How to Brew Pour-Over Coffee at Home

Pour-over coffee is one of the most rewarding ways to brew whole bean coffee. It's slow, intentional, and gives you full control over every variable — grind size, water temperature, pour rate. The result is a clean, bright cup that lets the character of the bean shine through.

At Kos Coffee, our whole bean roasts are built for exactly this kind of brewing. Whether you're reaching for the floral brightness of First Light, the balanced warmth of Gather, the quiet depth of Still Hour, or the bold complexity of The Draw — pour-over will bring out the best in each one.

What You'll Need

  • A pour-over dripper (Hario V60, Chemex, or Kalita Wave all work well)
  • Paper filters
  • A gooseneck kettle
  • A burr grinder
  • A kitchen scale
  • Fresh whole bean coffee — we recommend starting with Gather or First Light
  • Water heated to 93–96°C (200–205°F)

The Ratio

A good starting point is 1:16 — 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water. For a standard 300ml cup, that's about 19g of coffee to 300g of water. Adjust to taste: more coffee for a stronger brew, less for something lighter.

Grind Size

For pour-over, you want a medium-fine grind — similar to coarse sea salt. Too fine and the water will drain slowly, over-extracting and turning bitter. Too coarse and it'll drain too fast, leaving the cup thin and sour. Grind fresh, right before brewing.

Step-by-Step

  1. Rinse your filter. Place the filter in the dripper and pour hot water through it into your cup or carafe. This removes any papery taste and pre-warms your vessel. Discard the rinse water.
  2. Add your coffee. Spoon in your freshly ground coffee and give the dripper a gentle shake to level the bed.
  3. Bloom. Start your timer and pour just enough water to saturate the grounds — about 2–3x the weight of your coffee (so roughly 40–50g for a 19g dose). Let it bloom for 30–45 seconds. You'll see the grounds bubble and expand as CO₂ releases. This is a sign of fresh coffee.
  4. Pour in stages. After the bloom, pour in slow, steady circles from the centre outward. Aim to add water in 2–3 pours over the next 2–3 minutes, keeping the water level consistent without letting the bed run dry between pours.
  5. Let it drain. Once you've added all your water, let the dripper finish draining completely. Total brew time should be around 3–4 minutes.
  6. Taste and adjust. If the cup is bitter, try a coarser grind or shorter brew time. If it's sour or weak, go finer or brew a little longer.

Which Roast to Use

Pour-over is especially well-suited to lighter roasts, where the method's clarity highlights delicate flavours. First Light is a natural starting point — its brightness and complexity come alive with this method. Gather is a great all-rounder if you prefer something a little more balanced and approachable.

If you lean toward richer, darker cups, Still Hour and The Draw both hold up beautifully in pour-over — you'll get depth without the heaviness of a French press or espresso.

A Few Tips

  • Use filtered water if your tap water is heavily chlorinated — it makes a noticeable difference.
  • Grind fresh every time. Pre-ground coffee goes stale quickly and loses the nuance that makes pour-over worth the effort.
  • Keep notes. Brewing is iterative. Small adjustments add up to a cup that's dialled in exactly to your taste.

Pour-over rewards patience. Once you find your rhythm, it becomes less of a process and more of a ritual — a quiet few minutes before the day starts. That's what good coffee is for.

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