Pour-over
A cone, a filter and a slow pour. The clearest cup you can make, and the best way to taste what makes a coffee different.
- Time
- 3:30
- Ratio
- 1:16.7
- Level
- Medium
Brew guides
Better coffee at home, one method at a time
These are the recipes we use on our own bar, written out step by step. Each one has exact weights and timings, a ratio table you can scale, and a printable version for the kitchen.
French press
Full-bodied and rich, with almost no technique. Our method skims the grounds for a cleaner cup than you might expect.
- Time
- 9:00
- Ratio
- 1:16.7
- Level
- Easy
AeroPress
Fast, forgiving and nearly impossible to break. Sweet, clean coffee in two minutes, at home or in a hotel room.
- Time
- 2:00
- Ratio
- 1:14.7
- Level
- Easy
Before you start
Four things matter more than your brewer
Get these right and any of the three methods will make a very good cup.
01
Fresh beans
Coffee tastes best between about five days and five weeks after roasting. Look for a roast date, not a best-before date, and keep the bag sealed and out of the light.
02
Grind just before brewing
Ground coffee loses much of its aroma within fifteen minutes. A burr grinder gives even particles, which means even extraction and a sweeter cup.
03
Weigh, don't scoop
A scoop of a light roast weighs more than a scoop of a dark one. A $15 kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g fixes the most common cause of weak or bitter coffee.
04
Use good water
Coffee is 98% water. If your tap water tastes of chlorine or leaves scale in the kettle, use filtered water. Just off the boil, 92–96 °C, suits most coffees.
Grind size
Where each method sits
Finer grinds extract faster, so short brews need a finer grind and long steeps need a coarser one.
Extra fineFineMediumMedium-coarseCoarse
EspressoLike flour
AeroPressLike fine sand
Pour-overLike table salt
French pressLike sea salt
At a glance
Which method suits you
Want body and comfort? French press. Want to taste every note in a light roast? Pour-over. Want something quick that's hard to get wrong? AeroPress.
| Method | Body | Clarity | Time | Cups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pour-over | Light | Very high | 4 min | 1–3 |
| French press | Heavy | Medium | 2 min | 1–4 |
| AeroPress | Medium | High | 2 min | 1 |