You could use a funnel, a filter, and a mug if that’s what you have. A cloth that will catch the coffee grinds will work if you don’t have a standard coffee filter.
You can use anything you have already in the kitchen if you don’t have a fancy pour-over device. Making coffee is an art, and you can get as creative- or simple- as you’d like to.
What kind of filter do I use for making pour-over coffee?
When it comes to making coffee, the options seem endless. Here are some of the variations of coffee filters you could consider using for your pour-over coffee:
- Paper Filters
- Cloth Filters
- Bleached Filters
- Unbleached Filters
- Heavy Filters
- Light Filters
- Device-specific Filters
The kind of filter you use to make your coffee is up to you in the end. Each filter has its own properties that may or may not affect your coffee. If you think your filter is causing problems, there are other options you could try.
What kind of kettle should I use for making pour-over coffee?
There are a variety of different kettles on the market. When you’re considering a kettle to purchase, you may want to consider these things:
- Water temperature stability-what this means, is if you want to make a specific brew, sometimes the recipe will call for a steady temperature. A kettle that keeps your water at this temperature would be insulated well.
- Heating method-there are a few different kinds of kettles, each may heat water differently. There are traditional stovetop kettles as well as electric kettles. Each will have its individual properties, pros, and cons.
- Spout-some kettles have short spouts, and some kettles have long spouts. This is a matter of control over the pour. Short spouts tend to have less control and the potential to gush. A long spout gives the pourer more control over where and when the water goes.
- If you don’t have a kettle, you could warm water in a pot or in the microwave. Having a kettle is not necessary for making coffee and not having a kettle shouldn’t stop you from trying if you want to!
Which coarseness should I use for making pour-over coffee?
Fine coarse coffee will take longer for the water to run through the grounds. Steeping will take a shorter stretch of time if the coffee grounds aren’t too fine.
A good place to start is with medium grind coffee. Medium-coarse and medium-fine grinds are available for you to experiment with to find your golden cup of coffee.
A general rule is to start with a coarseness like rough sea salt, making it finer according to your taste and preference. Some coffee lovers start with a coarseness akin to sugar and make it coarser as needed. The entire coffee-making process is up for debate, and you get to choose your own recipe.
Is pour-over coffee drip-brew or immersion?
Pour-over coffee can be made either way with some of the newer pour-over brewers featuring a stopper to allow you to make an immersion or a drip-brew coffee. Most pour-over coffee is made in the drip-brew style.
Does hotter water make better coffee?
If the water is warm, the brew will happen faster. A drip-coffee, pour-over coffee or instant coffee brews almost instantly. The coffee is extracted quickly and it’s stronger when the water is hotter.
If the water is cool, the brew happens slower. A cold brew is a great example of this. Cold brew coffee is generally left in a cool environment for an extended period because the brew happens much slower.
Hot water doesn’t necessarily make better coffee, it just reduces the brew time and increases the oils, acids, and caffeine content in the coffee within that brew time.
How long should it take to brew coffee?
How long you brew your coffee will have a direct impact on the strength, body, and flavor of your coffee. Dark roast coffee takes about 2.5 minutes and light roast coffee takes around 4 minutes. Medium roasts falling in the middle of these, of course.
The longer coffee is brewed, the more bitter it’s going to get. The shorter amount of time coffee is brewed, the lighter and weaker the brew will be. In the middle is where the perfect cup of coffee lies. It’s up to you to find the perfect brew time for you.
Here are some methods you can use to make pour-over coffee:
The Bloom
This brewing method pours water directly into the coffee resulting in bubbles called degassing, which is the release of carbon dioxide. The reason this method is popular is that carbon dioxide can repel water, meaning that your brew would be uneven and inconsistent.
Pulse Pouring
This is a stop-start method used to make sure that the coffee grounds don’t rise up the filter. It also ensures that the grounds are disrupted some so they get even exposure to water.
This method is intentionally varied. You can vary the number of stops and starts and the amount of water poured each time.
Continuous Pouring
This method pours water continuously to try to ensure even saturation.
Agitation
Agitating coffee grounds is a method used. By agitating the coffee grounds when they’re submerged, it ensures that the coffee is evenly saturated and evenly extracted. Some people claim that this disrupts the coffee and leads to inconsistent coffee. To each their own cup of coffee!
Pre-infusion
Some coffee connoisseurs insist on mixing the coffee and water before they let it drip. It means that the coffee is allowed to brew in the water before it’s dripped. Then the mixture is dripped or filtered to remove the coffee grounds from the brew.
This method is similar to the inverted method used with AeroPress.
Double Filter
Some brewers like to use a double filter to slow down the brew time and create a cleaner and balanced cup of coffee.
Multiple Streams
Some pour-over brewers feature multiple water streams, making the brewing process faster by increasing the water flow through the coffee.
Wetting
Many coffee connoisseurs like to wet their coffee filter before adding the coffee grounds, claiming that this keeps the coffee grounds in place when they begin pouring water over.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.