Brew Tanzanian coffee as a pour-over at 60 grams per liter, water at 200 F (93 C), with a 30 to 40 second bloom and a total pour time around 2:30 to 3:00, using a medium-fine grind. That ratio and temperature suit the bright, floral character of a washed Tanzanian coffee like our No. 9 Optimism, and a pour-over shows that brightness more clearly than a method that presses or steeps the grounds.
Why pour-over suits this origin
Mbeya, Tanzania, where our No. 9 Optimism grows between 1,200 and 1,900 meters, produces a fully washed coffee that leans toward pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry notes rather than heavy body. A paper filter in a pour-over removes more oils and fine particles than a French press or an AeroPress, which keeps the cup lighter and lets those floral and fruit notes stay distinct instead of getting buried under body.
The recipe
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 20 g |
| Water | 330 ml (11 oz), 200 F (93 C) |
| Grind | Medium-fine |
| Bloom | 40 g water, 30 seconds |
| Total time | 2:30 to 3:00 |
- Heat water to 200 F (93 C).
- Grind 20 grams medium-fine, about the texture of table salt.
- Rinse the paper filter, add the grounds, level the bed.
- Pour 40 grams of water to bloom the grounds, wait 30 seconds.
- Pour the remaining water in slow circles over roughly 2 minutes.
- Let it drain fully, total time landing near 2:30 to 3:00.
V60 or Kalita Wave, does it matter
Either dripper works with the same recipe above. A V60's single large hole lets water flow through faster, which rewards a slow, deliberate pour in tight circles, since a rushed pour can run through before it extracts fully. A Kalita Wave's flat bottom and three small holes even out the flow on their own, which is more forgiving if your pour speed is not perfectly consistent. For a coffee this floral, either dripper shows the notes clearly, the choice mostly comes down to how much you want the pour itself to matter.
If the cup tastes off
Two adjustments cover most problems. If the cup tastes sour or thin rather than bright, grind slightly finer or extend the pour a little, since that usually means the coffee has not extracted enough. If it tastes bitter or harsh rather than sweet, grind slightly coarser or shorten the total time, since that points to over-extraction. Adjust one variable at a time and taste again before changing anything else.
Common mistakes with this origin
Two things go wrong most often. The water runs too cool, which mutes the floral notes into something flatter, and the coffee sits too long before drinking, since this cup flattens faster than a heavier bodied coffee once it cools. Drink it within the first few minutes off the dripper for the clearest jasmine and strawberry notes, rather than letting it sit while you finish making breakfast.
What about water
Water quality affects any pour-over, and the honest answer is that it depends on what comes out of your own tap, which varies by city and is not something we can speak to in general. If your tap water tastes noticeably off on its own, a basic pitcher filter is a reasonable step before brewing, since it is minerals and chlorine, not the coffee, that most often cause a flat or off cup when the recipe itself is followed correctly.
Scaling the recipe up or down
The 20 grams to 330 milliliters ratio above holds for a single large cup. For two cups, double every number: 40 grams of coffee, 660 ml (22 oz) of water, an 80 gram bloom, and a total pour time closer to 3:30 to 4:00 since more water needs to pass through the same size filter. Keep the grind and water temperature the same regardless of batch size, only the weights and total time change. Going much past two cups in one dripper starts to strain most V60 and Kalita Wave sizes, at that point it is usually cleaner to brew two separate batches than to force one oversized pour through a filter built for a single cup.
Our pick
No. 9 Optimism
Mbeya, Tanzania · 1,200 to 1,900 m · Fully washed, dried on raised beds · Bourbon, Kent · Medium-light roast
Pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry notes, bright and tea-like, best while it is still hot.
For a second recipe using the same coffee, see our full No. 9 Optimism brewing guide, or compare it against a Colombian pour-over in this guide. Browse the full lineup of all ten coffees, or read about our sourcing on the why page.
Brew it hot, drink it hot, and let the paper filter do the work of keeping the cup light.
Questions people ask
What grind size works best for Tanzanian coffee in a pour-over?
A medium-fine grind, about the texture of table salt, works well for a pour-over at 200 F (93 C). Too coarse and the water runs through before it extracts the floral and fruit notes, too fine and the brew slows down enough to turn bitter.
Why does Tanzanian coffee taste different from other African coffees?
That depends on the specific coffee. Our No. 9 Optimism is a fully washed coffee from Mbeya grown from Bourbon and Kent varietals, which on the label shows up as pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry notes, a brighter and more tea-like profile than a heavier, chocolate-forward coffee. Other Tanzanian lots can taste different depending on their own process and varietal, and we can only speak to what is on our own label.
Can I brew Tanzanian coffee with an AeroPress instead of a pour-over?
Yes, our own brewing note for No. 9 Optimism lists AeroPress as an alternative to pour-over. It gets close to the same bright, tea-like result in less time, though a pour-over's paper filter keeps the cup a little lighter.
Free printable
Keep the ratio chart on your fridge
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