Crafting a pour-over coffee is not just a simple exercise in making a drink, it’s a peaceful ritual that allows you to step away from the ongoing stresses of every day like and relax in a few minutes of personal tranquility. As your hand guides the gooseneck kettle, you settle into yourself knowing that at the end of this meditation you’re rewarded with a delicious coffee that brings out the full flavour of your chosen beans.
The Hario V60 is one of the most popular pour-over drippers for good reason. It’s easy to obtain, results in a delightful coffee, and is deceptively simple to use, providing a way for everyone to enjoy a full-bodied brew that can boost a morning or provide a sumptuous break later in the day.
Whether you’re a brewing beginner or a barista level expert, once you’ve read this short guide, you’ll be fully prepared to make the most of V60 pour-over - an inexpensive and engaging way to enjoy coffee.
Why choose the Hario V60?
Pour-over coffee is a different beast to other brewing methods. It offers a lighter touch to espresso or Moka pot, and provides a cleaner taste than a French press. Add a little cream and sugar to taste if that’s your thing, or enjoy it as a hot, unadorned delight - one thing is for sure and that’s the Hario V60 method provides incredible control and versatility. This a method for those who like to fine-tune their coffee that’s also perfect for beginners willing to experiment and learn.
Playing with the variables
V60 coffee is delightfully simple to make, yet offers all the control needed to really delve into what makes your personal perfect brew. When you’re making a V60 pour-over, you’re in charge of everything that goes into the coffee including:
- The grind level - Adjusting the coarseness of your grind is has a huge impact on your end result and learning just where you want that to be is part of what makes V60 a great option. Pair your V60 experience with a reliable quality grinder and you’ll be able to fine-tune to the level you need and then consistently repeat that process every time.
- Water temperature - With the right equipment, you have complete control over the temperature, an important aspect to ensure good extraction.
- Coffee-to-water ratio - How strong do you like your brew, because with Hario V60 pour-over coffee you can tweak that to perfection!
- Pour rate - Perhaps one of the greatest pleasures of making pour-over filter coffee is the slow, refined moment of pouring. Going nice and slow ensures you don’t create blasted channels through your coffee but instead give the water the time it needs to perfectly extract the desired taste.
Make notes, refine your process, and note your favourite recipes to create consistently beautiful flavours every time.
Design excellence - and a little science
The Hario V60’s design with its distinctive cone shape and spiral ridges isn’t just to look great - it’s engineered for the perfect coffee extraction.
- The 60-degree cone - This is where the V60 gets its name; a specific cone angle with steep walls that allows the water to flow through the coffee bed more evenly than flat-bottomed drippers. This helps create consistent extraction, with the water getting the right amount of time with the grounds to avoid over- or under-extraction.
- A single large draining hole - Some drippers have a smaller hole that is designed to give the coffee more time with the grains, but the V60 is designed with the user in mind and give you that control. The larger draining hole provides full control over extraction at the pouring step, allowing you the ability to adjust the speed of the water to bring out the flavours you prefer.
- The spiral ridges - Perhaps the first thing you notice with your Hario V60 is the raised spiral groves that run around the inside. Like the specific angle, these help water flow and extraction by creating small air pockets between the filter paper and the dripper’s wall. It’s why V60 coffee tends to have greater clarity than other filter coffee methods.
- Thinner paper filters - Specialised V60 filters are thinner than a standard coffee filter to reduce resistance. They’re essential to remove the oil and smaller particles from the grinds that presents as a brighter and crisper final flavour.
The Hario V60 design has been developed to highlight the delicate notes of coffee, making it especially effective in offering the full range of complex flavours achievable from high-quality coffee beans.
The joy of the aromatic richness
Some brewing methods close the door on the subtle notes of aroma that occur during the coffee creation. The V60 pour-over process is an olfactory delight that results in true clarity of the intricate flavours of your coffee beans - both during the brewing experience and in the resultant cup. Mmmmm.
What you need for top-quality Hario V60 brewing
The majority of V60 coffee equipment is very inexpensive. Your greatest budgetary concern should be with the grinder. Like anything, what you put in is at the core of what you get out, so make sure you select excellent quality beans and grind with a top-level grinder.
The Niche Zero or Niche Duo (with the filter coffee burr set) grinders fit the bill perfectly.
With a Niche grinder you can find tune your grind level for the perfect V60 grind, enjoy near-zero retention that means coffee isn’t left stuck in the grinder to upset your precision or spoil future grinds, and achieve that consistent level of grind that’s essential for replicating perfection.
In addition to a top-quality Niche grinder, you’ll need:
- A Hario V60 dripper - Aim for a 02 size to start, good for single or multiple servings.
- Hario V60 paper filters - Match the filter size to the dripper, so 02 filters for the 02 dripper.
- Gooseneck kettle - Essential for precision pouring. Look for gooseneck kettles with built in thermometers for extra control.
- Digital scales - Make sure you grind the same amount of coffee every time. Remember, with a Niche grinder, there’s no retention, so the amount you measure and put in is what you’ll get out.
- Water filter - Make sure the water you’re using for your coffee is pure and clean.
- Timer - This is optional, but it’s good to track your pour times as you refine your taste.
- Quality coffee - The final but most important ingredient! Make sure you store your coffee properly for a delightful cup every time.
The step-by-step guide to the perfect V60 pour-over
Step 1 - Get the kettle on
- Filter your water to ensure you’re using delicious clean water.
- Boil your water to between 90°C and 96°C.
Step 2 - Prep the filter paper
- Fold the paper filter along the seam and place it neatly into the V60 dripper
- Rinse the filter thoroughly with hot water (not boiling!) to remove any papery taste and help pre-heat the dripper
- Shake off any rinse water before you add coffee.
Step 3 - Prepare the coffee
- Use a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15 as your starting point, which means 20g of coffee to 300ml of water.
- Adjust your ratio to taste. Stronger means 1:14 or less, milder steps up the coffee to 1:16 or greater.
- Grind your coffee with your Niche grinder. Set it to a medium-coarse grind that resembles granulated sugar (30-35 on the Niche Zero settings).
Step 4 - Setup the brewing equipment
- Place your scales on a level surface.
- Place cup, mug or jug on the scales.
- Place the Hario V60 with the filter paper onto the vessel.
- Reset the scales to 0.
- Add coffee - check scales to determine correct weight.
- Check temperature of water in gooseneck kettle.
Step 5 - Bloom the coffee
- Keep an eye on the scales to measure as you go - remember 1ml of water weighs 1g.
- Start with twice the coffee weight in water (40g of water for 20g of coffee).
- Gently pour slowly in a circular motion, saturating all the coffee grinds evenly.
- Let it bloom for 30 to 45 seconds - this releases any trapped CO₂ to ensure a better overall extraction.
Step 6 - Pour
- Pour water in slow, controlled spirals working from the centre outward.
- Keep a nice steady flow, adding the water gradually.
- Pause as needed to avoid flooding.
- Total brew time should be around 2:30 to 3:30 minutes.
Step 7 - Finishing
- Patiently wait until all the water has filtered through.
- Gently swirl the dripper and then remove it.
- Enjoy the delicious taste of perfectly brewed V60 coffee!
Tips for brewing perfection
Coffee is about personal taste - don’t expect your first V60 to be your best. To improve, consider:
- Experimenting with the ratio - Adjust your coffee-water ratio to better represent the level of strength and body you prefer.
- Controlling your pour - Have patience with your pour and enjoy the relaxing experience. The speed you pour with your gooseneck kettle will affect the extraction time and thus the final taste.
- Adjusting your grind - Tweak your grind level to get a coarseness that suits your taste. Finer grinds lead to greater extraction and stronger brew; coarser grinds lighten the taste.
- Using fresh beans - Always use well-stored whole beans and grind just before you brew to ensure freshness.
- Taking notes and being happy to learn - Record all the different variables (grind size, water temp, time etc.) and note the differences to develop your coffee making skill and discover your finest Hario V60 pour-over recipe.
Hario V60 excellence with Niche
Mastering the art of Hario V60 pour-over is about patience, precision, and perfectly ground fresh coffee. It’s a wonderful, calming experience that unlocks the full potential of your beans to create delicious aromatic coffee.
Paired with a Niche grinder, a Hario V60 dripper results in a sumptuous and serene experience.
