How to use a Pour Over

A great way to prepare fresh coffee one cup at a time is to use a cone-shaped manual brewer, or pour-over. This is an easy way to prepare fresh, high-clarity brewed coffee in an environment that is easy to clean, control, and maintain. These filters are sometimes referred to by the brand name Melitta. Brewing with the pour-over method is extremely cost-effective and requires very little counter space.

Manual filter cones or baskets come in different shapes and sizes. It is important to use a brew basket that is appropriate for the amount of coffee you wish to brew. A wedge shaped filter is better for brewing smaller amounts of coffee (1 to 3 cups) and flat-bottomed baskets work best for larger brews.

How to Use a Manual Filter

The items necessary for preparing coffee using this brewing method are:

  1. A ceramic or plastic cone brewer (not to be confused with a gold filter) and a paper filter (cloth, metal, or synthetic filters can also be used).
  2. Freshly ground coffee.
  3. A vessel, like a preheated mug or thermos.
  4. Hot Water
  5. A spoon

Proper grind and portioning, as always, are essential in order for proper extraction to occur. The amount of ground coffee you use depends on how much you are brewing. A general rule of thumb is to use approximately 2 tablespoons per 6 oz. Of course you can always adjust to your taste.

  1. Place a filter into the brew basket.
  2. Preheat your mug or thermos by rinsing the filter with hot water.
  3. Put the filter cone or brew basket directly onto the container making sure it is steady.
  4. Boil water. (Water temp. should be approx. 95 degree C/203 degree F.)
  5. Measure the coffee into the filter and level out the bed of coffee a bit to obtain an even extraction.
  6. Measure hot water and pour a small amount of water over the grounds to moisten the surface. Let stand a few seconds to allow the grounds to absorb the water and any “blooming” to dissipate.
  7. Slowly pour the remaining water over the grounds in a circular motion.  If any of the grounds remain dry or if the flow of the drip stops, give it a stir.
  8. After the water has run through all the grounds remove the basket from the container and stir the coffee.
  9. Enjoy!

We suggest that you adjust the grind, the dose, and the extraction time in order to suit your tastes and the environment.