If you’re in pursuit of the perfect pour-over cup of coffee, your first ally in the battle should be a reliable coffee scale. Why? Because pour-over brewing is all about being exact, and guesstimating your measurements just won’t cut it. In this tutorial, we’ll cover how to get the most out of a coffee scale and why it’ll make a difference in your morning cup.
Why Use a Coffee Scale for Pour-Over?
Pour-over manual brewing puts you in total control of the brewing process but that means small mistakes can lead to uneven cups. A coffee scale helps by:
Providing for accurate coffee-to-water ratio
Safeguarding you to control your pour rate
Providing consistency per cup
Step-by-Step Brew Guide to Pour-Over Using a Coffee Scale
- Set Up Your Equipment
You will need:
A pour-over dripper (like a V60 or Chemex)
Paper filter
Freshly ground coffee
A hot water kettle (approximately 200°F / 93°C)
Your coffee scale
- Tare Everything
Place the dripper, filter, and carafe on the scale. Press “tare” to zero it out. Weigh your ground coffee (usually 15–18g). Tare out again when it’s time for water. - Measure as You Pour
Start your timer and pour twice the weight of your coffee in water for the bloom (e.g., 30g water for 15g coffee). Allow it to sit 30–45 seconds. Then, pour in slow circles to your desired weight usually 240g to 270g total. - Timing and Flow Rate
Use your scale’s timer feature or another independent timer to ensure your pour-over takes approximately 2:30–3:30 minutes, depending on grind and style.
Tips for Improved Pour-Over Coffee with a Scale
Employ uniform grind size: Medium-fine is standard for V60.
Master your pour: A gooseneck kettle makes flow rate easy to manage.
Take notes: Monitor your ratios and timing to replicate excellent brews.
Invest in a scale timer: It’s particularly useful for multi-step brews.
It removes all the guessing game
Pour-over brewing on a coffee scale isn’t just for coffee snobs it’s something anyone can utilize to produce more, better coffee in their own home. It removes all the guessing game aspects and gives you full control over the flavor and strength.
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