Brew Guide
How to Brew With a Hario V60
Clean, bright, and full of nuance. The V60 is a pour over classic that rewards attention with an exceptional cup.
The Basics
The V60 Is a Pour Over Icon
The Hario V60 is one of the most popular pour over brewers in the world, and for good reason. Its elegant conical shape, spiral ribs, and large single drain hole give you total control over your brew. The result is a clean, bright cup that showcases the unique character of single origin coffee—floral aromatics, fruity acidity, and delicate sweetness all come through beautifully.
Unlike immersion methods like French press or cold brew, the V60 is an active brewing process. You control the pour rate, the water temperature, and the timing. That might sound fussy, but once you get the rhythm down, it becomes a simple, meditative morning ritual that takes about four minutes from start to finish.
What You'll Need
- • Hario V60 dripper — size 01 for a single cup or size 02 for larger brews
- • V60 paper filters — matched to your dripper size
- • Gooseneck kettle — essential for precise, controlled pouring
- • Kitchen scale with timer — weight and timing are everything
- • Burr grinder — for a consistent medium-fine grind
- • Fresh coffee beans — the most important ingredient
Step One
Weigh and Grind Your Coffee
Start with a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio. For a single cup, weigh out 15 grams of coffee and plan to use 240 grams of water. This ratio produces a balanced, flavorful cup—not too strong, not too thin. If you prefer a bolder brew, try 1:15. For something lighter, go to 1:17.
Grind your coffee medium-fine, about the texture of table salt. The V60 uses a finer grind than the Chemex because its thinner paper filter allows water to flow through more quickly—a finer grind slows that flow and ensures proper extraction. If you're coming from a Chemex, go a notch or two finer on your grinder.
Quick Ratio Reference
1 Cup
15g coffee · 240g water
2 Cups
25g coffee · 400g water
Large Batch
30g coffee · 480g water
Step Two
Rinse the Filter and Preheat
Fold the paper filter along its seam and place it into the V60 dripper. Set the dripper on top of your mug or server. Now pour hot water generously through the filter—this accomplishes three important things at once.
First, it seals the filter against the walls of the dripper so it doesn't shift during brewing. Second, it rinses away the papery taste that can dull your coffee's flavor. Third, it preheats your dripper and mug so the brewing temperature stays consistent. Once the rinse water has drained through, discard it from your mug or server before adding coffee.
Seal
Hot water presses the filter flat against the dripper walls
Rinse
Removes papery taste for a cleaner, brighter cup
Preheat
Keeps brewing temperature stable from start to finish
Step Three
Bloom the Grounds
Add your ground coffee to the rinsed filter and give the dripper a gentle shake to level the bed. Start your timer and pour about twice the weight of your coffee dose in water—so 30 grams of water for 15 grams of coffee. Pour in a gentle spiral from the center outward, making sure all the grounds are evenly saturated.
Now wait 30–45 seconds. You should see the coffee bed dome up and bubble as trapped CO2 escapes from the freshly roasted beans. This is the bloom, and it's the sign of fresh coffee. Skipping this step means that CO2 will create air pockets during brewing, leading to channeling and uneven extraction.
Bloom Checklist
- • Water amount — 2x the coffee dose (30g for 15g of coffee)
- • Wait time — 30–45 seconds for CO2 to escape
- • What to look for — grounds dome up and bubble
- • Fresh coffee blooms more — a big bloom means fresh beans
Step Four
First Pour
Once the bloom is finished, begin your first main pour. Starting from the center of the coffee bed, pour in a slow, steady spiral outward toward the edges. Keep your pour rate gentle and controlled—a gooseneck kettle makes this much easier. Avoid pouring directly against the paper filter walls, as this lets water bypass the coffee grounds entirely.
Pour until your scale reads about 150 grams total. The water level should rise evenly across the bed. You'll notice the coffee grounds swirling gently—that's a good sign. Once you hit 150g, pause and let the water draw down until you can see the surface of the coffee bed again, about 15–20 seconds.
Pour Technique Tips
Good Technique ✓
Slow, steady spiral from center outward. Even saturation. Controlled pace.
Common Mistakes ✕
Pouring too fast, dumping water on the sides, or hitting the filter walls directly.
Step Five
Second Pour
Continue pouring in the same slow spiral pattern until your scale reads 240 grams total. Maintain a steady water level in the dripper—you don't want to flood the V60, but you also don't want it to drain completely between pours. A consistent water level ensures even extraction across the entire coffee bed.
Once you've hit your target weight, let the remaining water draw down completely through the coffee bed. Your total brew time—from the very first pour during the bloom to the last drop—should land between 2:30 and 3:00 minutes. If it's significantly faster, your grind is too coarse. If it's much slower, grind coarser next time.
Timing Guide
- • 0:00 — Start bloom (30g of water)
- • 0:30–0:45 — Begin first pour after bloom
- • ~1:15 — First pour complete at 150g, pause for drawdown
- • ~1:45 — Begin second pour, continue to 240g
- • 2:30–3:00 — Final drawdown complete. Total brew time target.
Step Six
Serve and Enjoy
Once the drawdown is complete, lift the V60 off your mug or server and set it aside. Take a look at the spent coffee bed—ideally it should be relatively flat, which means the water flowed evenly through the grounds. A lopsided or cratered bed means your pour was uneven, but it will still taste good.
Give your coffee a gentle swirl in the mug or server. This aerates the brew and mixes the different layers of extraction, creating a more balanced, integrated flavor. The V60 produces a light-bodied, clean cup that highlights origin characteristics beautifully. Drink it black for the full experience, or add a splash of milk if that's your style.
Troubleshooting Your V60 Brew
Too Sour or Thin?
- • Grind finer to slow the drawdown
- • Use hotter water (closer to 205°F)
- • Pour more slowly and evenly
Too Bitter or Harsh?
- • Grind coarser to speed up drawdown
- • Use slightly cooler water (195°F)
- • Avoid pouring on the filter walls
Common Questions
Hario V60 Brew Guide FAQ
What is the best coffee-to-water ratio for V60?
Use a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio for the V60. For a single cup, use 15g of coffee and 240g of water. For a larger brew, try 25g of coffee to 400g of water. Adjust slightly stronger (1:15) or weaker (1:17) to your personal taste.
How fine should I grind for V60?
Grind medium-fine for the V60—finer than a Chemex grind but coarser than espresso. The texture should resemble table salt. If your brew drains too fast and tastes sour, grind finer. If it stalls or tastes bitter, grind coarser. Check out our grind adjustment guide for more detail.
How long should a V60 brew take?
A single-cup V60 brew (15g coffee, 240g water) should take about 2:30–3:00 minutes from the first pour to the final drawdown. If it finishes much faster, your grind is too coarse. If it takes longer than 3:30, your grind is too fine. Brew time is the best feedback loop for dialing in your grind.
What is the difference between V60 and Chemex?
The V60 uses a thinner paper filter and a conical dripper with spiral ribs, producing a lighter, more delicate cup that highlights bright and fruity notes. The Chemex uses a thicker bonded filter that absorbs more oils, producing a cleaner, smoother cup with more body. The V60 uses a finer grind and brews faster. Read our Chemex vs pour over comparison for a deeper dive.
Why is the bloom step important for V60?
Blooming allows CO2 trapped in freshly roasted coffee to escape. If you skip the bloom, the CO2 creates air pockets that repel water and cause uneven extraction—leading to a mix of sour and bitter flavors. A proper 30–45 second bloom ensures the water can fully saturate the grounds for a balanced, flavorful cup.
Better Beans Make a Better V60
Fresh roasted, single origin specialty coffee delivered to your door. The secret to an exceptional pour over.
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