A beginner's guide to pour-over brewing

Pour-over looks fussy from the outside, but it comes down to four variables you can control in your own kitchen.

Too fine and the water can't pass through fast enough, so you get a bitter, over-extracted cup. Too coarse and it runs through too quickly, tasting thin and sour. Aim for something like coarse sea salt — a burr grinder makes this consistent every time.

195-205°F (just off a full boil) is the sweet spot. Boiling water straight off the kettle can scorch the grounds and pull out harsh, bitter compounds.

Pour just enough hot water to saturate the grounds (about double the coffee's weight) and let it sit for 30-45 seconds. You'll see it puff up — that's trapped CO2 escaping, and skipping this step is the single most common beginner mistake.

After the bloom, pour in two or three slow, circular passes rather than one big dump. A gooseneck kettle makes this dramatically easier to control.

A simple ratio of 1g of coffee to 16g of water is a reliable starting point. Weigh it once, taste it, and adjust from there — your palate will tell you more than any recipe.