When you think about great coffee, what comes to mind? Is it the massive blend of beans that are stirred together in a gigantic vat at the local gas station? Or is it the fancy, imported stuff with the cute little animal on the package?
If you’re like most people, you probably go for convenience over quality. But what if we told you that there’s a better way to get your caffeine fix? Believe it or not, pour-over coffee is starting to make a big comeback.
Some folks used to say, “Pour Over is All Over.” But why?
This is what we will try to find out in today’s blog. In this guide, we will share some of the key information about why Pour over coffee is better than some other brewing methods. Along with that, we will try to give you a brief overview of the difference between Pour Over coffee vs French Press, Aeropress, and Drip coffee.
As always, in the last part of this guide, we will answer some FAQs that will satisfy your queries. But before that, You will find some advantages of the Pour Over brewing method and an overview of the Pour Over coffee maker. Pretty informative, huh?
Let’s get started…
Pour Over Coffee
Pour Over is a coffee brewing process that has been more and more popular among coffee connoisseurs over the past five years. The process is pretty simple and inexpensive, as well. If you have the right skill for making excellent quality coffee, you can definitely go for the Pour Over method.
In this brewing method, you need a Pour Over coffee maker, a scale, a burr grinder, a gooseneck kettle (recommended), filter paper, and a certain amount of hot water (195 – 205 Degrees Fahrenheit). Here in this method of brewing, you are the barista. You have to do everything to make a great cup. There are some specific rules for making a perfect cup of joe while following the Pour Over method.
You have to grind the bean into medium-fine settings. Of course, use a nifty burr grinder for getting a consistent grind size. Make sure you are not skipping the bloom part, as it releases Carbon Dioxide. Carbon Dioxide adds a sour taste to the coffee. Therefore, blooming is an essential part while pouring hot water over the ground coffee.
Though this method is slow and takes some time while brew, you will end up with a rich-flavored cup of coffee. Hence, your entire time and efforts will be worth it.
Why Pour Over Coffee is Better?
Here comes the big following question, is the Pour Over Coffee better? The straightforward answer is, this method will give you full control over the extraction. Quite a big number of folks feel the convenience of brewing coffee using a machine, but if you want to taste the authentic flavor of coffee, you should definitely go for Pour Over coffee.
As you have full control of this method, you can maintain every single aspect needed for brewing. You can grind the beans to your desired size, heat the water to the right temperature, and pour the hot water evenly through the ground coffee.
With an automatic drip coffee machine, you have comparatively less control over the brewing process. Some drip coffee machines can not reach the ideal water temperature for brewing, which may lead you to a weak and under-extracted cup of coffee.
Moreover, the Pour Over coffee method is an inexpensive style to brew barista-quality coffee within your home. You just need all the equipment that you can purchase within 50-70 dollars. Lastly, as the water passes through the grounds slowly, you can expect much more flavor to be extracted.
However, if you are looking for good quality coffee within a short time, you can go for a drip coffee maker. Remember, you have to pay more or less $200 if you want a nifty drip coffee maker.
Pour Over Coffee Makers
Let’s talk about some Pour Over coffee makers. They are pretty affordable to purchase but are capable of delivering enjoyable cups of coffee. You can buy a nifty pour-over coffee maker just by spending more or less fifty bucks.
There is a bunch of different Pour over coffee makers available at the market. Chemex, Hario v60, and Kalita Wave are some widely used pour-over coffee makers. Almost all of them have two basic parts, the brewer itself and the carafe, which is placed under the brewer while brewing.
Chemex is a slightly differently-designed coffee maker that has only one piece of equipment. And it can make decent cups of coffee. Pour Over coffee maker is usually made of glass, ceramic, or steel. One thing that needs to be mentioned is that all of the coffee makers are pretty lightweight and hence can easily be carried while camping or other outdoor activities.
Advantages of Pour Over Coffee
First off, Pour Over coffee is made completely by humans. This means you don’t need to depend on any automated coffee machine for getting nice cups of joe. You can adjust everything in order to get the desired taste. Here in this method, folks are responsible for grinding the beans, blooming, heating water to the right temperature, and pouring the water evenly. Therefore, there’s less chance to make any mess in making coffee.
Another key advantage of this method is that this method is pretty affordable compared to drip coffee machines. You can not expect superior quality from a drip coffee machine until you have spent more or less 200 dollars while you can enjoy full-bodied cups of coffee within just 50 bucks just by following the Pour Over method. However, the Pour Over method needs a bit of skill to operate properly. Undoubtedly, the result of this brewing is completely worth it.
How A Pour Over Coffee Works…
Pour Over method is the most basic method of brewing coffee. Though the process is pretty simple, you can get great results with this method. In this segment, we will look at how pour-over coffee works. Let’s see…
- First, measure the number of coffee beans for grinding. We recommend you start off by following the 1:16 ratio. You can adjust this at any time depending on your needs
- It’s time to grind that measured amount of beans. Use a burr grinder for getting consistent grind size and even extraction
- Now, place the paper filter or reusable filter on the funnel-shaped part of the brewer
- After placing the filter, let it wet by pouring some hot water on it. It will cut off the papery taste of the coffee
- Add the coffee grounds to the filter and give a gentle shake so that you can make an even bed for the grounds
- Now, pour some water (195-205 degrees Fahrenheit) into the coffee grounds. And let them sit for 30 seconds. This is called the blooming part which is essential for releasing Carbon Dioxide from the coffee without allowing the coffee to be sour
- After that, 30 seconds, pour the remaining hot water over the coffee in some steps. After getting the needed amount of coffee, remove the filter and enjoy the delicious cups of pour-over coffee
Comparing Pour Over Coffee Methods with Others
Let’s look at the comparison between the Pour Over method VS. other brewing methods. Basically, we will focus on Pour Over VS. French Press VS. AeroPress, as all of these methods need some manual work and can deliver great-tasting coffee.
Pour Over VS. French Press
Pour Over, and French Press are the two popular methods of brewing delicious cups of coffee. Both of them have their advantages and disadvantages. But they are absolutely capable of making excellent quality coffee within the home. Pour Over coffee makers usually have 2 basic parts: the plunger part and the beaker. On the other hand, most Pour Over coffee maker comes with a funnel-shaped brewer and a carafe.
The key difference between these 2 types is the brewing method. Pour Over uses the infusion method, while French Press uses the immersion method for brewing. Pour Over method can deliver the absolute cleanest cup of coffee as it uses a paper filter. Both these methods are inexpensive and take a bit longer time compared to some coffee machines.
Pour Over VS. Drip
These are almost similar in terms of their brewing output. Some drip coffee machines are pretty nifty that they can brew superior-quality coffee. But in order to get that quality, you have to invest several hundred dollars in the machine. At the same time, you can get a handy Pour Over coffee maker just by spending $50-$70.
The significant difference between these two is “Control Over the Brewing Process.” With a Pour Over coffee maker, you have full control over the brewing process while the drip machine will do everything for you. You have to depend on a drip machine for coffee quality, but the Pour Over coffee maker will let you adjust everything for getting the desired cup of joe.
Pour Over VS. AeroPress
Aeropress is a comparatively new type of coffee maker, which is excellent for travelers. However, you can use it in your home for making smooth and rich cups of coffee in no time. Both the Pour Over and Aeropress are completely manual processes of brewing.
However, there are some differences, as well. You have to grind the coffee beans into a medium-fine size while using the pour-over method. On the other hand, you have to use fine grind size coffee (less fine than espresso grind) for brewing in AeroPress. If the coffee tastes bitter, use a slightly coarser grind size, also if the coffee tastes sour, go for a somewhat finer grind size.
FAQs
Is There More Caffeine In Pour Over Coffee?
Yes. Because of the longer brewing time, Pour Over coffee tends to contain more caffeine compared to espresso coffee or drip coffee. The longer the brewing time, the more caffeine you can expect from your coffee cup. Pour Over coffee contains about 175mg of caffeine in an 8oz cup.
Should You Use A Pour Over Stand With Your Pour Over Brewer?
You can use a nice-looking stand for you to pour over the brewer which will help you brew right into any mug or cup underneath the stand. It’s true that it will add a bit of aesthetics to your brewing method. However, some folks think that it’s an extra burden and a waste of money.
What is the difference between Pour Over and Drip Coffee?
Both the pour-over and drip method is pretty similar. In the Pour Over method, you have complete control over the brewing process while drip coffee makers will do almost everything for you. As the Pour Over method gives you complete control, you can adjust every aspect of getting a delicious cup of coffee. Besides, the Pour Over method is a lot less expensive than the drip method.
Conclusion
We hope this comprehensive guide will help you in understanding why pouring over coffee is better. The main benefit of this method is that it will give you complete control over the brewing process. You know the best about how you want your coffee to taste, therefore you can customize everything for getting your desired coffee taste. This is the reason why Pour Over brewing method is becoming more and more popular in recent times.
If you find this guide helpful, share it with your coffee-lover friends and let them know why they should use the Pour Over method while brewing coffee. Also, if you have any thoughts about this guide, please leave them in the comment section below. We would love to get in touch with you.
Happy Brewing!