The term pour-over is commonly used nowadays to indicate the coffee is brewed by percolation, which means that the water passes through a coffee panel extracting flavor along the way.

The ground coffee is separated from the liquid by a filter, which can be made with paper, cloth, or a fine metal mesh.

The pour-over technique has been commonly used in Europe since the 1900s and was rediscovered by the specialty coffee movement in recent years. Originally, only cloth filters were used. The invention of the paper filter is attributed to Melitta Bentz, a German woman, back in 1908.

Pour-over accentuates intricate flavors when compared to other brewing methods.

Good filtered coffee is clean, clear, and consistent. This is because the water is allowed to extract coffee oils and fragrances with consistent time and pressure. The filter catches a lot of the oils, which leads to a cleaner cup when compared to coffee extracted with other types of filter besides paper or cloth.

Chemex uses paper filters that are around 20% heavier than other filters, which the manufacturers say retain more of the suspended oils during the brewing process. Some coffee experts claim that paper filters create an undesirable papery taste, particularly if they are bleached. To avoid potentially introducing undesirable notes, make sure to rinse the filter before use. 

Cloth filters have been used for a long time, and are preferred by some people because they don’t affect flavor and have a smaller environmental impact than paper due to the reusability of cloth filters.

The principle behind the pour-over method of brewing is universal and the critical element for a perfect extraction is the contact time of the water with the coffee panel (the layer of ground coffee), in addition to the water temperature.

• Ratio and water temperature:

  • 60g/l for a smooth, clean, regular cup with 90°C | 194°F water

  • 75g/l for a stronger, fully caffeinated cup with 90°C | 194°F water

  • 45g/l fine grind for a 2 minute percolation time, with 93°C | 200°F water

    • This advanced recipe will allow you to extract your coffee very quickly, increasing the body, the aromas, the cleanliness, and the sweetness of your cup.

• Grind:

  • Coarse – Medium Coarse grind is required.

  • Grind finer if you are brewing a single cup (because you are using less coffee and a coarse grind will let the water flow too fast through the coffee panel)

  • Grind coarser if you are brewing several cups - this is because, if you use a finer grind, the water will remain in contact with the coffee panel for too long, causing a bitter or unpleasant cup

• Bloom: 

  • Add enough hot water to the coffee grind to just cover the grind making sure the coffee is all moistened. When you add the hot water, the ground coffee will start to release the CO2 (Carbon dioxide) trapped in the coffee. You will see bubbles come to the surface of the water, and then pop.

  • Typically, you want to wait 30 seconds before adding the rest of the hot water for the brewing.

  • It is important to release carbon dioxide since it can prevent an even extraction by repelling water. Let the gases escape to improve your chances to achieve a consistent extraction every time.

Brewing:

• Grind the coffee just before you start brewing or use pre-ground coffee

• Bring the water to 90°C | 194°F

• If you use a paper filter, use the time while the kettle is warming up to place the filter in the brewer and rinse the filter with water. This procedure will help reduce any paper taste that could affect the final aroma. Empty the cup or the jug from the rinsing water.

• Place the brewer on top of a cup or jug and add the coffee to the brewer

• 3 leveled tablespoons are around 15g of coffee, so in your kettle you want to have 250 ml of water + 30 ml of water for the bloom = total 280 ml (9.5 fl oz) of water.

• If you do not have a kettle with a temperature selection, just bring the water to boil and wait 10 seconds before pouring. This will allow the water temperature to drop to about 90°C | 194°F

• Bloom the coffee by pouring gently around 30ml/g of water over the coffee while you move the kettle in a concentric circle. Make sure you cover all the ground coffee with water and wait 30 seconds.

• Pour the rest of the water in concentric circles and with a continuous motion. Continuous pouring keeps the flow and saturation as even as possible.

• Once you have added all the necessary water and the surface of the liquid is about 1 inch (2-3cm) below the top of the cone, give it a gentle swirl with a spoon. This prevents any coffee grounds from sticking to the walls of the brewer.

• Let the water flow through until the coffee panel looks dry.

• Remove the brewer from the cup or jug and enjoy your Astraordinary coffee

Different types of filter

• Metal filters: similar to the French press, metal filters remove only the larger particles of coffee, letting the fine ones through. The result is that the cup will have some unpleasant sediment in it and could look a little cloudy.

  The cup will have a heavier body when compared with other filters.

  Metal filters can last decades as long as the filters are kept clean and washed regularly, as failure to do so will allow the oils to build up and become rancid, creating a very bad mouthfeel for your cup.

• Cloth: this type of filter has been used for a very long time. Like paper filters, it separates completely the suspended coffee particles from the liquid and allows the oils to come through. The result is a very clean cup with a rich and full mouthfeel.

  Every time you use this type of filter, you must wash it with water as well as possible immediately after use, and dry it quickly - possibly with a hairdryer. If you leave the cloth to dry slowly, it will develop unpleasant aromas, reminiscent of clothes left in a laundry machine for too long.

  Cloth cleaners are available in the market. Use the cleaner in small amounts, and always dilute with water.

  If you use the cloth regularly, keep it stored wet in a glass of water in the refrigerator. If you are not using the cloth for a long time, leave it wet into a ziplock and place it in the freezer.

• Paper: this is the most common type of filter. This filter needs to be rinsed before using it, in order to prevent a paper aroma to get into your cup.

  These filters strain out all of the coffee particles as well as any oils that may have ended up in the brew. The result is a very clean cup with a reddish hue.