How to Make Pour Over Coffee Without a Scale

Introduction

When you start diving into home coffee brewing, the need for so many precise tools and fancy techniques can be a bit overwhelming. Sometimes you just want to flick the kettle on and make a simple but delicious cup of coffee without any fuss or aggravation. 

If you find yourself in this situation, you’ve come to the right place. You don’t need to use fancy scales, brewing techniques or distribution tools every time you simply want to enjoy a simple home brew. It is possible to make a delicious pour over coffee without a scale, and in this article I’m going to give you some tips to help you along the way. 

You’ll need to use your coffee brewing experience, a few basic tools like a spoon, cup and perhaps a measuring jug, but you can certainly make a delicious cup of pour over coffee without the use of a precise weighing scale. 

Why a Scale Is Normally Recommended

Whilst it is totally feasible to make great pour over coffee without a scale, there is a reason that most coffee geeks recommend using one in the first place. It’s because consistency is key when it comes to making great coffee. 

Controlling your inputs, such as coffee dose, grind size, water temperature and pouring technique are key factors that will allow you to take your pour over game to the next level. 

This is why I would normally recommend (particularly for someone finding their coffee calling) using a precise weighing scale and paying attention to their coffee to water ratio, particularly when they’re just starting out. 

Generally speaking, for pour over coffee you should aim for a 1:16 coffee to water ratio, as this ensures a well balanced, fully formed coffee extraction without flooding your bed of coffee. Maintaining a ratio like this ensures you have consistent and repeatable results, which can then be tweaked and adjusted to your liking. 

However, it is worth pointing out at this stage that precise scales are not essential to making delicious coffee. Pour over coffee in particular should be an enjoyable, almost spiritual experience. The coffee brewing process should be as much a part of enjoying the experience as drinking your coffee. 

So, if you want to make great tasting pour over coffee without all the equipment and fuss, let’s dive into it. 

What You’ll Need Instead of a Scale

If you’re going to make pour over coffee without a scale, there’s a few substitute pieces of equipment you’ll need. This isn’t too complicated, but there’s a few things you’ll need to set you up for success. 

You’ll need: 

• 1 Tablespoon
• A Standard Coffee Cup
• Kettle
• Pour Over Equipment (V60, Chemex, Kalita etc.)
• Filter Paper
• Timer (Your Phone is fine)
• Ground Coffee (Freshly Ground is Recommended)

We’re going to use a tablespoon as a measure rather than a coffee scale for this brew. 1 level tablespoon will yield approximately 5g of ground coffee. 

Therefore, with a standard 250ml/8oz cup, using 3 level tablespoons of ground coffee will give you the perfect 1:16 coffee to water pour over ratio per serving. 

I’d also recommend using freshly ground coffee wherever possible. If you already have a standalone coffee grinder (or one built into an espresso machine), then I’d recommend using that. Burr grinders will also yield much more consistent and high quality results than blade grinders when it comes to grinding coffee beans. 

However, if you can only get your hands on pre ground coffee, this will also work. Whilst the coffee won’t be as fresh or flavourful as freshly ground, you can still produce great results. 

I’d recommend opting for a slightly lighter roast if possible when using pre ground coffee, as this should counteract the inherent bitterness and lack of vibrancy compared to using freshly ground coffee. 

Recommended Coffee-to-Water Ratio Without a Scale

Regardless of whether you’re using a coffee scale or not, the coffee to water brewing ratio remains the same for pour over. A 1:16 coffee to water ratio is a great place to start, but then feel free to experiment from there once you’ve dialled in your flavour preferences. 

Here’s a useful table to help determine how much coffee and water to use, based on a standard ‘cup’ size and using a level tablespoon of ground coffee. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Pour Over Coffee Without a Scale

Here’s a no nonsense step by step guide to help you brew a delicious tasting pour over coffee without the need for a weighing scale. This cuts out all the fuss and will give you a fool proof way to make a standardised, consistent cup of coffee even if all you have is a V60 and a spoon! 

Step 1: Boil Water

I’d recommend using filtered water to keep things consistent, but if you don’t have this available, don’t stress. 

Also, before pouring your water over your ground coffee, let it sit for 20-30 seconds to cool off slightly from the boiling point. The water temperature should register around 95℃ before you use it, to ensure you don’t burn your coffee and end up with a bitter and astringent tasting cup.

Step 2: Prep Your Pour Over Setup

The next thing to do is set up your pour over brewing device and cup of choice. Regardless of whether you’re using a V60, Clever Dripper, Chemex, Kalita or Melita, you should pour a little hot water through your filter paper before adding your coffee. 

This will help get rid of the papery taste and heat up both your brewing device and coffee cup, whilst will help maintain an even extraction.

Step 3: Add Coffee Grounds

Next, it’s time to add your coffee to the mix. I’d recommend 3 level tablespoons (15g) of coffee per serving. 

You’ll also want a ‘medium’ grind size. I appreciate this may not be the most useful description, but you’ll want something that resembles fine salt. Not as fine as a powdery espresso grind, but not as coarse as you’d use for french press. This is something you can play around with and dial in to your taste preferences.

Step 4: Bloom

Once you’ve got your pour over device loaded up with coffee, it’s time to pour. 

The first thing you’ll want to do is bloom your coffee. This ensures the grounds are nicely wetted and expel that first layer of CO2, ensuring you get rid of unwanted bitterness before continuing with your pour. 

Then, once your coffee bed has dried out (after about 30 seconds), continue to pour in a circular motion, working outwards from the centre. 

Step 5: Pour in Circles

Now the aim is to pour over enough water to fill up your cup with delicious brewed coffee, without over or under extracting your coffee grounds. 

This is a little more difficult to achieve without a scale, but it is totally doable with a little bit of patience and a keen eye. 

I’d recommend pouring a small amount of water (a 5 second pour for example) every 30 seconds. The higher your pouring frequency, the more coffee you’ll extract from your grounds. 

Aim to pour slowly and carefully to avoid disruption or excessive agitation to your carefully curated bed of coffee grounds. I’d recommend really taking your time and using a steady hand, particularly if you’re using a standard kettle as the flow rate of water will be higher than if you’re using a gooseneck kettle. 

Your total brew time should last around 3 minutes. 

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Finally, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labour. 

Once your cup is full of delicious, freshly brewed pour over coffee, go ahead and dispose of your dried out paper filter and remove your brewing device of choice. 

Give your coffee a stir to ensure every sip is well balanced, and enjoy! 

Overview of Each Pour Over Coffee Maker

Here is an in depth overview of each of the most popular pour over coffee makers out there right now. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing one of the options below, as there are a number of individual factors that play their part in determining which device is right for you. 

V60

Arguably the most popular pour over coffee maker out there, the Hario V60 is simple to use, but requires proper technique to be honed in. Whilst it is most commonly made from plastic, the V60 comes in ceramic, glass, copper and metal. 

The V60 gets its name from being fashioned in a ‘V’ shape at a 60° angle. It uses paper filters to extract brewed coffee from ground beans, and typically offers a fresh, pure, clean cup of coffee. 

Origin: Developed by Hario in Japan.

Usage: Features a cone-shaped dripper with spiral ridges, allowing for precise control over brewing variables.

Positives: Offers versatility, clarity of flavours, and a wide range of customization options.

Negatives: Requires careful pouring technique for consistent results.

Chemex

The Chemex has been around for a long time now, but it still demands respect thanks to its unique coffee brewing characteristics. 

This scientific looking device is beautiful to look at and is made exclusively from glass. There is a lot of ritual involved in mastering Chemex coffee brewing, and pour technique is a very important factor that needs to be honed to get the best out of the Chemex. 

Chemexes require their own specific paper filters, which are larger and thicker than those you would use for a V60 for example. It also needs a slightly coarser grind size to help the flow of coffee and tends to serve 2-4 people. 

Origin: Invented by chemist Dr. Peter Schlumbohm in 1941.

Usage: Utilises an hourglass-shaped vessel with a thick paper filter, resulting in a clean, bright and flavourful brew.

Positives: Produces a smooth and sediment-free cup, ideal for serving multiple people.

Negatives: Requires proprietary filters and can be more challenging to master. Also fragile and difficult to clean. 

Clever Dripper

The Clever Dripper is a relatively new pour over coffee maker on the market. The Clever combines the benefits of pour over and immersion coffee brewing as it has a release valve on the bottom. 

Whilst the Clever Dripper looks similar to a V60, it actually produces coffee that is more similar in body and flavour to a French press. The partial immersion brewing offers more body and depth of flavour, as opposed to the traditional clean and crisp taste you would get from a V60.  

Origin: Developed by Alan Adler, inventor of the Aeropress.

Usage: Combines immersion and drip brewing methods, featuring a valve at the bottom to control flow.

Positives: Offers easy and consistent brewing, with the option for full immersion or drip extraction.

Negatives: Limited capacity and may not produce as nuanced flavours as other methods.

Kalita Wave

Another rival to the classic V60 is the Kalita Wave. Coming in either 155 or 185 sizes, the Kalita can be made from metal, ceramic, plastic or glass. 

Whilst it may look similar to a V60, the Kalita uses a flared, rigid paper filter and has a flat bottom rather than a funnel. This allows for a faster overall brew time and less variability in results. Whilst this is definitely appealing for the home barista that requires a minimalistic approach to brewing coffee, it does also limit customisation and expression of technique. 

Origin: Designed by Kalita Co. in Japan.

Usage: Features a flat-bottomed dripper with three small holes for even extraction.

Positives: Offers consistent brewing and temperature stability, producing a balanced and flavourful cup.

Negatives: Requires specific filters and may be less forgiving of brewing errors. Also offers a more standardised brew, which limits experimentation with pouring technique. 

Hario V60 Mugen

The Mugen is a variation of the V60 by Hario, which aims to slow down the drawdown of coffee through the device. The Mugen has a smoother surface than the classic V60, allowing coffee to slide down the paper filter more easily into the smaller hole at the bottom. 

This creates a more concentrated, full bodied brew with a higher TDS and a stronger overall flavour profile. The Mugen can be made from ceramic or plastic, and offers an alternative to the traditional spiral ridged V60. 

Origin: A variation of the classic Hario V60, designed for enhanced thermal stability.

Usage: Features a ceramic body with reinforced walls for improved heat retention.

Positives: The ceramic version provides excellent heat retention and durability, resulting in consistent brewing.

Negatives: Limited availability and higher price point compared to standard V60 drippers.

Melitta

The Melitta is a rigid  pour over coffee maker that allows coffee to flow through a small hole at the bottom of the cone. This means a slightly finer grind size is needed to allow coffee to flow and extract evenly. 

Melitta’s can be used with generic coffee filter papers, and are widely available in supermarkets. They offer less room for customisation and pouring technique compared to a V60, but also offer more margin for error. 

Origin: Invented by German housewife Melitta Bentz in 1908.

Usage: Utilises a cone-shaped filter holder and paper filter for simple and efficient brewing.

Positives: Offers ease of use, affordability, and compatibility with various carafes and vessels.

Negatives: May produce a less nuanced cup compared to other pour over methods.

Automatic Drip Brew Coffee Machine

Automatic drip brew coffee brewers offer an all in one solution to your coffee making needs. Many come with built in burr grinders and deliver unmatched levels of convenience. 

Simply add your coffee beans to the top of the machine, push a button and let the coffee flow! There are a lot of positives to using automatic drip brew machines, as they take out a lot of the variability of making coffee manually. 

However, what you gain in convenience you lose in value for money, customisation and precision. 

Origin: Popularised in the mid-20th century for home coffee brewing.

Usage: Automates the brewing process using a water reservoir and heating element, with drip dispersion over ground coffee.

Positives: Offers convenience and consistency for everyday brewing.

Negatives: May lack the precision and customisation of manual pour over methods.

Origami Dripper

This aesthetically pleasing coffee maker is not for the faint hearted. The Origami dripper is a ceramic work of art that combines style with substance for your coffee brewing needs. 

Its ceramic walls make for better heat retention so you end up with a hotter cup of coffee and a more even extraction. The Origami dripper is a cup or carafe topper, which makes it convenient to use and store away. 

However, the Origami Dripper also requires its own unique filter papers and needs a very steady hand and precise technique to get the best out of. 

Origin: Designed by Masaki Nakano in Japan.

Usage: Features a unique folding design with ribs for improved water flow and extraction.

Positives: Provides excellent control over brewing variables and produces a clean and nuanced cup.

Negatives: Requires specific filters and may have a steeper learning curve for beginners.

Coffee Sock Cloth Filter

One of the more unique pour over coffee makers out there is the cloth coffee sock. They offer an alternative to traditional paper or metallic mesh filters and are designed with traditional coffee purists in mind. 

Cloth coffee filters or socks are reusable and deliver a full bodied flavour profile thanks to their relatively coarse filtration compared to paper. However, they are often very messy to use and can deliver inconsistent results depending on ambient conditions. 

Origin: Derived from traditional brewing methods using cloth filters.

Usage: Utilises a reusable cloth filter for sustainable and eco-friendly brewing.

Positives: Offers a smooth and full-bodied cup, with minimal waste and environmental impact.

Negatives: Requires thorough cleaning and maintenance to prevent off-flavours and bacterial growth.

Summary of Making Pour Over Coffee Without a Scale

Overall, it is totally possible to make pour over coffee without a scale, despite what coffee geeks will tell you! 

Whilst there is definitely merit to using a coffee scale, particularly when you’re starting out on your coffee journey, it is not needed every time you want to sit down and enjoy a cup of joe. 

It is very feasible to make a perfectly drinkable pour over coffee without the use of a scale, using just a tablespoon as a replacement. Simply use a standardised level tablespoon as a basis for your coffee dosage and you’re good to go.