how to make a V60 pour over
why we love this method
there are many brewing recipes out there, all with different end goals in mind. it can be confusing and fun, if you like to dive deep into the complexity of the coffee world. we like to follow some basic brewing principles, with the help of some nuance from our own experience and the wisdom of coffee people we trust. this is how we like to brew our coffee in a V60 pour over set-up.
about the method
the Hario V60 is a popular conical pour over brewing device that allows for a continuous pour brew.
with the use of a filter, the conical shape of the brewer, its spiral ridges, and a proper brewing technique, this brewer produces a crisp and flavorful cup.
this brew recipe uses a 16:1 water to coffee ratio.
it works best with a gooseneck kettle, with water heated to about 205 degrees F for most medium-roast coffees.
the steps
start heating the water
measure the coffee beans using a scale and grind to a medium-fine grind.
if you find the drip is taking too long, you’re probably grinding too fine. if you find it drips very quickly, you’re probably grinding too coarse.
note: at the end of this process, if the coffee tastes sour, salty, and lacks sweetness, the coffee is under-extracted. grind finer, use hotter water, use more coffee beans, or pour more slowly. if the coffee tastes bitter, dry, astringent, or hollow, it is probably over-extracted. gring coarser, heat water to a few degrees below the original brew, or use less coffee beans.
place a filter (we use these) in the cone and pre-wet the filter and carafe with some of the heating water, and pour it out.
place the carafe and cone on the scale and tare the scale. place 20 grams of ground coffee in the filter and shake to distribute an evenly flat bed.
using a spoon (or we like to use a chopstick) create a divet in the middle of the bed of coffee grounds.
when the water is at temperature, start a timer and pour in 50 grams of water in a circular motion. put the water down and swirl the bed or stir it with a spoon. wait until the timer says 30 seconds to start pouring again. this is called the “bloom” and it allows the grounds to de-gas a bit for optimal extraction throughout the rest of the brewing.
begin pouring the water in a circular motion – pretty slowly – for the first 250 grams of water. after this point, you can speed up a bit, maintaining the same controlled circular motion, until there are 320 grams of water measured on the scale.
give the cone and carafe a swirl to even the bed. if there is still an inch or so of water slowly dripping (as there should be, ideally) you can even stir it in a circular motion above the grounds a few times to help the bed to remain flat at the end. this is just best to ensure you’re getting an even extraction throughout the process, but it’s not make-or-break.
ideally, it should finish dripping around 2 minutes 30 seconds.
throw out the filter and pour the brewed coffee into your mug, and enjoy once it cools down just a bit!
make sure to rinse out your brewing devices after each brew, and to clean it properly every few days to avoid coffee build-up.
a deeper dive
if you’re interested in learning more, this is a great resource with some alternative methods: James Hoffman V60 Answers