If you have already perfected the art of the pouring motion and you understand the intricacies of making great coffee using the pour-over method, you need one more thing in your arsenal to make you an all-around barista when it comes to pour-over coffee: the type of bean. It goes without saying that not all beans will be suitable for this method.
For the best results, you need to zero in on the bean type. It is the only way you will tap into the full flavors and freshness of the coffee. The market is not short of such beans. That is why you need professional guidance in choosing the right types suited for this brewing method.
Otherwise, you are likely to end up with the wrong coffee type that will never give you any good results. To help you out, we have done a comprehensive review of the best coffee for pour-over.
How Was This List Made?
We had a pretty good idea of where to look in our search for the best coffee for pour-over. Our research featured reading lots of coffee blogs, especially those that specialize in brewing methods. We checked several manufacturers’ websites to get solid information about the kinds of pour-over coffees they had.
We also corresponded with several experienced baristas. This was to get their opinions and recommendations on what they thought the best coffees for pour-over were. Consequently, this is a solid list. And it is a true representation of the best coffees for pour-over brewing.
Best Coffee for Pour Over
Dark Roast Decaf Coffee by Lifeboost
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Dark Roast Decaf Coffee starts off our list of the best coffee beans for pour-over coffee. For decades, Lifeboost has established itself as a force to reckon with in the quality coffee beans market.
The Dark Roast Decaf Coffee has been individually handpicked from premium beans after every harvest. It is fully grown in a mountain shade under the tender care of skilled local coffee farmers.
Upon maturity, the beans are picked one at a time to make the highest quality gourmet blends.
The fermentation process for these beans is 26 hours. This provides adequate time for the skin to be carefully removed without causing any harm to the seed.
After the careful removal of the skins, the beans are gently washed with natural spring waters before they are slowly dried in the sun until they reach a humidity content of just 11.5%.
The final process is a 30-day rest period to allow enough time for the beans to fully accumulate to rich tastes, flavors, and aromas.
In other words, buying the Lifeboost Dark Roast Decaf Coffee will be gifting you with the crème of the crop in the coffee world.
Pros
- Handpicked for the best quality beans
- Grown on a mountain shade
- Single-origin, 100% Arabica beans
- Hand roasted Pesticide-free
- Decaffeinated
Cons
- Light on chocolate
- It comes with a smoky taste. Not all drinkers love such, though the majority are fine with it.
Verdict: Lifeboost Dark Roast Decaf Coffee originates from the mountains of Nicaragua – a region known to have the best conditions for growing Arabica beans. The meticulous nature of its preparations ensures the complete preservation of all its flavors and richness.
If you swear by the pour-over brewing method, then this is one of the best quality and affordable beans you are going to find in the market today.
Estate Medium Roast Whole Bean 100% Kona Coffee
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Estate Medium Roast Whole Bean 100% Kona Coffee is a product of high elevation and a single estate farm. It is reputed as the best pour-over coffee to consider if you want to experience the classic taste of Hawaii.
It is a perfect medium roast – this means that it showcases the unique flavors that are known only to the Mauna Loa volcano, where the beans were grown.
With this brand, you are assured of a strong cup of evenly extracted coffee that will deliver pure awesomeness to your taste buds.
Its richness has a remote feeling of raisin flavors, and it comes with a slight sweetness in the aftertaste. And, if you are a perfectionist when it comes to the quality of the roasts, then you will love the dexterity with which the roasting of these beans was done.
Another subtle indication that this is among the best beans you will have for pour-over coffee is in the customer reviews. Hundreds of past buyers have left nothing but glorious reviews about the beans.
This is a clear indication that Estate Medium Roast Whole Bean 100% Kona Coffee delivers on its promises. You, too, can enjoy those flavors when you get yourself a packet or two.
Pros
- Grown on a single farm estate
- Medium roasted to perfection
- No use of pesticides
- Lots of positive customer reviews
Cons
- Require proper bloom before pouring
- Not enough oils
Verdict: If you are a fan of medium roast, then the Estate Medium Roast Whole Bean 100% Kona Coffee is going to be such a wonderful option for your pour-over coffee. It has all the qualities you may desire in a rich pour over the coffee bean.
Its preparation method also adheres to the highest possible standards to ensure that you get nothing but the very best. Though it will require proper blooming before pouring, once you master the art of this brewing method, you will be assured of incredible brews with this coffee.
Private Reserve Medium Roast Whole Bean 100% Kona Coffee
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Private Reserve Medium Roast Whole Bean 100% Kona Coffee is another of Hawaii’s finest, having been grown and matured on the slopes of Mauna Loa Volcano.
From its name, it is a proprietary blend that is exclusive to Kona Coffee. It implies that it is unique, and you will not find it anywhere else in the world apart from those supplied by Kona Coffee.
Being a perfect medium roast, it comes with a refreshing aftertaste and mouthfeel. This is not to mention its super-rich flavor and deep aromas that will make you want to down more than just a single cup of the brew.
Also, the fact that it is somewhere between a lighter roast and a darker roast helps to bring out the oils. This is usually a vital component if you want to have the best from the pour-over brewing method.
It is also worth pointing out that the Private Reserve Medium Roast Whole Bean 100% Kona Coffee has received a lot of love from buyers.
It is one of the highly reviewed brands by Kona Coffee. And most of the reviews have good things to say about the beans. This is an assurance that you are likely to fall in love with the perfect balance you will find between its texture and flavor.
Pros
- Good balance between texture and flavor
- Consistent roasting, which means top freshness
- Has the right oiliness, which makes it ideal for pour-over brewing
- Has lots of positive reviews from past customers
Cons
- Doesn’t feature robust and fruity flavors
- It is a proprietary blend – no one knows the exact blends used to make the coffee
Verdict: Private Reserve Medium Roast Whole Bean 100% Kona Coffee is the type of coffee you don’t want to start drinking unless you are ready to become addicted.
If you are looking for a pure cup of awesomeness every morning, one with delicious flavors and low acidity, then you will immediately feel at home with this brand, especially if you prefer the pour-over brewing method.
The Brazil Canaan Estate
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The Brazil Canaan Estate has been nicknamed “The Cookie Dough Coffee” due to its distinctive sweet cookie flavors.
It has become a perennial favorite for coffee geeks looking for the perfect easy mornings. It is perfectly roasted to deliver the right taste.
It is incredibly smooth and a real gem produced by one of the largest coffee producers in the globe.
This is the kind of coffee you go for when you are interested in downing a great cup of clean coffee that will not just satiate your cravings but also aid your mental health.
It is grown and matured in the Carmo de Minas region, conveniently located at the foot of the foothills of the Sierra de Mantiqueira Mountains.
It is the product of a certified-organic coffee estate, and none of the beans have ever been exposed to chemicals or pesticides.
Once the beans are ripe, they are handpicked, and then they follow a very strict process to ensure the integrity of the beans is preserved at every stage of the processing. The result is always beans that are clean and also keto-friendly. You can trust them to supply you with all the day’s energy as well as increase your mental clarity, among other benefits.
With the rich and delicious flavors, going for the pour-over brewing method will ensure you tap into the coffee’s full potential to protect your health.
Pros
- Quality roasted, hence, no oily texture
- Available in the whole bean
- Comes with a distinct sweet cookie flavor
Cons
- Ships with different tasting notes from the ones listed on the website
Verdict: The Brazil Canaan Estate is a solid coffee that is not going to disappoint you in any way. It is one of the best pour-over coffee that comes with a heightened sweetness due to the inclusion of the chocolate chip cookie.
If you want a great pour-over coffee with a distinct sweet cookie flavor, then this is one of the best you will ever come across.
AmazonFresh Colombia Whole Bean Coffee
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In the world of coffee, it is a fact that the fresher the beans, the more satisfying the cup will be. That is exactly what you get with the AmazonFresh Colombia Whole Bean Coffee. It is one of the best coffee pours you will find in the market today.
This medium-roast coffee has its origins in Colombia. It has been expertly roasted in individual batches to preserve the integrity of its rich flavors and aromas.
Immediately after roasting, the beans were packed with a one-way freshness valve – yet another bid to ensure that none of the flavors was lost.
Pros
- Packaged with a one-way freshness valve to preserve flavors and aroma
- 100% Arabica coffee
- Great quality at an excellent price
- Rated among the best coffee beans for pour over
Cons
- Not as strong as some people would have wished
Verdict: The AmazonFresh Colombia Whole Bean Coffee is a solid choice for any coffee enthusiast in need of a high-quality medium roast coffee for pour-over brewing. The beans are grown in Colombo, but the roasting and packaging are all done in the United States.
Throughout the process of bean preparation, the adherence to the high standards has ensured all the flavors and aromas are intact and will all be delivered to your cup when you brew properly with the pour-over method.
A Buyer’s Guide: Best Coffee For Pour Over
The above emerged as the best coffee for the pour over brewing method. Though we went to great lengths to compile the list, it is also important to know how to make an independent choice if none of the above options are available. Read below for a brief guide on how you can go about choosing the best coffee beans for pour over-:
Arabica or Robusta
Coffee can be broadly classified into Arabica or Robusta. In most cases, Robusta has more caffeine and less sugar compared to Arabica. Also, Robusta comes with more bitterness and less acidity when compared to Arabica.
As such, Robusta is usually used in blends to give richer and deeper flavors with Arabica. For the best coffee to pour over, however, the preferred choice is usually Arabica. Sometimes you may find blends containing Robusta, but most ardent drinkers will always prefer Arabica coffee beans for pour-over brewing.
Single-origin or blends
Single-origin coffee was grown and matured in the same location. Blended coffee, on the other hand, is from multiple locations. Most of the high-quality coffees are usually from single-origin estates. You can think of them as pure wine made from the same variety of grapes obtained from a single vineyard.
Again, most of the best coffee for pour-over will always be from single-origin beans. It is possible to get very high-quality blends for pour-over brewing, but the best results will always be obtained from single-origin varieties.
When shopping for the best coffee, pour over beans; therefore, always be keen to read the description so that you know whether you are looking at a blend or a single origin.
Know the amount of caffeine you need
The roasting will always have an impact on the caffeine levels of the beans. For instance, dark-roasted coffee beans have lower caffeine levels compared to medium or lightly-roasted coffee beans.
Of all three roasts, lightly roasted beans are known to have the highest levels of caffeine.
Consequently, when shopping for the best coffee for pour-over, know your preferred caffeine levels so that you can choose the corresponding roast appropriately.
The roast date
You will always get the best flavors and aromas from freshly roasted coffee. This is why the roasting date matters a lot. Always check for the roast dates on the labels so that you have an idea of how long the beans have stayed since they were roasted.
Unless you have a coffee grinder in your house, always go for whole bean bags and have them roasted and ground for you if you want the best flavors. Alternatively, search for nearby coffee roasters and get your beans from them.
Buy beans from respectable roasters
There are several coffee roasters around, but not all of them will give you what you want if you require the best coffee for pour-over.
You should always strive to get your beans from respectable roasters. In this manner, you will increase your chances of getting high-quality beans that will enable you to make the best pour-over coffee.
Avoid beans labeled 100% Coffee
If you have been keen on reading packages, then you have probably seen some coffee labeled as 100% Robusta or 100% Arabica. This is not always true. It is important that you also pay attention to the variety.
In most cases, it is just a marketing gimmick to get people to buy the beans, believing that they are pure and not made from blends. Real coffee aficionados know this trick and will never fall for it.
Our best coffee for pour-over from the list above was Dark Roast Decaf Coffee by Lifeboost. We were particularly thrilled by its richness in flavor and deep aroma it had. It was also relatively affordable, and this guaranteed great coffee without breaking the bank.
These may sound like basic criteria, but for us, they did the magic. If you are looking for something fancier, then you can try The Brazil Canaan Estate. Nothing will stop you from falling in love with its distinct sweet taste. It is what has made it a darling among many coffee enthusiasts around the globe.
James is the owner of North. After working at Nick’s on Broadway, James moved to Red Fez and put his knowledge to the test with hot dog R&D. He assisted in the launch of Momofuku Ko in NYC In 2008. And a year later, James was part of Christina Tosi’s team for Momofuku Milk Bar as their bread baker.