Pour-Over Brewing for One Mug Without Waste

Small-batch pour-over works best when your brewer is appropriately sized and the coffee bed is deep enough for even wetting.

Good starting point

For a modest cup use 15 g coffee and 240 g water (1:16). Choose a dripper designed to handle about this dose.

What to know before you begin

Small batches save beans but may magnify weighing errors. Use an accurately tared scale and keep method consistent.

Step-by-step method

1. Place an empty mug on the scale and check that it can safely support the dripper.
2. Rinse the filter into the mug, then empty the mug so rinse water does not dilute the beverage.
3. Add 15 g grounds and bloom with about 30–45 g water.
4. Add the remaining water gently in pulses, stopping when the scale reads 240 g of water added.
5. Allow draining and taste; the served cup will weigh less than 240 g because wet grounds retain water.

Problems to recognize

• A very large dripper with a shallow bed may be less forgiving; use an insert or smaller cone.
• Tiny kettles can surge unexpectedly at the spout; pour slowly.
• If the cup is weak, experiment with ratio or grind separately.

Run a useful comparison

Test 15:225 and 15:255 versions to understand how a 1:15 versus 1:17 ratio feels in your own mug.

Continue your coffee routine

For another practical angle, read Pour-Over Coffee for Beginners: A 300 g Recipe. You can also explore Espresso for Milk Drinks: Keep the Base Consistent when your next question is about the wider brewing workflow.

Reference and editorial note

Background reading: National Coffee Association pour-over guide. Ratios and settings here are starting experiments, not claims of firsthand equipment testing. This guide was prepared with AI assistance; the site owner must check all technical details and equipment-specific safety instructions before publication.