An intro to specialty coffee… at home.

After brewing pour over at home, every morning, for two years — here are some things I’ve learned and what I would recommend to get started.

The Gear

For just starting out, here is what I would recommend picking up to start brewing amazing pour over at home.

Brewer: Hario V60 Starter Kit
This brewer will make EXCELLENT coffee and will only get better as you master how to brew with it. The starter kit is remarkably cheap for what you get, and you can always upgrade to a ceramic V60 later down the line.
Filters, for when you run out.

Grinder: Hario Mini Slim
Grinding your coffee fresh is the most important part of this whole deal. It allows you to adjust the flavor and fine tune how your coffee brews to get the best coffee you can out of your setup. You can have good gear and great technique, but grinding fresh will take things to the next level. This is the grinder I used for a year before upgrading and it will server you beautifully.

Scale
Looking on Amazon this is the scale I would recommend. There is one scale that is widely regarded as the best pour over scale but at less than half the cost of that one, this should serve you just fine. Timer built in is an amazing feature and 0.1g measurements are really helpful too.
Look at the video below and he will explain why a scale is greatly useful.

Kettle (Optional): Bonavita Kettle
Now, if you already have a stovetop kettle, that will work perfectly fine or making pour over coffee.
This is the kettle I have and I like it for three reasons. One, you can accurately set the temperature of the water (helps with making consistent coffee). Two, it’s electric and will hold temperature until you need it. This is nice since you don’t have to worry about a stove or a squealing kettle early in the morning. Three, the gooseneck allows for precise pouring and makes actually making the coffee a more enjoyable experience.

The Bean

The beans you use make all the difference. Getting all the gear above will not be worth it if you brew your coffee with Starbucks beans or Folgers pre-ground. Go out to your local coffee shop, preferably one that roasts their own beans, and see what they recommend. They will be able to recommend you something based on what you like about coffee and get you started.

Please, for the love of coffee, don’t do this with Starbucks beans. No they are not okay.

The Technique

Here is the technique I use each morning to make my coffee. He answers all of the questions you might have, and explains why certain gear above is important.

Good luck on your coffee journey.

Calvin