The V60 pourover brewer is a deceptively complex brewing method. You would think you just grind, pour, brew, drink. And it’s mostly that, but there are all sorts of nuances and tricks to make the most of this simple – and delicious – brewing method.
- Get the Grind Right – Go for a medium fine grind, finer than you would for a Chemex and similar to table salt. The flow rate is controlled by the grind size, due to how large the hole is in the V60. If your grind is off, you’ll clog out the brew or if the grind is too coarse, it’ll drain too fast. For really solid coffee, grind right before you brew and always use a burr grinder.
- Rinse the Filter – Pour some of your hot water to dampen the filter before you put your grounds in. Dump the water you used to wet the filter, then add your grounds to the damp filter.
- Perfect the Pour – You don’t want to pour straight down into the middle of the grounds the entire time – you want to get an even extraction. To start, pour in a circle to evenly wet the grounds then pause, letting the coffee “bloom” for 20-30 seconds. Start to pour the remaining water in even circles, which is made so much easier with a gooseneck kettle.
- Be Present While You Brew – This is a brewing method that requires care and attention. To make your V60 cup really delicious, take 5 minutes of your day to dedicate to your brew, focusing completely on the ritual of making coffee.
- Do Your Math – Since a V60 is a smaller brew, making 1 or two cups at a time, the coffee to water ratio matters a lot. Make your own life so much easier and your coffee tastier by springing for a gram scale so you can weigh your coffee and water and get an exact ratio.
- Practice Makes Pretty Good – This brewing method is tough. Even super dedicated coffee folk struggle to make a perfect V60. Keep at it, adjust your brewing variables to find the flavors you like, try different coffees, and you’ll get there. It’ll be so worth it!
Looking for a V60 recipe with grams and brew times? We got you.
3 comments
I would have gone with temperature as #6. Because the water contacts the grind for less time than in other methods you can dramatically influence the notes by raising or lowering brew temp in the 198-208 degree F range.
Can you show us a picture of what the grind looks like?