What IS a Pour Over Coffee?

  Pour over coffee has been the hot topic of coffee in recent years and there is much discussion about the best techniques and tools to use.

But don’t be intimidated; It’s a straightforward way to make a delicious cup of coffee. In theory, it’s not a whole lot different than your regular drip coffee maker. What sets pour over apart is that it is made by hand-pouring the water over the coffee. Why would you do that? Why not just let the coffee maker do the work?

Have you ever looked at coffee filter and grounds after you brewed a pot of coffee and noticed that the water has dripped right though the center of the grounds? That means the grounds that are off to the side are being less extracted and the ones in the middle are being over extracted.

With a pour over the water is allowed to extract coffee oils and fragrances more consistently from the grounds in its own time and its own pressure.

And because this is an infusion method, it is more efficient at extracting coffee than immersion techniques like a French press. Immersion methods cause the water to become saturated while sitting in the grounds, whereas pour overs use a constant supply of fresh water over the grounds.

Both have their merits and both taste great, but there's no question that a pour over will give you a straight shot at knowing the nuances and personality of a coffee.