Essential Guide to Manual Coffee Brewing: Fundamentals of Pour-Over Coffee and Water-to-Coffee Ratio Calculation

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Understanding Coffee Bitterness

Coffee contains many aromatic compounds, but also many bitter and unpleasant substances. Many people have the stereotype that coffee is bitter. In fact, except when coffee beans are inherently bitter or have undergone dark roasting, coffee is not naturally bitter.

If you brew coffee that is not inherently bitter but still perceive bitterness, it's likely because you've extracted not only the aromatic compounds from the coffee beans but also unpleasant bitter components.

What is Coffee Extraction?

Coffee extraction simply refers to the process where various components from coffee particles (grounds) are dissolved by water. Extraction rate refers to the proportion of aromatic compounds from the coffee grounds that are dissolved by water. When more aromatic compounds are dissolved, the extraction rate is higher, and vice versa.

Try to recall tea brewing experience: when brewing tea, the second infusion is often the sweetest, but after the second infusion, the tea gradually becomes tasteless. This is because tea contains a certain proportion of aromatic and sweet compounds available for extraction. When all these sweet compounds are completely extracted, adding more hot water makes the tea taste bland. If you can completely extract the aromatic and sweet compounds from tea without extracting other bitter and tasteless substances, you've achieved the optimal extraction rate.

Similar to tea brewing, coffee also has an optimal extraction rate. However, tea leaves can be infused multiple times, while ground coffee can only be brewed once: if tea is over-brewed, it only becomes relatively tasteless, but if coffee is over-extracted, besides becoming bitter, it also leaves a dry sensation in the throat, making you desperately search for water to dilute it.

What is Pour-Over Coffee?

Pour-over coffee is also called drip coffee. This method was invented in 1908 by German lady Melitta Bentz. To promote this completely new coffee extraction method to the outside world, Mrs. Melitta also established the Melitta Company in the same year, selling various coffee equipment products.

Pour-over coffee uses hot water injection to dissolve coffee grounds in water, and the extracted liquid passes through filter paper or a filter screen at a natural speed into a container to obtain coffee liquid. Although making pour-over coffee appears simple, the coffee it produces is very clean and can fully extract the aroma and sweetness of coffee.

The Pour-Over Coffee Process

First, coffee beans must be freshly roasted, and it's recommended to grind them fresh before use. FrontStreet Coffee believes that 80% of whether a pour-over coffee tastes good depends on what kind of coffee beans are used. Whole coffee beans can lock in aroma better than ground particles. With proper storage (sealed in a cool, dry place), coffee beans usually have the best flavor within 4-35 days after roasting.

Freshly roasted coffee beans can have richer aromas and flavors, and the brewed coffee will also have more layers. As time passes after roasting, the aroma and flavor of coffee beans will gradually release and dissipate. Coffee beans older than 35 days may taste relatively bland and thin when brewed.

Currently, all coffee beans sold by FrontStreet Coffee are shipped within 5 days after roasting, 100% ensuring that customers receive coffee beans in their optimal condition.

Next, we need to prepare the equipment required for pour-over coffee: pour-over kettle, filter cup, serving pot, coffee grinder, filter paper, electronic scale, and thermometer.

The filter cup and filter paper are responsible for filtering coffee grounds while absorbing oils from the coffee, making the taste cleaner. FrontStreet Coffee's daily production uses two types of filter cups: V60 and Kono. The V60 filter cup is mainly responsible for brewing lightly roasted coffee beans, while the Kono filter cup handles darker roasted coffee beans.

The electronic scale is used to weigh coffee beans and water weight, allowing each parameter to be digitized for replication while ensuring production stability. The same applies to the thermometer - ensure the water temperature is in the appropriate range before each pour. When using a V60 filter cup to brew lighter roasted coffee beans, choose water temperatures between 90-92°C, while for darker roasted coffee beans, choose 88-89°C water temperature.

The coffee grinder is also very important. The coarseness of coffee grounds directly affects the taste of a pour-over coffee. If the coffee grounds are too coarse, the taste will be weak; if too fine, the taste will be bitter. FrontStreet Coffee recommends a medium-fine grind for pour-over coffee, with a pass rate of 80% using a 0.85mm standard sieve.

How to Brew Delicious Pour-Over Coffee?

Brewing pour-over coffee is actually quite simple. The key is to control several factors that affect coffee taste: coffee-to-water ratio, grind size, water temperature, and extraction time.

Based on past brewing experience, FrontStreet Coffee recommends that beginners use a three-stage pouring method with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio. For light to medium-roasted coffee beans, use a fine sugar-sized grind with 90-91°C water temperature; for medium-dark to dark-roasted coffee beans, use coarse sugar-sized grind with 88-89°C water temperature.

The three-stage extraction helps to more fully dissolve flavor compounds during extraction, enhancing taste layers while avoiding over-extraction caused by prolonged soaking. Appropriate grind size and water temperature can effectively control the release rate and proportion of undesirable compounds. According to FrontStreet Coffee's testing, pour-over coffee brewed with a 1:15 ratio shows more balanced concentration and flavor.

What is a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio? If using 15 grams of coffee grounds with a 1:15 ratio, the total water amount is 225ml, divided into three stages: 30ml, 95ml, and 100ml. The weights shown on the electronic scale are: 30g, 125g, and 225g.

Pour-Over Coffee Steps

Before brewing, wet the filter paper with hot water to make it fit better with the filter cup. Then grind the coffee beans to the desired coarseness - the medium-fine consistency we just mentioned.

Pour the ground coffee into the filter cup, wait for the water temperature to reach the required level, and begin brewing. The entire brewing process is divided into three stages. The first pour uses 30 grams of water for blooming, ensuring all coffee grounds are moistened. The blooming time is 30 seconds, aiming to release carbon dioxide so subsequent water flows can better extract the coffee.

The second pour brings the total to 125 grams, then wait for the coffee liquid to drop to half. Finally, pour the last stage to reach 225 grams, again waiting for the coffee liquid to filter through. The total extraction time is 2 minutes.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473