How to make pour-over coffee

Pour-over looks fussy when every video uses a different number of pours. The reliable basics are simpler: match the paper to the dripper, weigh coffee and water, wet all the grounds and let the brew drain. A Hario V60 is the example here, but the principles carry to other open-flow drippers. If you have not bought a brewer, our pour-over maker comparison distinguishes V60, Switch and Chemex before you spend.

What to set out before the kettle boils

For one moderate mug, use a V60 02 or similar cone, matching size-02 paper, 15g coffee, at least 250g brew water, a cup or heatproof server, a kettle, scales and a timer. Heat a little extra water for rinsing the paper. Start with a medium-fine grind. A grinder setting number is not portable between models, and roast or filter paper can affect the drawdown, so treat the first cup as a baseline.

A narrow-spout kettle helps direct the pour but is not a gatekeeper. A standard kettle can work if you pour slowly and safely. Do not balance a hot dripper on a narrow cup rim. Make sure the cone sits securely, the vessel can take hot liquid and the scales can support the setup.

A repeatable one-cup method

1. Put the paper into the cone. Rinse it with hot water to seat it and warm the cup or server, then discard the rinse water.
2. Add 15g ground coffee, level the bed lightly and tare the scale to zero.
3. Start the timer as you pour about 40g water over the grounds. Aim to wet everything rather than pouring straight through one spot. Wait about 30 seconds for the bloom.
4. Pour gradually in small circles, mostly over the coffee bed rather than the bare paper. Reach 250g total water by roughly 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
5. Let the water draw down. Around 2½ to 3 minutes total is a useful first target from Hario UK's guidance, not a pass/fail rule. Remove the dripper when dripping has slowed, swirl the server gently and taste after it cools a little.

The 40g bloom is part of the 250g total, not extra water. Coffee grounds will retain some liquid, so your finished mug will contain less than 250ml. If you need a full 250ml served, make a slightly larger brew using the ratio table.

Why rinse the filter?

Rinsing helps the paper sit against the dripper and warms the receiving vessel. It can reduce a papery note, although papers and palates vary. The important housekeeping step is to throw away the rinse water before brewing. If you forget, the cup will be diluted and the ratio you intended will not be the ratio you drink.

For a Chemex, use its own bonded papers and position the layered side correctly by the spout, following the maker's instructions. Do not force a V60 paper into it. Our V60 versus Chemex guide explains the equipment differences.

How to fix a disappointing cup

If it drains very quickly and tastes thin or sharp, try a slightly finer grind while keeping 15g/250g and the pour roughly the same. If it stalls, tastes harsh or dries your mouth, try coarser. A slow brew is not always over-extracted and a fast brew is not always weak: taste and total dose matter. Avoid a violent pour that digs a channel through the bed, and check whether the filter has folded or blocked the outlet.

If the strength is wrong but flavour is otherwise balanced, change the coffee-to-water ratio. For a stronger 250g-water cup, try 16g coffee; for a lighter one, 14g. Make one change and write it down. Water hardness, bean age and roast can shift the result too. The grind-size guide helps interpret a confusing grinder scale.

Making coffee for two

Try 30g coffee and 500g water in a V60 02 over a suitable server, with a bloom of around 60–90g. Give the larger bed enough room; do not pour above the paper rim. A two-cup brew can take longer than a one-cup brew and needs a server large enough for the finished coffee. The two-person setup guide compares this with a shared cafetière or filter machine.

Frequently asked questions

How hot should the water be?

Hario's guide suggests around 92–96°C for its V60 recipe. If your kettle has no temperature control, let a rolling boil settle briefly, then brew. Adjust for the coffee and taste rather than treating one exact degree as universal.

Do I need a 02 dripper for one cup?

No; an 01 can work. Size 02 is flexible for one or two and has readily available papers. Match the paper to the actual dripper size.

Should I stir the bed?

You do not need to. A gentle swirl or a careful initial wetting can help dry pockets. Aggressive stirring can clog the paper with fines.

Why did I get less coffee than the water I poured?

Grounds and paper retain some water. The scale shows brew water added, not final beverage volume.