Most people who try pour over at home give up after a week because it tastes like watered-down disappointment. It's not the beans. It's not the gear. It's 3 tiny mistakes.

1. Your water is too hot

Pouring straight off the boil burns the coffee. Wait 30-45 seconds. You want 195-205°F. Your coffee will taste cleaner immediately.

2. Your grind is wrong

Sour and thin = too coarse. Bitter and harsh = too fine. For pour over, aim for the texture of sea salt. Adjust based on taste, not vibes.

3. You're not blooming

Pour just enough water to wet all the grounds (about 2x the coffee weight), wait 30-45 seconds, then continue. This releases CO2 and lets water actually extract flavor.

Three fixes, five minutes. Your next cup will be noticeably better.

I teach stuff like this every week inside BrewSchool — techniques, gear recs, recipes, and a community of people who care about making great coffee at home.