How To Brew Coffee With A Hario V60

by Cause Roast

How To Brew Coffee With A Hario V60

We  love using the Hario V60, as well as other devices, to brew our coffee. So, we've decided to share a "how to" for brewing the best cup of coffee with the Hario V60. Enjoy!

Step 1: Gather Materials

 

You’ll need the following:

Step 2: Boil Water

Place your kettle on the stove and bring to a boil. In the meanwhile, begin working on steps 3 & 4.

Step 3: Measure Out Coffee

Using your scale, weigh out 23 grams of whole bean coffee. Since we’ll be using 350 grams of water, 23 grams of coffee, if brewed correctly, will result in a cup balanced in both body and flavor.

Step 4: Grind Coffee

 

 

Before you place the coffee your about to brew into the grinder, run your grinder for a few seconds to make sure coffee from previous brews is gone. You’ll want set your grinder to a medium-fine grind. Pour your fresh coffee into your grinder. Grind.

Step 5: Setting Your Mug, Cone, and Filter

Place your mug on your scale. Then place your V60 cone on top of your mug. Your V60 filter is shaped like a 2-dimensional cone with a seam on one side. Fold along the seam so that when you open the filter and place it on the cone, the seam doesn’t get in the way. 

Step 6: Wash Your Filter

 

 

At this point your water should be boiling. Remove it from the heat. You’re now going to wash your filter. Start by pouring a slow stream into the center of the filter and then spiraling out until you have wetted the whole filter. You’ll want to save enough water for your brew. This step accomplishes two things. First, it washes the paper taste from the filter so that it doesn’t end up in your coffee. Second, it warms your mug so that your coffee doesn’t get a temperature shock when it hits the bottom of your mug. Temperature consistency is key.

Step 7: Set Your Coffee

Make sure you empty out all the water from the previous step. Once you’ve done that, place your ground coffee into the center of your filter. Feel free to lift your V60 cone and shake it a slightly so that the coffee levels out. Once you’ve got an even coffee bed, your just about ready to brew. This is also where a thermometer can come in handy. The boiling temperature of water is 212 degrees which is too hot to brew. We like a temperature of 195 to 205 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, simply let the water sit off the heat for about 2 to 4 minutes, depending on how much water is still left in your kettle. This should put you near the 195 to 205 range.

Step 8: Start Your Bloom

 

 

With your timer ready, you'll now begin what's called the bloom or blooming. Start with a slow pour beginning at the center of your coffee bed, working your way out in a spiral, making sure not to touch the filter with the stream of water. Stop pouring when you’ve covered all your grounds. Now start your timer. Let the coffee sit for 30-45 seconds (fresher coffees can take a longer bloom.) If the coffee looks like its drying quickly, break your bloom early. Think of the bloom as preparing the coffee for extraction. Water begins to infuse the grounds, preparing all those tasty flavor oils for the rest of your brew. 

Step 9: Break Your Bloom 

Pour directly into the center of the coffee bed at a medium pour rate until you reach 200 grams. Basically, you want to pour faster than the coffee can drain out the bottom. This causes the water to begin to build underneath the coffee bed, eventually pushing the coffee bed up. This loosens your coffee grounds and ready for extraction instead of sitting at the bottom all clumped up. Once you reach 200 grams, which should happen at about 55 seconds, stop your pour for 10 seconds, letting the coffee settle a bit. Take note of the change in aroma at this step compared to previous steps. 

Step 10: Resume Spiral Pour

At 1m:05s, resume pouring in a spiral motion. Start in the center at a medium pour and work your way out in spirals, working your way back in once you get to the outer edge of the coffee bed. Remember not to pour directly onto the filter, as this causes water to slip beside the coffee bed instead of through it. Keep this spiral pour going, keeping an eye on your scale and your timer. Your goal is to reach 350 grams by 1m:45s. It will take some practice to get this right.  

Step 11: Let Drain

 

 

Once you reach 350 grams, allow any remaining water in the filter finish draining. The end result should be a fairly level and muddy bed of coffee (hint: if your coffee bed is not level, this is an indication of what part of the coffee bed you’re favoring during your pour. Take note of this and adjust next time. Remember that the goal is an even extraction.) At this point, pinch the top of your used paper filter, lift, and toss it in your compost (or garden soil). 

Step 12: Drink

 

 

Congratulations, you did it! Now go enjoy your freshly brewed coffee in your favorite "sipping spot". 

 

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