--- title: How to Make the Perfect Cup of Coffee description: 2012 U.S. Barista Champion Katie Carguilo spills the beans on her choice method canonical: https://time.com/3664493/make-perfect-coffee/ author: Real Simple article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-01-12T20:22:22.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T08:56:35.248Z og:title: The Science Behind Making the Perfect Cup of Coffee og:description: 2012 U.S. Barista Champion Katie Carguilo spills the beans on her choice method og:url: https://time.com/3664493/make-perfect-coffee/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2b57295b1ab6febd/69877984524fc01583debdd2/chemex-coffee-maker.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: chemex-coffee-maker og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Science Behind Making the Perfect Cup of Coffee twitter:description: 2012 U.S. Barista Champion Katie Carguilo spills the beans on her choice method twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2b57295b1ab6febd/69877984524fc01583debdd2/chemex-coffee-maker.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Science Behind Making the Perfect Cup of Coffee by [Real Simple](https://time.com/author/real-simple/) ## Real Simple Jan 12, 2015 8:22 PM UTC  Still life with chemex coffeemaker Still life with chemex coffeemakerGetty Images by [Real Simple](https://time.com/author/real-simple/) ## Real Simple Jan 12, 2015 8:22 PM UTC **The Right Equipment**Carguilo likes the clean, robust taste that comes from a manual dripper, since it filters out oil and sediment. And she’s not alone. As basic as it is, the pour-over has become the latest thing at gourmet coffee shops. Cone-shaped drippers work fine, but Carguilo prefers the flat base of the Kalita Wave (shown at right, [$38; filters, $13 for 100](http://shop.wreckingball%20coffee.com)). “The grounds lie evenly, so the water saturates them equally,” says Carguilo. **The Right Water**If you don’t like the flavor of your tap water, use filtered or bottled. **_Read more:_** [_8 Buzz-Worthy Coffee and Espresso Dessert Recipes_](http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/desserts/coffee-dessert-recipes?xid=time-rs-010815) **Fresh Grounds**Grind beans within a half hour of brewing. A burr grinder is ideal but pricey ($50 or more). It creates uniform grounds and prevents the coffee from ending up too weak or too bitter. For a manual dripper, medium size (similar to raw sugar granules) is best. (Learn how to choose the best [gourmet coffee beans](http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/beverages/gourmet-coffee-beans-00100000095680/index.html).) **_Read more:_** [_Where to Store Coffee: Pantry vs. Freezer_](http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/beverages/store-coffee-pantry-vs-freezer?xid=time-rs-010815) **Magic Ratio**To brew 16 ounces of coffee (two big cups), use 5 tablespoons (or 28 grams) of coffee and 16 ounces of water. **_Read more:_** [_How to Buy Gourmet Coffee Beans_](http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/beverages/gourmet-coffee-beans?xid=time-rs-010815) **Master the Pour-Over**Total brew time: 3 to 5 minutes 1\. As your kettle heats, place a dripper lined with a paper filter on a mug or a carafe. Rinse the filter with hot water to get rid of paper dust and to preheat the cone. 2\. Place ground coffee in the dampened filter. 3\. After the water boils, wait 10 seconds for it to settle. Slowly pour just enough hot water (in a circular motion) to saturate all the grounds. 4\. Pause 30 seconds to let the coffee “bloom.” It will bubble and soften. 5\. Pour again, raising the water level to an inch above the grounds. Wait a few moments until the water trickles through the dripper. Repeat this process of “pulse pouring,” which helps prevent overflow, until you have your desired amount of brewed coffee. _This_ [_article_](http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/how-make-coffee?xid=time-rs-010815) _originally appeared on_ [_RealSimple.com_](http://www.realsimple.com)_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3664493/make-perfect-coffee/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3664493/make-perfect-coffee/"},"headline":"The Science Behind Making the Perfect Cup of Coffee","datePublished":"2015-01-12T20:22:22.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:56:35.248Z","description":"2012 U.S. Barista Champion Katie Carguilo spills the beans on her choice method","url":"https://time.com/3664493/make-perfect-coffee/","keywords":["Living","Food & Drink","Coffee"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2b57295b1ab6febd/69877984524fc01583debdd2/chemex-coffee-maker.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Real Simple","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/real-simple/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2b57295b1ab6febd/69877984524fc01583debdd2/chemex-coffee-maker.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"chemex-coffee-maker","caption":"chemex-coffee-maker","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3664493/make-perfect-coffee/","name":"The Science Behind Making the Perfect Cup of Coffee"}}]}] ```