International House Roast Coffee Recipe

Dose and grind

Weigh 52 g (0.052 kg) of whole beans. Grind to a medium-fine setting suitable for pour-over (similar to table salt). Use a burr grinder for consistency.

Heat water

Bring 600 ml (0.6 l) of fresh water to a temperature of 92–96°C (198–205°F). If you don't have a thermometer, bring to a boil and wait 30 seconds.

Prepare filter and preheat

Place a paper filter in the pour-over cone. Rinse the filter thoroughly with hot water to remove paper taste and preheat the cone and serving vessel. Discard the rinse water.

Bloom

Place the ground coffee into the rinsed filter. Start a timer and pour 80–90 ml hot water evenly over the grounds to saturate them. Allow the coffee to bloom for 30–45 seconds; you should see bubbles and the bed will swell as trapped CO2 escapes.

Main pour

At about 45 seconds, pour the remaining water in slow, concentric circles or steady spiral, keeping the water level below the top of the filter. Aim to finish pouring by 2:15–2:30 minutes total elapsed time (including bloom). Total water used should be 600 ml.

Drawdown and finish

Allow the coffee to drain completely through the filter. The final drawdown should finish around 3:00–3:30 minutes. If it drains much faster, use a finer grind; if much slower, use a coarser grind next time.

Serve

Remove the cone and discard the grounds and filter. Swirl the brewed coffee in the server or decant into cups to even out the flavor. Serve immediately.

If using milk, steam or heat 120 ml (0.12 l) to desired temperature and add to the brewed coffee to taste. Add sugar or sweetener (1 tsp or to taste) if desired. Use the scale, grinder, and kettle throughout the process as described in earlier steps to ensure consistency.