Reasons Why Pour Over Is The Best Coffee Brewing Method For Home Brewers.

There are N number of coffee brewing methods using which you can brew coffee at home. But one method that has stood up to the test of time and patience for us is the Pour Over brewing method. 

In principle coffee brewing is achieved by balancing three critical factors. 

• Roast Level
• Grind Size
• Water Temperature, and 
• Pressure

Pour Over Coffee Brewing methods employ all of these in an optimal manner to bring out all the hidden notes in your coffee. 

We touch upon each of them one by one below. 

This method can be applied to any roast level 

The Pour Over method can be used for any roast level of coffee beans. After multiple coffee sessions, people usually develop an affinity towards a particular roast type, the aroma and taste of which speaks directly to their soul. You just need to order the coffee and you are ready to brew as soon as it arrives. 

While other brewing methods can also be applied for different roast levels, Pour Over method generally lets you have full control over coffee extraction for the taste and tasting notes you are looking for. 

Grind Size

Grind size of beans matters for any brewing method owing to the filtration system and size of pores in the filters. 

Grind size also determines the amount of energy consumed in grinding the coffee beans. 

A coarse grind size will use a relatively lower amount of energy compared to finer grind sizes. Over a course of 30-40 years of coffee brewing you can contribute to significant savings in energy consumption. 

Water Temperature

In addition to grinding, energy is also consumed in heating up water and milk for coffee. For pour over, you need to just heat up the water to the pre-boiling stage on a regular stove. You do not need any expensive equipment to heat up water. 

Pressure

Well, the pour over brewing takes place at atmospheric pressure because you just need to start pouring hot water from the top. The amount of energy consumed in passing pressurized water is usually extremely high compared to just pour water at atmospheric pressure level. 

Let’s Talk About Equipment

Conical Drippers

You usually require a conical passage and filter papers to brew the coffee. We usually recommend ceramic conical equipment such as Flower Dripper for brewing coffee because they have long shelf life and are light on the environment. There are plastic conical drippers available in the market that can also be used. They are long lasting and durable and can be used for as long as 5 years or more if handled carefully. 

Filter Papers

At the heart of any coffee brewing method lies the role of filters. For conical drippers, you can use filter papers and discard them without worrying about any harmful impact on the environment. There are filter papers available which can be used for specific roast levels so that you do not under-extract or over-extract the coffee during the brewing process. 

Let’s talk about the process

Satisfying and Meditative

Once you have your desired coffee and all the equipment, everything is under your control. Now the essential part is to manage your breath and flow of water that lets you extract the best taste from your coffee. 

The process of pouring water over coffee, watching it bloom, and eventually tasting is extremely satisfying and meditative in our opinion. 

Control over taste and density

The control of flow of water lets you control the extraction of coffee at the right level. With continuous practice, you will achieve the self-realized state of flow that will be unique to your brewing process. You usually require a vessel with a thin spout to control the flow of water. But you can also use a regular container available handy in your kitchen to manage the flow. 

In the end, it is about managing accuracy and precision. Accuracy can be achieved by managing your breathing and muscle movements and precision can be achieved by using pour over kettles with spouts that help you manage the flow at the level of droplets.

End Notes

We would love to hear from you about your pour over coffee brewing experience. You can send us your experiences from each brewing session at avancoscoffee@gmail.com. 

Let’s get into a conversation. 

Cheers

Team Avanços