Coffee Clinic: fix your pour-over
Too sour, too bitter, astringent, or draining too slowly? Pick what you noticed and find out the one thing to change for your next cup.
Step 1: What is wrong with this cup?
Choose one or more. Just describe what you tasted or saw — no need to guess the cause.
Step 2: What actually happened while brewing
These details change the diagnosis. Skip anything you do not know, but the advice will be less certain.
For your next cup
Pour-over troubleshooting FAQ
Q1：Why does my pour-over taste so sour?
Sharp acidity without sweetness usually means under-extraction: the water has not pulled enough out of the coffee. Grind one step finer first; only if the brew time is already long should you raise the water temperature by 2°C. Light roasts are naturally bright — if it is "sour but tasty", nothing needs to change.
Q2：Why is my coffee astringent?
Astringency is a dry, rough feeling in the mouth. Check the brew time first: if it drains very slowly, the grind is probably too fine or fines are clogging the paper, so go one step coarser; if it is fast but astringent, water may be channelling, so pour more gently and avoid the filter paper; with darker roasts, lower the water temperature by 3°C first.
Q3：Why is my coffee both bitter and sour?
Sour and bitter together usually means uneven extraction: part of the bed was over-washed and part under-washed. Make sure all the grounds are wet during the bloom (about 3× the dose in water, circling from the centre outwards), then pour in a steady stream. Only if that does not help should you go one step coarser.
Q4：What if my coffee is too weak?
"Weak" is usually a strength issue. Change the ratio first: same dose, about 10% less water, for example 1:15 instead of 1:16. Only if the brew is also very fast should you grind one step finer.
Q5：How many things should I change at a time?
One at a time, keeping everything else the same, and write down the brew time and taste. If you change several things at once, you will not know which one made the difference even if the cup improves.
