Table of Contents
Coffee scales are the most crucial equipment used during coffee making. But, How to make pour over coffee without a scale? As a coffee enthusiast like me, you can understand that using exact measurements during coffee making is very important.
Coffee-making is no less than the art itself. The whole process includes precise brewing techniques that first start with weighing the beans on the scale. But, what to do if you don’t have the equipment, including scales to measure the coffee beans?
This is a common dilemma faced by people who brew coffee by themselves at home. Most of the recipes that you find online include precise measurements. It makes it difficult for those who don’t have the means.
But, even if you don’t have the fancy equipment for making coffee. I will tell you how you can make a cup of coffee with no scale or fancy kettle. All you need to do is to follow the tips I have mentioned down below.
Coffee Measurement
The art of pouring over coffee is indeed super complex. How much coffee you need to brew a delicious cup of coffee is the most critical step in coffee making. This is mainly because different types of coffee beans have different shapes, sizes & densities.
This makes it challenging to keep a constant for the measurement of coffee beans. Also, measuring coffee grounds is much more complex than measuring whole beans on their own.
After many failed attempts. I have concluded that you need two tools in case you don’t have a scale on hand. It’s all about tapping into your creative side! These are the tools that will help you in making pour-over coffee.
Tablespoon
A standard tablespoon has about 5 to 7 grams of roasted whole beans. Only when you have them flat in the spoon. An impossible feat to achieve with whole beans, but do try to keep them flat.
In comparison, larger beans may come up to 7 grams. In contrast, the smaller roasts come close to 5 grams or less. Also, even if your coffee comes already ground. You can pre-grind the already grounded beans for a much better taste extraction.
Take a look at: Breville Barista Express BES870 Review in 2024
Measuring cup
The measuring cup is the second most important tool in the art of pouring over coffee. It makes it easy to measure the water that you are using for making coffee. Of course, measuring water on a scale offers far more accuracy.
But, in case you don’t have one, you can use a measuring cup with volume measurements on it. Putting water without measuring will lead to a disaster when making coffee.
A normal kettle
For making pour-over coffee, gooseneck kettles are considered to be the best. It is because, with a gooseneck kettle, you can gently pour water with accuracy and precision.
But, even if you don’t have a gooseneck kettle, you can also use a regular kettle. But, if you are using an ordinary kettle, you may have to be super careful when pouring.
Brewing Coffee At Home Without A Scale
Now that you know what tools you need for brewing coffee at home without a scale. The next step is to start brewing the coffee. But, getting the right cup of coffee depends upon the pour-over coffee ratio.
Now, you may wonder why it is so important. It is because a perfect pour-over ratio brings the best flavor out of your coffee beans. Hence, pour-over coffee is more manual than drip coffee. You get to have much better control over the taste and texture of the coffee in pour-over coffee.
Pour Over Coffee Ratio Chart
There is no specific ratio for making pour-over coffee. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), the golden ratio for making pour-over coffee is 55 g/L ± 10%. It means that you use about a liter of water with 55 grams of coffee ground.
But, understanding the nitty-gritty of the golden ratio may be difficult for many. So here is the Pour Over Coffee Ratio Chart that comes in handy. It is super helpful in guiding you to make the best cup to pour over coffee.
| Water (fl oz) | 8 | 12 | 16 | 24 |
| Water (ml) | 237 | 355 | 473 | 710 |
| Coffee (g) | 13 | 19.5 | 26 | 39 |
| Coffee (Tbsp) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
Also read this: 8 Best Backpacking Coffee Makers For Camping | Reviewed in 2024
Easy Pour Over Coffee Recipe
After you have figured out the perfect pour-over coffee ratio. Now is the time to start brewing the coffee. But, before you do so, you need to be super careful when pouring over the water on the coffee grounds.
First, pour a little water over the grounds and saturate them for 45 seconds. Then pour some more water, let it drop for a bit then refill it again.
Step # 1
Start by measuring water at about 400ml (the water you measure doesn’t need to be 400ml).
Step # 2
Pour the water into the kettle and bring it to a boil.
Step # 3
If you are planning to use medium roast beans. Then measure 5 tbsp of coffee beans to make a medium roast grind.
Step # 4
Once done, place the coffee grind in a large mug.
Step # 5
Take the boiling water off the heat and wait for 20 seconds. Then start pouring enough water to moisten the grinds. Continue running water for 45 seconds.
Step # 6
Once the 45 seconds are up now, you can fill the ¾ of the brewer. Make sure that you gently pour the water. Keep refilling the water if it finishes.
Step # 7
It will take about a total of 2 to 3 minutes till all of the water finishes. Afterward, just let the coffee drip through.
Step # 8
Now you can enjoy the most smooth and delicious cup of coffee.
Conclusion
I hope that all the tools and tips can help with how to make pour over coffee without a scale. Be assured that it is possible to make a pour-over coffee without a scale. But, there are some limitations to it. Even if you measure to the exact tablespoon, you may not achieve precise accuracy. So, if you want to make a stellar cup of coffee. Then you may need to make sure that your measurements are somewhat close to the golden ratio.
