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    by Loom Coffee Co. 3 min read

    Start with 20g coffee, 320g water at 93°C/199°F, and a medium-fine grind. For this dose, 2:30 to 3:30 is a useful initial brew-time range; adjust for your dripper and taste.

    Pour-over lets you adjust grind, water temperature, and pouring as you brew. Begin with a repeatable recipe, then change one variable at a time. Taste will tell you whether the change helped.

    What do you need?

    • Pour-over dripper (V60, Kalita Wave, Chemex, or similar)
    • Paper filters matched to your dripper
    • Gooseneck kettle (temperature-controlled if possible)
    • Kitchen scale (grams)
    • Timer
    • Burr grinder
    • 20g coffee, 320g water

    What ratio and grind size should you start with?

    Start at 1:16 (20g coffee to 320g water) with a medium-fine grind. This sets the amount of water per gram of coffee; it doesn't determine extraction yield. Use a table-salt-like texture as a rough visual guide, then adjust for your grinder and dripper.

    Cone drippers (V60, Chemex)

    A V60's open outlet lets the coffee bed and filter strongly influence flow. If the cup tastes under-extracted and drains quickly, try grinding finer. Chemex paper behaves differently, so its recipe and timing may need separate adjustment.

    Flat-bed drippers (Kalita Wave, Stagg)

    Flat-bed brewers vary in outlet design and filter fit. If a brew stalls or tastes dry, try grinding coarser. Judge the adjustment by the cup; the shape alone doesn't guarantee a rounder flavor or more even extraction.

    For Paubrasil Natural, try a medium grind on your flat-bed dripper and adjust from there. We find chocolate and nut character in this coffee; your water and recipe will affect how it comes through.

    How does water temperature affect the cup?

    Use 88-96°C (190-205°F), with 93°C (199°F) as the default for most coffees. Hotter water generally increases extraction rate. The effect on sweetness, acidity, and bitterness depends on the coffee and the rest of the recipe (Gagné, ch. 1).

    Temperature starting points by roast level

    Light roasts (94-96°C / 201-205°F)
    Medium roasts (92-93°C / 198-199°F)
    Darker roasts (88-91°C / 190-196°F)

    Quick rule: If the cup tastes under-extracted, try hotter water or a finer grind in separate brews. If it tastes harsh or drying, check flow and grind before changing temperature.

    How should you pour?

    Bloom first, then pour in steady, concentric circles. Pour twice your coffee dose in water (40g on 20g of coffee) and wait 30 to 45 seconds. You'll see the bed rise and bubble as CO2 escapes. Make sure all the grounds are wet before continuing.

    Pour steadily across the bed, keeping most of the water on the coffee. Try pulse pouring (2-3 pours with short pauses) as a repeatable starting pattern. A gentle swirl can level the bed; too much agitation can move fines and slow drainage.

    3.0 min

    Target total brew time (including bloom): 2:30 to 3:30

    What should you adjust when the cup tastes off?

    Troubleshooting: taste adjustments
    • Sour or underdeveloped: If the cup also tastes thin or underdeveloped, try a slightly finer grind. A coffee's natural acidity can taste bright even when extraction is good.
    • Thin (lacking body): First check the dose and water weight. If strength is right but the flavor seems underdeveloped, try a finer grind.
    • Flat or dull: Compare a fresh dose with the same recipe, then check water quality. A modest temperature increase is worth testing if extraction seems low.
    • Bitter and harsh: Check for stalling or uneven flow, then try a slightly coarser grind. Roast character and water can also contribute to bitterness.
    • Watery but not sour: Try more coffee or less water. Flavor can help you choose a ratio, but it can't confirm extraction yield on its own.

    Change one variable at a time. That's how you learn what each adjustment does.

    Recipe: Pour-Over (V60 / Kalita Wave / Chemex)

    • Coffee: 20g
    • Water: 320g at 93°C / 199°F
    • Ratio: 1:16
    • Grind: Medium-fine (table salt)
    • Bloom: 40g water, 30-45 seconds
    • Pour: Pulse pour in concentric circles, 2-3 pours
    • Total time: 2:30-3:30

    Works Cited

    Gagné, Jonathan. The Physics of Filter Coffee. Scott Rao, 2021. Chapters 1-2, especially secs. 1.5 and 2.2-2.4.

    Folmer, Britta, editor. The Craft and Science of Coffee. Academic Press, 2017. Chapters on freshness, extraction, and water, including p. 416.

    For this pour-over recipe, start at 1:16: 20g coffee and 320g water. The ratio sets brew strength alongside extraction; it doesn't place the cup automatically in an extraction-yield range. Try 1:15 if you'd prefer a stronger cup, keeping the other variables steady.

    For the 20g-to-320g recipe, 2:30 to 3:30 including the bloom is an initial reference range. Dose, dripper, filter, grind, and pouring change the timing. A brew outside that range doesn't automatically need correction if it tastes good.

    Start around 93°C (199°F). The guide offers 94-96°C for lighter roasts and 88-91°C for darker roasts as ranges to test. Hotter water generally increases extraction rate, but the effect on perceived sweetness and acidity depends on the coffee and recipe.

    A sour pour-over can be under-extracted, especially if it also tastes thin or underdeveloped. Try a slightly finer grind while holding the recipe steady. Natural acidity, water composition, and personal preference also affect that impression.

    The bloom is an initial wetting step that releases gas from the grounds. For this recipe, pour 40g water onto 20g coffee and wait 30-45 seconds before continuing. Ensure the grounds are wet; a collapsing bloom doesn't mean all gas has escaped.

    Both the V60 and Kalita Wave can make repeatable pour-over coffee. Filter fit, outlet design, grind, and pouring matter alongside bed shape. Choose a dripper you enjoy using, follow a consistent recipe, and adjust by taste rather than assuming one design guarantees even extraction.