Pour-over recipe
Single-cup brew through a V60, Kalita, or similar dripper.
Pour schedule
No scale? Use this
A standard coffee scoop holds about 10g — roughly 2 level tablespoons of medium-ground coffee.
A scale is the single biggest upgrade you can make to your coffee — different roasts pack differently, so volume measurements are unreliable.
How much is each cup costing you?
See your true cost per cup at home vs. the café — and how fast premium gear pays itself off.
What you'll need to nail this recipe
A coffee scale with built-in timer
0.1g precision is the difference between guessing and dialing in. Pearl S is the gold standard; cheaper options work fine for home.
See top picks on Amazon →A burr grinder for medium grind
Pre-ground coffee goes stale in days. A burr grinder is the single biggest upgrade for any brew method.
See top burr grinders →Hario V60 or Kalita Wave
The two most-used pour-over drippers in specialty cafés. Both are under $30.
Compare brewers →Gooseneck kettle (with temp control)
Controlled flow is essential for any pour-over method. Variable temp pays off across roast levels.
See gooseneck kettles →How these numbers work
Why does the ratio change between methods?
Different brew methods extract coffee differently — water temperature, contact time, pressure, and filter type all change how much of the coffee's solubles actually end up in your cup.
Immersion methods like French press steep grounds in water for several minutes, so they extract efficiently and need a slightly stronger ratio (around 1:15) to balance the heavy body.
Pour-over and drip are percolation methods — water flows through and out — so extraction is shorter and the ratio is looser (1:16–1:17) for clarity.
Espresso uses 9 bars of pressure to force water through a fine puck in 25–30 seconds. The ratio looks tiny (1:2) but it's measuring liquid out, not water in.
Cold brew extracts at room temperature for 12–24 hours. Cold water pulls less caffeine and fewer bitter compounds, so concentrate ratios are very strong (1:5–1:8).
Grind size — why it matters more than people think
Grind size controls how fast water can extract from the coffee. Finer grinds = more surface area = faster extraction. Coarser grinds = slower extraction.
Match the grind to your brew time:
Espresso (25–30 sec): very fine, like powdered sugar
AeroPress (1–2 min): medium-fine, like table salt
Pour-over / Chemex (3–4 min): medium, like coarse sand
Drip (4–6 min): medium
French press (4 min): coarse, like sea salt
Cold brew (12–24 hr): extra coarse, like cracked pepper
If your coffee tastes bitter and harsh, you over-extracted — grind coarser. If it tastes sour and thin, you under-extracted — grind finer. Adjust one click at a time.
Water temperature — does it really matter?
Yes. The Specialty Coffee Association recommends 195–205°F (90–96°C) for hot brewing.
Lighter roasts are denser and extract better at the higher end (203–205°F). Darker roasts are more soluble and can taste burnt at high temps — try 195–200°F.
No thermometer? Boil the water and let it sit for 30 seconds before pouring. That puts you in the right range for most methods.
How to adjust if your coffee tastes off
Too bitter? Grind coarser, shorten brew time, or lower water temp.
Too sour or weak? Grind finer, brew longer, raise water temp, or use a tighter ratio (more coffee).
Watery body? Use less water relative to coffee — drop from 1:17 to 1:16 or 1:15.
Heavy and overpowering? Loosen the ratio — go from 1:15 to 1:16 or 1:17.
Change one variable at a time so you know what fixed it.
RoastRanked is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Recipes are starting points based on SCA Golden Cup standards — adjust to your taste.