Brewing coffee properly mostly means getting five things right. Grind size, ratio, water, temperature and brew time decide what ends up in your cup. As a rule of thumb, use about 60 g of coffee per litre of water, water just below boiling and roughly three to four minutes of contact time.
This guide covers pour-over and French press, the two simplest methods that need no machine. All you need is a kitchen scale and, if you want to be precise, a thermometer. At Good-Natured we have our coffee roasted in Dresden, and in our Fair Coffee collection you'll find the blends we brew this way ourselves every day.
• Ratio: about 60 g of coffee per 1 l of water, so roughly 15 g for a large 250 ml cup.
• Temperature: around 92 to 96 °C. Without a thermometer: bring to the boil and wait just under a minute.
• Brew time: pour-over about 2:30 to 3:30 minutes, French press about four minutes.
• Grind size: pour-over like coarse sand, French press like coarse sea salt.
• Biggest lever: weigh your coffee instead of scooping it, and grind just before brewing.
Bitter coffee is almost never the bean's fault. Usually it's down to the grinder, the scale or the clock.
1. Grind size
Grind size is the most important factor. If the coffee is ground too fine, the water runs through too slowly and extracts too much, and the result tastes bitter and dry. If it's too coarse, the water runs through too quickly, extracts too little, and the coffee turns thin and sour.
As a starting point, aim for something like coarse sand for pour-over and noticeably coarser for French press, roughly like coarse sea salt. Pre-ground coffee is always a compromise. A simple hand grinder often changes the taste more than a more expensive bean.
2. How much coffee per cup?
Most people are too stingy with the ratio. About 60 g of coffee per 1 l of water works well. That's 15 g per 250 ml, or roughly three heaped teaspoons for a large cup.
If you find it too strong, top it up with a little hot water after brewing. Using less coffee doesn't make it milder, it tends to make it flat.
If you change just one thing, make it this: weigh your coffee. Depending on roast and grind, a teaspoon holds anywhere from about 4 to 7 g. That explains why the same coffee can taste completely different from one day to the next. Any kitchen scale will do.
3. Water
A cup of filter coffee is more than 98 % water. Very hard tap water makes coffee taste flat and chalky, very soft water can make it sharp and sour. In hard-water areas, a simple jug filter makes a noticeable difference.
And use fresh water, not whatever has been sitting in the kettle since yesterday.
4. What is the ideal water temperature for coffee?
A good range is about 92 to 96 °C. Water at a rolling boil pulls out bitter compounds more quickly, while water that's too cool makes coffee taste sour and flat.
Without a thermometer: bring the water to the boil, keep the lid on and wait 45 seconds to a minute. In a normal kitchen that lands you reliably in the right range.
5. Brew time and method
Pour-over: Rinse the paper filter with hot water and discard the rinse water. Add the coffee and level it with a gentle shake. Pour in about twice the coffee's weight in water (30 ml for 15 g) and let it soak for around 30 seconds. During this pre-infusion, often called the “bloom”, carbon dioxide escapes from the fresh coffee. Then pour in the rest in two or three circular stages. Total time: about 2:30 to 3:30 minutes.
French press: Add coarsely ground coffee, pour in all the water at once and stir. Wait about four minutes, skim off the foam on top and press the plunger down slowly. Then pour the coffee straight into a jug or cup, otherwise it keeps steeping and turns bitter.
Our all-rounder Living the Good Life is 100 % Arabica: mild, chocolatey and slightly sweet. According to the product description it works for filter and French press, exactly the two methods in this guide. Price: ab 12,50 €.
View the coffee ↗6. Troubleshooting: bitter, sour or bland?
Bitter, dry, harsh? Usually the coffee is ground too fine, brewed too long or the water is too hot. Try a coarser grind first.
Sour, thin, watery? Then it's often ground too coarse, under-dosed or the water ran through too fast. Grind finer or use a little more coffee.
Tastes of nothing? Often the beans were roasted a long time ago. Check the roast date, not just the best-before date.
7. Storage
Store whole beans airtight, in the dark and at room temperature. The fridge isn't a good idea, as coffee absorbs moisture and smells there. Freezing only works in small, airtight portions that you don't refreeze after thawing.
And grind just before brewing. Ground coffee loses its aroma much faster than whole beans.
8. Which coffee for which method?
For pour-over and French press, our all-rounder Living the Good Life is a great fit. If you prefer espresso from a portafilter machine or moka pot, go for Holy Grounds, an Arabica-Robusta blend with low acidity and a full body. Both are gently drum-roasted in Dresden and come in a bag with an aroma valve that is made in Germany.
Coffee isn't a directly Christian product. But at Good-Natured we want Christian love for our neighbour to be lived out in production, too: our beans come via the Bongabee coffee project in Nkambe, Cameroon, directly to Germany without middlemen, so that fair pay is possible. If you're curious how to recognise fairly traded coffee, it's worth taking a closer look at origin and labels. And if you'd like to give coffee as a present, you'll find ideas in our post on giving coffee as a gift.
The simplest invitation there is: drop the Coffee Date postcard for 2 € into a letterbox, set a date, two cups.
View the card ↗Conclusion
A scale, freshly ground beans, about 60 g per litre, water just off the boil and three to four minutes: get these right and even a simple pour-over cone or French press will give you really good coffee. You'll find matching coffee from Dresden in our Fair Coffee collection at Good-Natured. A bag also makes a lovely small gift, and you'll find more ideas in our Christian gifts under 20 euros and our Christian Christmas gifts.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my bean-to-cup machine to grind coffee for pour-over?
Many bean-to-cup machines only grind for espresso and can't be set coarse enough. For pour-over and French press, a separate grinder with adjustable grind size is a better choice. A simple hand grinder with conical burrs is all you need.
How long does coffee stay fresh after opening?
Whole beans usually taste good for two to four weeks after opening, as long as they're stored airtight and in the dark. Ground coffee goes stale much faster. So it's better to buy smaller amounts and grind in portions.
Can I use espresso beans for pour-over?
You can, but it will taste different from what you're used to. Espresso roasts are usually darker and stronger, so in a filter they often come across as harsh. If you want to try it, grind a little coarser and use water at the lower end of the temperature range.
Why is French press coffee sometimes sludgy?
If the coffee is ground too fine, small particles slip past the metal mesh. A coarser grind helps, as does skimming off the foam before pressing. It's also best to leave the last sips in the pot.
