Pour-Over Coffee Temperature Recommendations What Temperature Should You Use for Pour-Over Coffee

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The Rise of Third Wave Coffee

With the arrival of the third wave of coffee, coffee has transformed from a necessity into a luxury. Coffee enthusiasts now value the origin, vintage, processing, bean characteristics, variety, and flavor profile of their coffee, placing greater emphasis on various brewing parameters. This has fueled the flourishing development of specialty coffee shops worldwide. The charm of pour-over coffee lies in being able to craft your own preferred cup of coffee while enjoying a state of relaxation and fully experiencing the slow-paced lifestyle. At FrontStreet Coffee, we have written many articles about coffee brewing, and in this article, FrontStreet Coffee aims to share knowledge about the appropriate water temperature for brewing pour-over coffee.

Understanding Pour-Over Coffee

Pour-over coffee involves the barista controlling various parameters such as water temperature, flow rate, water volume, and coffee grind size, completing the extraction process by pouring water over the coffee grounds in a steady manner.

The Science of Extraction

According to the soluble substances in coffee grounds, acidity is extracted first, followed by sweetness, and finally bitterness. Different water temperatures release substances to varying degrees. Generally, "lighter roasted coffee beans, due to their higher density, are paired with higher temperatures to accelerate extraction; while darker roasted coffee beans have a softer, less dense structure and are brewed with lower temperatures to slow down the extraction process." The higher the temperature, the faster the extraction, but it's also more prone to over-extraction, resulting in bitter or burnt flavors. Conversely, insufficient temperature leads to under-extraction, making the coffee body thin and taste more sour and astringent.

Light Roast Coffee

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee water temperature recommendation: 90~92°C

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee coffee-to-water ratio recommendation: 1:15

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee pour-over recommendation: Three-stage pouring

Generally, light roast coffee beans have a denser texture, less significant expansion when heated, and slower water extraction speed. Therefore, brewing methods that allow longer contact time between coffee grounds and water are used, combined with slow pouring techniques and high water temperature to stimulate extraction, greatly increasing the success rate of coffee layer expansion.

They are characterized by high acidity and low concentration, with a flavor profile that tends toward sweet and sour notes, floral and fruity aromas, and a relatively refreshing texture.

Medium Roast Coffee

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee water temperature recommendation: 88~90°C

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee coffee-to-water ratio recommendation: 1:15

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee pour-over recommendation: Three-stage pouring

Medium roast coffee beans have a softer texture, expand easily when heated, have good water absorption, and relatively smooth water extraction speed. The extraction of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness is well-balanced, making it the roasting method commonly chosen for specialty coffee beans.

You can taste the acidity, and the aftertaste also reveals bitterness, with a mellow flavor profile featuring notes like nuts and chocolate.

Medium-Dark Roast Coffee

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee water temperature recommendation: 85~88°C

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee coffee-to-water ratio recommendation: 1:15

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee pour-over recommendation: Three-stage pouring

When brewing medium-dark roast coffee beans, slightly lower temperatures are recommended to slow down the extraction process. Additionally, using a gentle pouring technique with the spout positioned close to the filter cup reduces the impact of water flow on the coffee grounds layer, which can lower the proportion of bitter aftertaste and thereby balance the overall flavor of the coffee.

It appears with a thin layer of oil, has a smooth and rich flavor without being too sour or bitter, and you can taste warm notes like caramel and cream. The most classic medium-dark roast coffee variety is undoubtedly Mandheling.

Dark Roast Coffee

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee water temperature recommendation: 82~85°C

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee coffee-to-water ratio recommendation: 1:15

⇢ FrontStreet Coffee pour-over recommendation: Three-stage pouring

Dark roast is commonly used for espresso. If you want to brew it using pour-over method, besides lowering the water temperature and using slightly coarser coffee grounds, you can also pay attention to the appearance of the coffee beans. Freshly dark-roasted coffee beans have rich oils that can enhance the thick and rich texture during tasting. When pouring, extending the contact time between coffee grounds and water allows the oils to dissolve more completely.

It has a strong bitterness with almost no acidity, appears with abundant oils showing a dark coffee color close to black, and the flavor profile leans more toward dark chocolate.

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Important Notice :

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