I was never a fan of black coffee or the multi-step process required before drinking a small cup. I preferred lattes, assuming coffee without milk was just bitter. That is, until recently, when I started making pour-over coffee and completely fell in love with it.
No patience for making coffee until…
I used to ignore pour-over entirely. I’d see social media posts about the “perfect coffee ritual,” and it just never resonated with me. I had plenty of opportunities to learn more about it, yet I never felt curious enough to try.
Last summer, I purchased a pour-over kit during a trip to Taiwan and finally decided to use it. After a couple of tries, it started to click. I like the feeling of grinding the beans and slowly pouring the water. It requires physical attention to track exactly how much water you are adding. It feels like doing a short meditation over a cup of coffee.
After everything is done, I even enjoy cleaning up. Wiping the water off the glass carafe makes me feel surprisingly elegant. It is a very satisfying process. 😇
Black coffee isn’t bitter
Surprisingly, the coffee I make isn’t bitter at all. To complement my new setup, I bought some premium Geisha beans, and they were fantastic. At first, I assumed you had to spend a fortune to get a decent cup. But later, I bought cheaper beans from a local farmer’s market, and those tasted great, too. They aren’t quite as perfect as the Geisha beans, but they still make a solid cup of coffee.
The Ritual
Rituals really do change how you experience the end product. When I execute a strict sequence of actions—measuring the beans, grinding them, pouring the water at a specific speed—that sense of control is satisfying. As research shows, taking control of these small moments is genuinely good for your mental well-being.
Yes, my automatic drip machine saves me time, and I still use it every morning. But in the afternoon, making a pour-over coffee feels different. It gives me a reason to slow down, pay attention and enjoy a few uninterrupted minutes. I plan to keep practicing until I can brew the perfect cup.
The coffee itself is good.
The ritual might be even better.