Pour Over Coffee: The Simple Art of a Perfect Cup at Home

Pour over coffee has become a cornerstone of specialty coffee culture, and for good reason. This brewing method highlights the nuanced flavours of coffee beans while offering coffee enthusiasts complete control over their brew. But what exactly is a pour over, and can you master it at home? Absolutely!  It's so simple that I can even brew a great cup of coffee!

What is Pour Over Coffee?

At its core, pour over is a manual brewing method where hot water is poured in a controlled manner over coffee grounds contained in a filter. The water passes through the grounds and filter, directly into your cup or carafe below. The process is deliberate and methodical, allowing for extraction that many coffee lovers find superior to automatic drip machines.

Popular pour over devices include the Hario V60, Chemex, Kalita Wave, and Melitta drippers. Each has slight variations in design that affect flow rate and extraction.

Can You Do It At Home?

Not only can you brew pour over coffee at home, but it's also one of the most accessible specialty brewing methods to get started with! 

All you need is:

  • A pour over dripper (starting around $20-30)

  • Paper filters designed for your dripper

  • A gooseneck kettle (recommended but not essential)

  • A kitchen scale (for precision but again not essential)

  • Fresh coffee beans - This is 100% essential.  I would suggest a coffee like... The Grandview blend from The Commercial Drive Coffee Company or if looking for a Decaf option - try the Commercial Drive Coffee Company’s Woodland Decaf… Just saying

Choosing the Right Coffee

Pour over works beautifully with medium to light roasts, which tend to have brighter, more complex flavour profiles. The pour over method excels at highlighting these delicate notes that might get lost in other brewing methods.

However, there's no hard rule - if you prefer medium-dark roasts with chocolate and nutty profiles, pour over will still produce excellent results. Again, I may have an option for you here; maybe the Commercial Drive Coffee Company's Organic Dark Roast called The Park Drive...  The key is freshness and quality, regardless of roast level.

The Ideal Grind

Grind size is crucial for pour over success. You'll want a medium-fine grind, similar to sea salt in texture. Too fine, and you'll over-extract (bitter); too coarse, and you'll under-extract (weak, sour).

If possible, invest in a burr grinder rather than a blade grinder for more consistent particle size. Grind your beans just before brewing for maximum freshness.

Is It Simple?

Pour over brewing strikes a perfect balance - it's simple enough for beginners but offers depth for enthusiasts to explore. The basic process is:

  1. Heat water to 195-205°F (90-96°C)

  2. Rinse your paper filter with hot water

  3. Add your ground coffee (typically 15-18g per 250ml water)

  4. Pour just enough water to saturate the grounds (30-45 seconds for "blooming")

  5. Slowly pour the remaining water in circular motions

  6. Total brew time should be 2:30-3:30 minutes

The beauty of pour over is that once you master the basics, you can adjust variables like water temperature, pour rate, and coffee-to-water ratio to suit your taste preferences.

Why Choose Pour Over?

Pour over brewing offers several advantages:

  • Clean, bright flavors with excellent clarity

  • Full control over extraction variables

  • Meditative brewing ritual

  • Minimal equipment needed

  • Easy to clean up

While it requires slightly more attention than an automatic machine, many find the few extra minutes create a meaningful morning ritual and noticeably better coffee.

Whether you're just starting your specialty coffee journey or looking to expand your brewing repertoire, pour over is an accessible, rewarding method that can transform your daily coffee experience. Enjoy!!

At the Commercial Drive Coffee Company, we offer 8 roasts – all in 300g – all small batch roasted for optimal freshness – all but 2 are Organic Coffee.  He is what we have for you to enjoy:

·        The Organic Medium Roast Grandview Whole Bean or Ground

·        The Organic Dark Roast Park Drive Whole Bean of Ground

·        The Organic Medium Roast Drive Espresso in Whole Bean

·        The Organic Medium Roast Woodland Swiss Water Decaf in Ground

·        The Dark Roast East Village Espresso in Whole Bean

·        The Medium Roast Continental in Whole Bean

We have you covered at the Commercial Drive Coffee Company!!

We are so very proud to say that we are 100% Canadian Owned and Operated and that we roast and package our coffee in BC!

Kenny Vannucci