Hario V60 brewing guide.
The recipe that works on the V60-01, -02, and -03 — plus the grind, temperature, and pour technique decisions that separate a good brew from a great one.
15 g coffee + 250 g water at 94–96°C. Bloom 30 g for 45 s. Pour to 150 g by 1:15. Pour to 250 g by 1:45. Drawdown ends near 2:30. Medium-fine grind.
What you need
- V60 dripper. Plastic (V60-02 most common), ceramic, glass, or copper. All brew the same recipe; thermal mass and aesthetics differ.
- Filters. Hario tabbed filters are the standard. Cafec filters drain faster; Sibarist filters faster still.
- Gooseneck kettle. The narrow spout is what enables controlled, slow pours. Not optional for serious V60.
- Scale with 0.1 g resolution. Time and weight together, ideally on the same scale.
- Burr grinder. Blade grinders produce too many fines and uneven extraction.
The full recipe, step by step
- Rinse the filter. Place the filter in the V60 over your decanter or mug. Pour hot water through to wash out paper taste and preheat. Discard the rinse water.
- Add coffee. 15 g of medium-fine ground coffee. Tap the dripper gently to level the bed.
- Bloom (0:00). Start the timer. Pour 30 g water in a slow spiral, wetting all grounds. Optional: brief swirl or gentle stir to ensure full saturation.
- Bloom rest (0:30–0:45). Wait. Watch the dome of bubbles rise and fall.
- First pour (0:45–1:15). Pour to 150 g total weight (about 120 g of water added). Spiral from centre outward, avoiding the filter walls.
- Second pour (1:15–1:45). Pour to 250 g total. Same spiral motion. Aim to finish pouring by 1:45.
- Drawdown (1:45–2:30). Wait for the water to drain completely. Bed should be flat with a slight dome of grounds — no visible craters or wall climbs.
- Pour, swirl, drink. Swirl the decanter to mix, then pour and taste.
Grind size — the variable that matters most
V60 lives in a narrow grind window. Too fine and the bed chokes, drawdown takes 4+ minutes, and the cup is over-extracted and bitter. Too coarse and water rushes through in 1:30, leaving a sour, thin cup.
Calibrate by brew time:
- Under 2:00: Grind too coarse. Two notches finer.
- 2:00–2:30: On the coarse side. Try one notch finer.
- 2:30–3:00: Sweet spot for most coffees.
- 3:00–3:30: Slightly fine. Acceptable for medium roasts.
- Over 3:30: Too fine or stalled. Coarser, check for excessive fines, check filter brand.
Common pitfalls
- Pouring on the filter wall. Bypasses the coffee bed entirely. Spiral from centre out, stay 1 cm from the edge.
- Skipping the rinse. Paper taste is noticeable in the first cup of the morning. Rinse always.
- Inconsistent pour rate. Erratic pouring causes uneven extraction. Practice a steady, controlled flow.
- Stale beans. A V60 brewed at day 35 off roast won't be saved by good technique. Check days off roast.
- Old grinder burrs. Worn burrs produce excessive fines; brew times creep up despite identical grind setting.
V60 size guide
| Model | Brewing capacity | Recommended dose |
|---|---|---|
| V60-01 | 1 cup (200 ml) | 10–13 g |
| V60-02 | 1–2 cups (250–500 ml) | 15–25 g |
| V60-03 | 2–4 cups (500–800 ml) | 30–45 g |
Related
Pour over tracker → · Bloom → · Brew ratio → · AeroPress guide →
Save your V60 recipe per coffee.
HomeBarista logs multi-step recipes with bloom timing and pour weights, reference brew per bag.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best V60 ratio?
1:16–1:17 — 15 g coffee to 250 g water for a single cup. Light roasts often prefer 1:16; medium roasts 1:17. Adjust grind first, ratio second.
What grind size for V60?
Medium-fine. Finer than drip, coarser than espresso. Calibrate by brew time — aim for 2:30–3:00 total.
What temperature water for V60?
94–96°C (201–205°F) for medium roasts. 98°C for very light roasts. 88–92°C for dark roasts.
How long should V60 take?
2:30–3:30 total brew time for a 15 g brew. Time is a consequence of grind size and pour technique, not a target.
V60 vs Origami vs Kalita — which is best?
V60 is the most parameter-sensitive. Origami is more forgiving. Kalita Wave is flat-bottom and slow-flowing, very forgiving for beginners.