml, 92-96°C)
- Scales, timer, kettle with a narrow spout
- Cup or server
Preparation:
Place the funnel on the cup or server.
Place the filter in the funnel and rinse it with hot water. Pour off the water.
Pour ground coffee (medium grind) into the filter and smooth it out.
Brewing (takes up to 3 minutes):
Pour 30 ml of water and wait for blooming.
Slowly pour in another 120 ml in a circular motion from the center to the edge.
Add the rest of the water (up to 250 ml). It is important that the flow is even.
Allow the water to pass through the filter completely. Discard the filter and stir the drink in the server to even out the flavor.
Tips from the barista:
- By changing the pouring speed, you change the extraction: faster for a lighter flavor, slower for a deeper flavor.
- Start with a basic recipe and adjust the grind or temperature.
Peculiarities of drinking a drink prepared in a steamer
The coffee should stand and cool. The full flavor depth is revealed at a temperature of 55-65°C.
Drink in small sips, do not rush to swallow – this way you will better feel the acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and aftertaste.
Professional taste assessment includes several criteria:
- Aroma (dry and wet),
- Balance (harmony between acidity, body and bitterness),
- Aftertaste,
- The purity of the cup (no unnecessary impurities or bitterness).
Comparison of purover with other methods
Pour-over and kemex are both alternative methods of brewing filter coffee, but they have their own differences in design, filtration, and flavor.
The V60 (e.g. Hario) has a conical funnel with a large opening and spiral ribs inside. Its design gives you control over the brewing process by changing the grind, water temperature and pouring style. This results in a clean, bright coffee with a distinct acidity and complex flavor.
Kemex is a stylish glass carafe with thick paper filters. Thanks to them, the coffee passes more slowly, which gives a softer and cleaner cup, but with less pronounced acidity and a denser body.
Purover is valued for its control and variability, while Kemex is appreciated for its aesthetics and velvety texture.
