Why is Pour Over Coffee Better?
January 27, 2022

Why is Pour Over Coffee Better?

Even if you think you’re not in good shape to go to work, you think you didn’t have enough of that sweet slumber last night or you’re feeling too depressed to face the day — a cup of pour-over coffee will solve all these issues. 

Why is pour-over coffee better? Although it all comes down to our personal preference, when we talk about coffee brewing, pour-over coffee definitely has it’s advantages over other methods.

The slow brewing method of pour-over coffee prolongs its irresistible smell and it makes it so hard for me to go back to bed! It definitely wakes up my senses in a way that’s so exciting - the same excitement I get every single day.

First, what is pour-over coffee? Pour over coffee is prepared using a very basic method. Take the term “pour over”, the simplest method would be to quite literally pour your water over the coffee grounds in the paper cone filter of your pour-over coffee maker, which sits right on top of your coffee cup. After a few minutes, you’ll find your hot water dripping into a flavorful cup of coffee but, without that bitterness that we commonly associate with coffee. 

The truth is, I call my pour-over coffee “heaven in a cup”.

 

What are the benefits of pour-over coffee?

It may seem too complicated to understand why some people spend so much time, money and energy into a single cup of coffee, but this is something that only coffee lovers understand! Why is pour-over coffee better? It gives you the following great benefits:

coffee grounds used for pour-over coffee

First, you have complete control over the entire process.

What on earth could be more luxurious than having your own coffee that’s prepared exactly the way you want it

One of the reasons why many people love this method of preparing coffee is the ability to have direct control over the brewing temperature, ideally around 200ºF or about 20 seconds after the water has boiled. The flow rate and the grind size will also depend on your preference. You will see if water flow is either too slow or too fast. 

You can also control how long the extraction time takes. In other words, you are personally involved with the entire process of preparing your coffee. So you can see and control everything in real time as opposed to just pushing the button of your coffee machine for an instant cup of coffee ready to enjoy. 

Why is pour-over coffee better? Because pour-over coffee transforms you from simply being a coffee-drinker to a “coffee master.” You serve as the master of your own cup of coffee. The ability to control the temperature, the coffee grind, the brewing time, and how much of that coffee flavor is infused into the beautiful and flavorful cup of coffee is delightfully satisfying.

Coffee enthusiasts also call this method of brewing “artisan,” because the coffee quality produced from the pour-over method is better than what you will get from "automatically" prepared coffee. 

 

Secondly, you’ll have plenty of room for experimentation.

With pour-over coffee, there is plenty of room for experimentation so that you can find exactly what you want. There is no limit to how many variations you can make for your pour-over coffee. And, if you have a little “chemist” inside you, then your pour-over coffee will definitely be “your'' type of coffee. 

Why is pour-over coffee better? You have the freedom to throw in a little more coffee or a little more water, grind it more or grind it less - it's all yours to experiment! The most important part is for you to enjoy the process of coffee making and not just the “drink” per se. You can try different mixtures and have several of your own “best brew” versions that suit your unique taste. 

 

You’ll go through a satisfying “coffee” ritual.

Drinking a cup of coffee is definitely among daily routines that many couldn’t live without. For me, preparing my pour-over coffee in the morning is much like orchestrating my work for the day to the tune of coffee. Not to mention that it makes me ready to face the day and all the challenges that come with it. 

But, why is pour-over coffee better because there is so much more to a pour-over coffee! From the moment you pick up your paper filter, measure your coffee beans, prepare your grinder - to watching the water pouring from the kettle; ending with that perfect cup of coffee you hold so happily.

The process may not be as quick as other brewing methods, but the wait is not only worth it, it’s super-satisfying. The satisfying feeling of being able to brew YOUR coffee is something that is beyond what words can convey. 

 

Still Wondering Why is Pour-Over Coffee is Better? Here are some of the factors that make it better: 

You decide on the coffee to water ratio.

You are personally involved with the entire process of brewing it. If you’re looking to brew classic blends, you have to be careful about your coffee to water ratio so that you are more likely to achieve the exact taste that you want from your cup of joe. 

This could mean for every 350 grams of water, you’ll need 30 grams of coffee, of course you’ll want to use a food scale for these measurements. But if you prefer the nuanced flavor of lightly roasted, single-origin coffee then you may prefer to use less coffee. For example, for every 350 grams of water, you will need about 24 grams of coffee. One key to achieving the right ratio is to use a sensitive food scale that will give you accurate results. 

The truth is there is no exact rule regarding water to coffee ratio. It all depends entirely on your personal preferences. Some people prefer their pour-over coffee recipe to be 60 grams of coffee per liter of water. This means, if you are using 1 gram of coffee, the amount of water you should use is 16.7 grams. 

If you're brewing specialty coffee, the recommended ratio would be 1:15 up to 1:17. Those who have developed a deeper affinity for pour over coffee know exactly just how important the water to coffee ratio is. 

Once you achieve your preferred taste or final output, you have to keep in mind the ratio you used when preparing it. This way, you don’t have to guess the perfect ratio the next time you prepare your pour over coffee.

pour-over coffee being poured into pour over coffee maker It allows even distribution of water.

This pour-over coffee requires a meticulous way of pouring. You cannot just choose any water vessel to use for pouring the water into your coffee grounds. The key to an even distribution of water, which also translates to even extraction of flavor from the beans is to use a gooseneck kettle

So, why is pour-over coffee better? You can control how much flavor goes into your cup of coffee. The use of a gooseneck kettle helps ensure that the same amount of water flows over all of the coffee grounds. The gooseneck spout helps give you better control over the amount of water being poured over the coffee grounds.

If you’re using a big-spouted kettle then chances are slim that you can achieve an even stream of water poured over your coffee grounds. With a big-spouted kettle, it becomes so easy to lose control when pouring the water. This results in extracting too much bitterness from the coffee grounds, leaving you with a bitter cup of coffee.

Too much water flowing too quickly over the grounds of coffee prevents the grounds from reaching their sweetest stage. So what you end up with is a less flavorful, more bitter cup of coffee, negating the purpose of pour-over coffee.

pour-over coffee being prepared

You can choose the type of coffee filter to use.

Another factor that also has a huge impact on the taste of your coffee is the filter you use when making your pour-over coffee. The kind of filter you use largely determines the overall experience you have with drinking a cup of coffee. 

From its aroma, the level of acidity and how the richness of the coffee ground flavors blend together - all these things are affected by the type of filter you use. There are basically, three different types of coffee filters you can choose from:

Paper Filter

Many people use this type of filter knowing that this will give them the kind of coffee that’s thinner, sweeter and brighter. It also produces less oil and less sediment, this is great especially if you’re among those who are conscious about their cholesterol levels.

Others use paper filters because they just love its crisp, clean and light experience of filtering coffee grounds with it. Paper filters are also a good option for those who don’t have enough time for washing or cleaning up. With paper filters, you can just throw them away after each use, and typically they’re biodegradable. 

Cloth Filter

Cloth filters can be considered just as great for your pour over coffee. That is, if you love coffee that’s sediment-free, since cloth filters are finely-weaved. Not to mention the rich aromatics from its natural oil are also present

However, some people do not like cloth filters because they can be difficult to maintain. You have to make sure you don’t get them too dry nor too moist. Most types of cloth filters last for around a hundred brews or so, that is until you start noticing it’s adding off flavors to your coffee due to trapped coffee grounds and oils from previous brews. 

Metal Filter

One advantage of metal filters over any other types is the fact that it enables the natural aromatic oils to infuse into the cup of coffee. These oils contain lots of flavor and in turn, the flavor of the coffee is significantly improved. Bonus, the final output also has much less sludge because the metal filters are usually much finer when compared to french press filters. 

One reason why some people do not like metal filters is the oil content that’s present in the final output. These oils were found to oxidize too quickly and could alter the taste of your coffee while you’re still drinking it. 

All this said, whether you’re a novice in the world of manual brewing, or a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, you shouldn’t forget that coffee isn’t just a beverage. It’s a great source of inspiration! 

As Meik Wiking once said, and I quote “Live life today, like there is no coffee tomorrow!” 

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