What Is the V60?
The Hario V60 is a pour-over coffee dripper, named for its 60-degree angled cone shape. Designed by Japanese company Hario, it features a single large hole at the bottom and spiral ribs along the inside — both of which allow for maximum control over flow rate and extraction.
Unlike immersion brewers (French press, AeroPress), the V60 is a percolation brewer: hot water passes through the coffee grounds and out through the filter. This produces a clean, bright cup with excellent clarity of flavour.
What You'll Need
- Hario V60 dripper — size 01 (1 cup) or 02 (1–4 cups). Ceramic or glass retain heat best.
- V60 paper filters — white (bleached) filters are recommended for a cleaner taste
- Kettle — a gooseneck kettle gives you precise control over pour speed and direction
- Scale — essential for consistent results. Any kitchen scale that measures in grams
- Timer — your phone works fine
- Burr grinder — the single biggest upgrade you can make
- Fresh coffee — ideally roasted within the last 2–4 weeks
- Server or mug — to brew into
The Recipe
| Variable | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee | 15g | Adjust up/down to taste |
| Water | 250g | 1:16.7 ratio |
| Water Temperature | 93°C (199°F) | Higher for dark roast, lower for very light |
| Grind Size | Medium-fine | Like coarse sea salt |
| Total Brew Time | 2:45–3:30 | Adjust grind if outside this range |
Step-by-Step Method
Rinse the Filter
Place the filter in the V60 and pour hot water through it into your server or mug. This removes the papery taste and preheats your equipment. Discard the rinse water, then place the V60 and server on your scale.
Add Coffee & Tare
Add 15g of freshly ground coffee to the filter. Give the V60 a gentle shake to level the grounds. Tare your scale to zero.
Bloom — 0:00 to 0:45
Start your timer. Pour 30–40g of water (about twice the weight of your coffee) over the grounds in slow circles, making sure all the coffee is saturated. You'll see the coffee "bloom" — puffing up and releasing CO₂ bubbles. This degassing is essential: trapped gas blocks water from extracting evenly.
Wait 30–45 seconds for the bloom to settle before continuing.
First Pour — 0:45 to 1:15
Pour in slow, steady circles from the centre outward, reaching a total of about 130g. Keep the pour gentle and continuous — no aggressive splashing. The goal is to keep the water level roughly consistent in the V60.
Second Pour — 1:15 to 2:00
Once the water level drops to about halfway, begin pouring again in gentle circles, reaching your total of 250g. Some brewers prefer 3–4 smaller pours; others do one long continuous pour. Both work — consistency matters more than technique.
Drawdown — 2:00 to 3:15
Let the coffee drain completely. When done, the bed of grounds should be flat and even — a domed or uneven bed suggests channelling (water found a path of least resistance). Total brew time should be between 2:45 and 3:30.
Common V60 Mistakes
- Skipping the rinse: The paper filter adds a papery taste that a quick rinse eliminates
- Pouring too fast: Aggressive pouring agitates the grounds and causes uneven extraction
- Ignoring the bloom: Coffee needs to degas before water can extract evenly
- Not tracking brew time: Without a timer, you can't diagnose what went wrong
- Using stale coffee: Old coffee blooms poorly and produces a flat, empty cup
Adjusting to Taste
Once you have a consistent base recipe, small adjustments let you dial in your preferred flavour:
- Too sour / acidic? Grind finer, or use hotter water
- Too bitter? Grind coarser, or lower water temperature
- Too weak? Use more coffee (try 16–17g) or less water
- Too strong? Use slightly less coffee or add a splash of hot water after brewing
The V60 rewards attention and consistency. Once you've brewed it a dozen times, the process becomes almost meditative — and the cup it produces makes the effort feel well worth it.