How To Brew Perfect Coffee With Hario V60 Dripper At Home

One of my favorite go-to method of brewing coffee is Hario V60 pour over. It’s a very simple method that delivers incredibly clear flavors and aromas, that allows you to enjoy even the subtlest notes in your coffee.

This is one of the reason it became one of my favorite coffee methods, plus it’s cheap, but you can brew an incredibly tasty coffee in 3 minutes.

But it wasn’t as easy at the beginning of my V60 journey. I had my ups and downs, coffee too watery, too bitter, and so on. It took me some time, trying, and repeating until I got to my perfect spot.

If you ever had difficulties in getting your V60 coffee right, or you are just starting to explore the pour over methods, or just love to drink great cup of coffee at home, you are in the right place.

I made a simple guide for brewing with Hario V60 that is easy to follow, plus few tips and tricks for you, so you can brew your first cup of coffee with ease and confidence.

What is a V60 coffee maker?

The V60 Coffee Dripper (also referred to as the V60 Coffee Maker) is made by Hario. It got this name because of its “V” shape. It requires special paper filters, that are placed in the cone, and that’s how simple this method is.

The shape, design and materials used for the Hario V60 are perfect for optimum extraction. They come in ceramic, plastic, glass and metal styles, that you can choose from depending on your budget or purpose.

For example, if you can’t travel without your favorite coffee dripper, choose the plastic one. But it won’t retain the heat the same as the copper or glass one.

However, Hario V60 is a great investment for any coffee lover or enthusiast to have it in your coffee bars and kitchens.

What you need before starting off with V60?

V60 brewer
Hario V60 paper coffee filters (you need the special V60 paper filters)
25 grams of your favorite coffee (preferably freshly roasted by local roasters)
400 grams of water, plus a bit extra for pre-wetting your filter
Decanter or your favorite mug (make sure the mug will be wide enough for the V60 dripper)
Timer ( I use my phone )
Kettle, preferably a gooseneck kettle
A Scale
Grinder (i’m using a hand burr grinder here)

How to brew coffee with V60?

STEP #1. Start with heating enough water

You want to heat your water to 90 – 94C. If you don’t own a thermometer, just let the water sit for 30 seconds after boiling.

STEP #2. Measure and grind 30 grams of coffee ( medium-fine)

Choose your favorite coffee, preferably freshly roasted from local coffee roasters. They recommend a lighter roast, and something with high acidity and flavor.

You need to grind the beans to a medium-fine grind, slightly more coarse than a table salt. Grind your coffee immediately before brewing so it won’t lose a lot of its flavor and aroma.

It’s better to measure your coffee on a scale for future reference and improving your coffee.

STEP #3. Fold the filter and place it in the cone

Fold the flat edge of the V60 paper filter and place in the dripper, then place the dripper on a decanter, or any mug or a cup.

STEP #4. Pre-wet the filter

Pre-wet the paper filter for better experience

This will wash away any papery residue, which will result in a cleaner brew. (2)

The V60 paper filters are thin, and there won’t be after-taste, but it’s still useful to do it because it will seal the filter to the sides of the dripper, and will preheat the vessel you are brewing into.

Discard the water before you start brewing.

STEP #5. Add coffee

After you added your previously measured and ground coffee, give it a soft shake to flatten the coffee surface, place the vessel with the V60 dripper on your scale and tare it to zero.

You will need 300-400grams of water over 2 – 3 minutes brewing.

I used the measurements on the Hario decanter.

STEP #6. Time to bloom

You need just enough water to evenly saturate the coffee grounds, which will be 50 – 70grams. Let it sit for 30-45 seconds to allow the gasses out from the coffee grounds. (3)

If you add all the water right away, these gasses will become trapped in the coffee and affect the taste.

As a rule of thumb, use a 2:1 ratio of water to coffee. For example, I used 30 grams for my coffee, so I added 60-70grams of water for the bloom.

STEP #7. Pour the remaining water

After the blooming, start pouring the remaining water continuously and in spiraling circles on top of the coffee, not on the paper and fill the filter to the top.

Stop pouring once you added 400 grams of water.

From start to finish, this should take between 2:15 and 2:30. If the overall time is significantly outside of this range, you will need to adjust the coarseness at which you ground your coffee.

If the pour over is quicker than 2:15, your coffee ground was too coarse. If the pour over takes longer than 2:30, your coffee ground was too fine.

STEP #8. You have incredibly great coffee for you to enjoy

Once you poured 400grams of water, and the water is all drained from the dripper, you are ready to enjoy your own V60 coffee.

Final thoughts

Hario V60 is very easy to use for anyone who is just starting brewing their own coffee, or for experienced coffee lovers who love tasty cup of coffee.

By making small adjustments with the grind size, coffee to water ratio, or the temperature of the water, you’ll find out what works best for your perfect cup of coffee.

After all, practice makes it perfect.

There are no strict rules, and it’s fun to make.

And the ritual itself is relaxing and comforting.

How about you?

How’s your experience with V60?

Tell me in the comments, I’d love to hear from you.

And don’t forget to share this article with friends and family, someone might find it useful.

Until next time,

Enjoy Your Coffee!

Reference
1. Ross, C. F., Pecka, K., & Weller, K. (2006, December 07). Effect of Storage Conditions on the Sensory Quality of Arabica Coffee. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1745-4557.2006.00093.x
2. Rao, S. (2016, October 28). Prewetting: When to do it, when not to. Retrieved from https://www.scottrao.com/blog/prewetting-when-to-do-it-when-not-to
3. Carrasco, N. (2018, August 03). Brew Guide: What Are The 3 Phases of Drip Coffee Brewing? Retrieved from https://www.perfectdailygrind.com/2017/08/brew-guide-3-phases-drip-coffee-brewing/