As mornings cool, a hot pour-over is worth going back to, and the simplest way in is 20 grams of coffee to 330 grams (11 ounces) of water, poured just off the boil over about three minutes. That ratio is 60 grams per liter, the same one we use for most of our coffees. Pick No. 1 Common Sense if you want an easy everyday cup, No. 6 Hegemony if you want low acidity and body, and No. 4 Conjuncture if you want the coffee to be the loudest thing in the room.
Which coffee for which kind of morning?
| No. 1 Common Sense | No. 6 Hegemony | No. 4 Conjuncture | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Huila and Medellin-Antioquia, Colombia | Parana and Sao Paulo, Brazil | Othaya, Nyeri County, Kenya |
| Process | Fully washed, solar dried | Pulped natural, sun dried | Fully washed, dried on raised beds |
| Notes | Cocoa, red apple, brown sugar | Cocoa, smooth | Orange, lemon, floral |
| Label suggests | Drip or French press, takes milk | Drip, or cold brew at 1:8 | Pour-over, a touch coarser, 94°C |
The roaster lists Common Sense and Hegemony as medium roasts. It does not declare a roast level for Conjuncture, so we do not state one.
How do you switch from iced back to hot?
If you have been making cold brew all summer, the change is mostly in the kettle. Cold brew is forgiving, and hot pour-over is not. Three small habits carry most of the difference.
- Rinse the paper filter with hot water. This removes the papery taste and warms the dripper and mug.
- Wet the grounds with about twice their weight in water (40 grams here), wait 30 to 45 seconds, then pour the rest in slow circles.
- Aim to finish by around three minutes. If it runs much faster, grind a little finer. If it stalls, go coarser.
The full recipe for Colombian coffee is in our Colombian pour-over guide, and Kenya has its own in the No. 4 Conjuncture brewing guide. We will not repeat either here.
Can you still use the cold brew habit?
Yes. Hegemony is the one whose label names cold brew at 1:8, so it is the natural bridge on a warm afternoon when you are not ready to give up the pitcher. Our Colombian cold brew guide covers the method with another of our coffees.
What do you need besides coffee?
Not much. A dripper and paper filters, a kettle (a gooseneck makes the pour easier to control but is not required), a scale that reads to the gram, and a mug you like. The scale does more for your cup than any other purchase, because it lets you repeat a good morning and fix a bad one. If you brew for more than one person, keep the ratio and scale it up: 30 grams of coffee for 500 grams of water, or 40 grams for 660.
Grind just before you brew if you can. We sell whole bean and ground, and both ship free in the US. Whole bean gives you more control over the grind size, which matters most in a method as sensitive as pour-over.
What if the first cup is off?
Do not change everything at once. If it tastes sharp and thin, grind finer. Our sour coffee post walks through it. If it tastes harsh and dry, grind coarser, and the same fix applies as for any bitter cup. For Kenya, the label puts it plainly: it is acidic on purpose, and if it tastes sour rather than bright, grind finer.
Our pick
No. 1 Common Sense
Huila and Medellin-Antioquia, Colombia · 1,300 to 1,500 m · Fully washed, solar dried · Castillo, Caturra, Colombia, Typica · Medium roast
The cup you make every morning without thinking about it, with cocoa, red apple and brown sugar notes.
If you would rather start with the loud one, or the smooth one, here they are:
Our pick
No. 4 Conjuncture
Othaya, Nyeri County, Kenya · 1,700 to 1,890 m · Fully washed, dried on raised beds · SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian
Orange, lemon and floral notes, for the days you want the coffee to be the loudest thing in the room.
Our pick
No. 6 Hegemony
Parana and Sao Paulo, Brazil · 750 to 1,050 m · Pulped natural, sun dried · Catuai, Mundo Novo · Medium roast
Low acidity and heavy body, with cocoa and smooth notes, for the pot everyone in the house drinks.
See all ten coffees, or set one on a repeat with the subscription, which is 11% off with skip or cancel in one click.
Start with one dripper, one scale and one bag, and the rest of the season is easy.
Questions people ask
What ratio should I use for hot pour-over?
We use about 60 grams of coffee per liter of water, which works out to 20 grams of coffee for 330 grams (11 ounces) of water.
What water temperature is best?
Just off the boil works for most of our coffees. The label for No. 4 Conjuncture suggests 94°C (about 201°F) and a slightly coarser grind.
Which of your coffees is best for milk?
The label for No. 1 Common Sense says it takes milk without falling apart, so that is where we would start.
Free printable
Keep the ratio chart on your fridge
One page with grams, level tablespoons and scoops for every cup size and for coffee makers from 2 to 14 cups. Leave your email and the download link appears right here.