The Bloom Step, Explained
Your coffee is alive-ish when it's fresh — trapped CO2 wants out. The bloom is just giving it a little water and waiting so it doesn't fight you on the main pour. Skip it and you'll watch the bed bubble and brew unevenly.
How long I wait
About 30–45 seconds, with roughly twice the coffee weight in water. If your beans are a few weeks old and the bed looks calm, you can skip it — but I usually don't.
A note on sources
Blooming is standard pour-over practice everyone agrees on; I'm just telling you why it matters to me.