Introduction
Pour Over Brewing at home? The right green coffee beans make all the difference.
Whether you're just getting started or refining your pour-over technique, the flavour in your cup begins with one essential element, the right green coffee beans. Picking the right beans is not just important for roasters who want to get the most out of pour-over brewing; it's everything. The origin of the beans, the processing method, and the roast growth all play a big role in how clear, balanced, and aromatically complex a pour-over is.
Pour-over brewing is becoming more popular among professionals and coffee lovers in the UK and Europe. As a result, there is a greater need for high-quality green coffee that can be used in this way. If you're a home or professional roaster, this guide will help you make smart choices about where to get your beans. Find out which green coffees make the best pour-overs and how our carefully chosen range can improve every step of the roasting process.
What is Pour Over Brewing, and Why Is It So Popular?
Pour-over Over Brewing is a way of making coffee by hand that is praised for bringing out the subtleties and clarity of good beans. Pour over is different from immersion methods because hot water is slowly poured over newly ground coffee. This lets gravity pull the water through the coffee grounds and into a mug or carafe below. This method gives the brewer complete control over things like flow rate, water temperature, and extraction time. This makes it a favorite among people who like accuracy and attention to detail.
In the past few years, it has become very popular, especially among people who like speciality coffee and home brewers who like the traditional process and a clean, smooth cup. Pour-over coffee was first made in Germany in the early 1900s when the paper coffee filter was invented. It has since become a popular way to show off the flavour notes of coffee from different origins.
The resulting brew is typically bright, aromatic, and layered, with enhanced acidity and a crisp finish, ideal for highlighting the unique qualities of thoughtfully sourced and roasted green coffee.
This guide will walk you through how to select the ideal green coffee beans for pour-over, understand their characteristics, and optimise your roasting and brewing to deliver an exceptional cup every time.
Step-by-Step Brewing Guide for Pour Over Using Green Coffee Beans
Mastering pour-over brewing starts well before the first drop hits your cup. It begins with selecting and roasting the right green coffee, then dialing in the variables that bring out its full expression. Here’s a clear, step-by-step guide tailored for those working with fresh-roasted green coffee beans.
Step 1: Grind Size
Use a medium-fine grind, similar to the texture of table salt. Too coarse and you’ll under-extract, resulting in weak, sour flavours. Too fine and the brew can become overly bitter or sluggish. A burr grinder offers consistent particle size, crucial for balanced extraction.
Step 2: Water Temperature
Aim for a water temperature between 92°C and 96°C (198°F–205°F). Water that’s too cool won’t extract enough flavour, while boiling water can scorch the grounds and mute delicate notes.
Step 3: Water Quality
Always use filtered water with a balanced mineral content. Poor-quality water, especially with high chlorine or limescale, can negatively impact flavour clarity and roast character.
Step 4: Bean-to-Water Ratio
A common starting point is 1:16, that is, 15–18 grams of roasted coffee to 250ml of water. Adjust based on your roast profile and desired cup strength. Roasters working with high-elevation or dense green beans may find better results with a slightly higher ratio.
Step 5: Brewing Process
- Heat your water to the recommended temperature.
- Rinse your filter to eliminate paper taste and preheat the dripper.
- Add the ground coffee, level it, and tare your scale.
- Start the timer and bloom: Pour about double the coffee weight in water (e.g., 30g water for 15g coffee). Let it sit for 30–45 seconds to release CO₂.
- Pour slowly in concentric circles, keeping the water level even. Avoid pouring on the edges.
- Complete the pour in stages, finishing by 2:30–3:00 minutes, depending on your grind and roast level.
- Let the brew drain completely and serve immediately.
Step 6: Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Sour taste? Try a finer grind or raise the water temperature.
- Bitter brew? Coarsen the grind slightly or reduce brew time.
- Fast extraction? Ensure a consistent grind and pour technique.
- Slow drip? Your grind may be too fine, or your filter may be clogged.
This process empowers roasters to showcase their green beans' full flavor potential in every cup.
Equipment You'll Need for Pour Over Brewing
- Pour Over Brewing Device – Choose from popular brewers like the Hario V60, Kalita Wave, or Chemex, depending on your preferred flow rate and flavour clarity.
- Paper or Metal Filter – Use high-quality filters specific to your brewer. Paper filters offer a cleaner cup, while metal filters retain more oils and body.
- Burr Grinder – Essential for achieving a consistent medium-fine grind, which directly impacts extraction quality. Avoid blade grinders, as they create uneven particle sizes.
- Gooseneck Kettle – For even water flow, a kettle with fine spout control is the best choice. Models that let you change the temperature are great for making steady coffee.
- Digital Scale (Optional, but Recommended) – Helps maintain accuracy with your bean-to-water ratio, ensuring repeatable results for any roast.
Why the Right Green Coffee Beans Matter for Pour Over Brewing
You have to be very careful when you pour over coffee, and that starts with the green coffee beans you choose. When you choose the right beans, you can get the clean, rich cup that pour-over is known for. This is why it's important:
- Flavour Optimisation – Pour over methods emphasise brightness, floral aromas, and clarity. This style doesn't work well for all beans. Those flavours come out more when you choose green coffee with bright acidity and clean cup potential.
- Grind Compatibility – How evenly beans grind depends on how dense they are and how much water they contain, especially when they are ground to a medium-fine level needed for pour over. Even extraction and taste development are guaranteed by uniform grinding.
- Roast Suitability – Light to medium roasts are best for pour-over because they keep the bean's original qualities. Some green beans do better at these roast levels, while others might need more time to grow, which would make them less good for pour over.
- Body & Acidity Balance – If you do it right, a pour over should give you a light body with bright acidity. If you pick the right green beans, you can avoid cups that are too sharp or too flat, and find the perfect mix that makes a good brew.
- Brewing Efficiency – It's not always easy for all beans to handle slower, gravity-fed brews. Some work better with quick extraction ways, while others show their best qualities after being in contact with water for a longer time, like in pour-over.
- Personalisation – Origin, variety, and processing method all have an effect on how flavours come out. You can make your roast and drink taste like stone fruit from Ethiopia, flowers from Kenya, or chocolatey sweetness from Central America if you use the right green beans. It's up to you or your customers to decide what they like.
When you buy fresh coffee with pour-over in mind, you're not just getting beans; you're also getting more control, clarity, and a better cup experience.
Key Traits of Ideal Beans for Pour Over Brewing
Before you can choose the right green coffee for pour-over, you need to know what qualities it should have to work with this precise brewing method. Pour over works best with coffees that are clear, balanced, and nuanced, so some sources and processing styles work especially well.
- Origin Examples – When brewed over a filter, coffee from high-altitude areas tends to be brighter and smell better. For example, Yirgacheffe from Ethiopia often has floral and tea-like notes, while Kenyan beans can have berry acidity and a wine-like structure. People also love Colombian and Guatemalan coffee because it has a good mix of sweetness and citrus notes.
- Processing Method – Washed (wet-processed) Most of the time, pour-over coffee is best because the tastes are clear and the acidity is strong. On the other hand, natural (dry-processed) beans have stronger, fruitier notes that can be exciting in some types but need to be roasted carefully to keep them from becoming muddy.
- Roast Level – Light to medium roasts work best for pour-over. At these brown levels, the bean's original flavour is kept, and the complex acidity and origin-specific traits can shine. This method works best with beans that roast evenly and can handle gentle heat changes.
- Flavour Profile – Great pour over coffees usually have a smooth texture, bright citrus notes, delicate florals, and sweet stone fruits. Depending on the bean and roast, a Chemex brew might bring out notes of honey, jasmine, or lemon zest, while a V60 brew might bring out notes of cherry, peach, or bergamot.
Roasters can make sure that every cup of pour-over coffee has the clarity, balance, and grace that people look for by choosing green coffee beans with these qualities.
Tips for Roasting & Brewing with Pour Over Brewing
- Roasting Tip – When preparing green coffee for pour over, aim for a light to medium roast level, around City to City+. This range helps preserve the bean’s inherent acidity and allows subtle tasting notes like florals, citrus, or stone fruit to develop without being masked by roast flavors. Keep the roast curve gentle and avoid pushing too quickly through first crack to maintain clarity and complexity.
- Brewing Tip – Consistency is key. Use a burr grinder to achieve a uniform medium-fine grind, which promotes even extraction and prevents sour or bitter flavours from dominating the cup. Adjust grind size slightly depending on how your specific roast behaves during the pour.
- Equipment Suggestion – For better flow control and precision, use a gooseneck kettle. It allows for a steady, spiral pour that helps saturate the grounds evenly, unlocking the full potential of your roast in every brew.
8. Mistakes to Avoid When Brewing Pour Over with Green Coffee Beans
- Incorrect Grind Size – Using a grind that’s too coarse can lead to weak, under-extracted brews, while an overly fine grind may cause over-extraction and bitterness. Always aim for a consistent medium-fine grind suited to your specific pour-over method.
- Water Temperature Too High – Boiling or overheated water can scorch the grounds, especially with lighter roasts, resulting in flat or burnt flavours. Keep your brewing temperature in the range of 92°C to 96°C for optimal extraction.
- Accidentally Using Roasted Beans from Elsewhere – Always double-check that you’re roasting and brewing your own selected green coffee beans. Pre-roasted or commercially roasted coffee doesn’t give you control over the development stage or profile, and won’t reflect the full potential of the green beans you’ve sourced.
Our Handpicked Green Coffee Beans for Pour Over Brewing
Explore our hand-picked green coffee beans, each chosen for its exceptional performance with Pour Over Brewing.
- Origin: Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
- Tasting Notes: Jasmine, lemon zest, white peach
- Ideal Roast Level: Light to City+
- Brewing Suitability: Perfect for highlighting floral and citrus notes
- Best For: Beginners & floral-forward profiles
- Origin: Nyeri, Kenya
- Tasting Notes: Blackcurrant, cranberry, red grape
- Ideal Roast Level: Light to Medium
- Brewing Suitability: Offers bright acidity and juicy complexity in a pour-over
- Best For: Those who love bold fruit clarity
- Origin: Huila, Colombia
- Tasting Notes: Caramel, green apple, cocoa
- Ideal Roast Level: City to Full City
- Brewing Suitability: Balanced cup with crisp sweetness and body
- Best For: Balanced brews with a sweet finish
- Origin: Huehuetenango, Guatemala
- Tasting Notes: Milk chocolate, plum, orange blossom
- Ideal Roast Level: Light to Medium
- Brewing Suitability: Great for smooth, rounded pour-over profiles
- Best For: Versatile roasting and easy-to-like flavour
Conclusion
Pour over brewing rewards precision, patience, and above all, the right green coffee beans. From origin and processing to roast level and brew method, every choice influences the final cup. With a focus on clean, expressive flavours, pour over brings out the best in thoughtfully selected beans and carefully tuned roasts.
As a roaster, this is your opportunity to experiment, refine, and create a cup that truly reflects your craft. Whether you're just starting or perfecting your signature profile, the journey is as rewarding as the result.
Ready to elevate your pour-over brewing?
Explore our full collection of handpicked green coffee beans here, or browse our range of specialty brewing equipment here to enhance your speciality and brewing setup.
Let every cup tell the story of the bean, start roasting with purpose today.
