Of everything you can change in a pour-over, grind size makes the biggest difference. The same beans, water and dripper can taste sour, sweet or bitter depending only on how fine the coffee is. The good news: you do not need a lab. You need a rough picture of the right texture and a timer.
The short answer
For most pour-over drippers, start with a medium grind, roughly the texture of coarse sand or kosher salt. Then let the drain time and the taste tell you whether to go a little finer or a little coarser.
Grind sizes compared
| Grind | Looks and feels like | Usually used for |
|---|---|---|
| Extra fine | Flour or powdered sugar | Turkish coffee |
| Fine | Fine table salt | Espresso, moka pot (a touch coarser) |
| Medium-fine | Table salt to fine sand | Some cone drippers, small single cups |
| Medium | Coarse sand, kosher salt | Pour-over cones, drip machines |
| Medium-coarse | Rough sand, a little coarser than kosher salt | Vietnamese phin, larger pour-over batches |
| Coarse | Sea salt flakes, breadcrumbs | French press, cold brew |
These are starting points. Two grinders set to "medium" can produce slightly different results, which is why the next section matters more than any label.
Dial it in with a timer
Brew your usual recipe (for one mug, about 15 g of coffee and 240 g of water) and time it from the first pour until the drip stops.
- Under about 2 minutes and the cup tastes sour or thin: grind a step finer.
- About 2½–3½ minutes and it tastes balanced: you have found your setting. Write it down.
- Over about 4 minutes and the cup tastes bitter or dry: grind a step coarser.
Change only the grind between brews. If you also change the dose or the water at the same time, you will not know which change helped. For the dose, see our pour-over ratio chart.
When to go finer or coarser
- Brewing more coffee: a bigger bed drains more slowly, so for two or three cups go slightly coarser than for one.
- Light roasts: they are denser and often taste better a touch finer.
- Dark roasts: they extract easily and can turn bitter, so a touch coarser often helps.
- Different drippers: a cone with one opening at the bottom and one with several holes can drain at different speeds at the same grind. Start at medium and adjust.
Why the grinder matters
Even size matters as much as the size itself. If your grounds are a mix of dust and big chunks, the dust over-extracts (bitter) while the chunks under-extract (sour), and the cup tastes muddled. That is why most pour-over brewers use a burr grinder, which crushes beans between two burrs to a set gap, rather than a blade grinder, which chops at random.
A hand burr grinder is a simple way to start. Our hand coffee grinder has an adjustable ceramic burr and comes with a sealed glass jar for the grounds you do not use right away. Our hand grinder tips explain how to zero the burr, count clicks and keep the grinder in good shape.
Using pre-ground coffee
No grinder yet? Look for bags labeled for drip or pour-over, which are usually close to medium. Buy smaller bags, keep them sealed, and expect a little less aroma than fresh grounds. If your pre-ground coffee drains too fast and tastes thin, add a little more coffee, since you cannot make it finer.
Signs your grind is off
- The coffee bed has a deep crater or a wet mud layer on top: often too fine.
- The water races through and the bed looks dry and loose: often too coarse.
- The cup is both bitter and sour: the grind is probably uneven. A burr grinder helps.
For more on taste problems, see why pour-over tastes bitter and why it tastes weak or watery.
Common questions
Is pour-over grind the same as drip machine grind?
Close. Both usually sit around medium. Pour-over gives you more control, so you may end up a step finer or coarser than your drip machine setting.
Is phin grind the same as pour-over grind?
A phin usually wants a little coarser, medium-coarse, because the coffee sits in the brewing chamber longer. Our phin brew guide has the details, and phin vs pour-over compares the two brewers side by side.
How often should I change my grind setting?
Only when the taste or drain time changes, for example with a new bag of beans or a different roast. Once you find a setting you like, keep it.
Find your setting this week
Start at medium, brew, and time it. Adjust one step at a time and write down the setting that tastes best. A few mornings is usually enough, and after that every cup gets easier.
Let it drip.
— Tran Vu Doan, Phin & Clay