Have you ever heard the term “pour over” used when referring to coffee or seen it on the menu at your local coffee shop?
For a lot of people, they aren’t quite sure what exactly a pour over is or what it really means. While a pour over coffee has gained popularity in the last several years, it has been a tried and true favorite in specialty coffee shops, and the homes of coffee enthusiasts for decades.
So, What is a Pour Over Coffee?
A pour over coffee is simply referring to the method used to brew the coffee. Many specialty coffee shops, like ours, will use an espresso machine for specialty drinks, such as lattes or cappuccinos, but prefer the pour over brewing method for a classic cup of coffee.
A pour over or hand drip coffee is a technique that uses a standard coffee drip method where hot water is “poured over” ground coffee. Now can you see where the name came from?
Often you see this done in a hourglass shaped device where a cone shaped filter sits on top filled with coffee grounds and drips into a bottom portion for the brewed coffee.
Where Did Pour Over Coffee Come From?
While the pour over may be especially popular now, it has actually been around since the 1930’s. It was invented by a mom who was unsatisfied with the bitter taste of her percolator cup of coffee. She created the pour over for a better tasting cup of coffee. The cone shape devices we use today went on the market in the 1950’s.
A better Cup Of Coffee
There are several benefits you will get from a pour over cup of coffee when compared to a cup from a traditional coffee maker. With a pour over coffee, you have control of the hot water flow. A coffee maker will run water through your grounds straight into the pot in order to efficiently create a cup of coffee. With a pour over, controlled water flow allows the coffee grounds to have time to brew thoroughly.
Additionally, with a traditional coffee maker, gasses are easily trapped and create a more acidic and bitter taste. A pour over allows the coffee to bloom, contributing to an overall richer, fuller flavor profile.
A pour over coffee is going to give you fresh and deep flavors that you may not be able to get with a standard coffee machine. It is one of the best techniques to follow in order to provide customers with the highest quality cup of coffee.
As a specialty coffee shop near Dinkytown we are always striving to tap into the latest in coffee innovation and brewing techniques to provide you with the best cup of coffee possible. For us, that means ethically sourced beans, rich and unique flavors, and a welcoming experience.
While a pour over may be a new concept for some, for us it is a tried and true way to help us reach this goal of serving you the perfect cup of coffee every time you stop in.
