The Way You Pour Your Coffee Matters More Than You Think

How did you pour your last cup of coffee? Did you pour some steaming hot water over the grounds using a pour-over, or did you pour brewed coffee directly into a cup? And if you were pouring it over the grounds, from what height did you pour it? You might want to make note of these seemingly unrelated questions because, believe it or not, they can be instrumental in shaping your daily cup of joe and even save you a few bucks.

The world drinks a truly vast amount of coffee every day: a staggering 2¼ billion cups. It's among the most popular beverages alongside tea and water. In the U.S., it has even overtaken bottled water. But with ever-increasing coffee prices, it's only natural for researchers to seek ways to satiate this need for quality coffee without using too much of it. And it looks like they've come close.

There's an optimal height for making pour-over coffee. Combined with the right pace and flow, it can help you create variations in the flavor profile and strength of your fresh brew. So instead of increasing the amount of beans, you can simply adjust the height and the time you take to pour. According to one study, as reported by NewScientist, you'll use 10% fewer coffee grounds by opting for this technique without compromising flavor. So, does the way you pour your coffee really matter? The short answer is yes.

The best way to pour the perfect cup of joe really depends on your idea of perfect, whether you like your coffee strong, enjoy a milder taste, or fall somewhere in the middle. Researchers revealed that the trick to getting a stronger cup is to add water from a specific height into the coffee grounds in a pour-over. Their recommendation? About 11 inches from a gooseneck kettle, as reported by Smithsonian.

Gooseneck kettles are ideal for this as they offer a smooth, steady stream of flow and help control the pour without splashing. But remember, slow and steady wins the race. Taking your time to pour the coffee will let the grounds bloom and release their full flavor. That said, researchers warn not to pour from too high, as it could have the converse effect. Besides, you don't want to end up with burn scabs in the pursuit of a perfect cup.

If you prefer a gentler cup, just lower the height. If higher means stronger, then lower means, well, you get the gist. Of course, there are a million other factors from the wide world of coffee that go into crafting the perfect cup, from bean variety and grind size to knowing the right way to make pour-over coffee. Still, this revelation might help you take a shortcut to better coffee and help you get more bang for your buck.