Coffee Water Temperature Guide

I burned more cups with boiling water than I care to admit. Water that's too hot over-extracts and goes bitter; too cool and it under-extracts, tasting sour or thin. Here are the bands I actually brew by.

Starting points

• Pour over / drip: 90–96°C (195–205°F).
• French press: 92–96°C (198–205°F).
• AeroPress: 80–90°C (175–195°F) for lower bitterness.
• Espresso: machine-controlled, around 90–96°C at the group.

Adjust

If the cup is sour, raise temperature slightly; if bitter, lower it. See each method page.

My rule of thumb

The temperature bands are the common guidance I actually brew by. They're starting points, not a thermostat law. If it tastes sour, I nudge the temp up a few degrees before I touch the grind — usually that's the gentler fix.