Your complete guide to the v60
If you’re looking to step up your coffee game to truly experience all your favorite roast has to offer, give one of our favorite manual coffee methods a try! The V60 is one of the more involved methods of brewing but don't let that stop you! We will show you how get the most out of your coffee and have fun doing it!
Equipment
What you will need:
V60
Filter
Goose neck kettle
Grinder
Digital Scale (for accuracy)
Thermometer
The V60
A V60 is designed to enhance the extraction process. There are different materials for the cone and filter that can choose from to customize your V60 experience. For the V60, you can choose from glass, ceramic, stainless steel, plastic, and copper. We prefer glass or ceramic for their ability to retain heat. For the filter, you can choose to use a metal or paper filter. If using a paper filter, you will need to wet the filter prior to adding your grounds.
Plastic dripper
The plastic V60 is the most budget-friendly option, and there are two versions of Hario’s plastic V60. You can purchase an opaque plastic dripper in red and white. These are made from polypropylene, which is a thermoplastic known for its ability to withstand higher temperatures. Your other option is the clear Hario V60, which is made from a styrene-acrylonitrile resin that can handle higher temperatures. It has slightly less of a heat tolerance than polypropylene. Plastic V60s are ideal for travel for their stability and are the most affordable V60 option.
Ceramic dripper
The first V60s were made in Japan using a ceramic dripper, and this is still one of the most common materials today. Ceramic V60s has excellent heat retention, which makes them a great option if you’re concerned about pouring boiling water onto plastic. They are more on the breakable (and expensive) side, so they aren’t ideal for travel.
Glass dripper
V60 drippers are crafted with a high quality glass that is moderately good at retaining heat, and providing a consistent cup of coffee. Our favorite thing about the glass dripper is being able to watch our coffee drip!
Copper dripper
Copper distributes heat evenly, and has excellent thermal conductivity. Copper maintains consistent heat throughout the brewing process, which helps the V60 reach the perfect temperature quickly. If you preheat the cone before adding your filter, this will speed up the heating process even more. This makes the copper V60 a very popular choice for the person who doesn’t mind spending a little extra money for the perfect brew.
Metal dripper
The metal V60 dripper has very similar thermal conductivity to the copper V60 dripper, and is just as light as durable. Because stainless steel heats up quickly, you can count on a quick and efficient warm up time. This makes the extraction a much quicker process! V60s come in stainless steel and a matte black finish.
Gooseneck Kettle
Because your pour affects the outcome of the flavors in your brew, you want to have as much control as possible when pouring. This is where the gooseneck kettle comes in! Its long spout will give you the most control while pouring by allowing you to control the speed of the pour and time it more accurately.
Filter
Filter choice comes down to a personal preference, but there are benefits unique to each filter. Paper filters reduce the oils in your brew, which leaves you with a vibrant and crisp flavor profile. They’re the perfect option if you’re trying to really bring out the delicate flavors in a roast. They’re easy to clean up, and widely available for purchase.
Metal filters allow some oil to slip into your cup, which leaves you with deeper flavor and a rich, full-bodied brew. If you prefer a sweeter brew with more mouthfeel and richness, you should give a metal filter a try. A small amount of sediment finds its way into your cup when you use a metal filter, which gives it a similar mouthfeel to a cup brewed in a french press. Not all V60 brands offer a metal filter, which is why we love the V60 for offering both options!
Grinder
There are two types of home grinders: burr grinders and blade grinders. It’s easy to reach for a blade grinder because it’s the more affordable of the two, but there are other factors to consider when choosing a grinder. Blade grinders are affordable, easy to store, and can grind quickly, but they don’t always provide an even grind. This can leave you with various levels of coarseness, and uneven grounds will compromise the quality of your beans. Burr grinders provide a more consistent grind, better flavor, and give you more control over your grind. They’re also more durable than blade grinders! We love using burr grinder to produce the perfect grind consistency for the best brew.
Pros and Cons of the V60
Pros
Using a V60 gives you more control over your brew
The V60 is easy to store, and there are versions meant just for traveling.
V60s have a very aesthetically pleasing design.
There are several different options to choose from to customize your V60 experience.
The V60 is relatively easy to clean compared to other pour over methods.
Paper filters are made by many companies, so you can find different options!
Cons
Ceramic and glass V60s are easily broken.
You have to use filters made specifically for the V60.
Takes practice to get a good brew.
Ceramic V60s take longer to heat.
The Method
Step 1
Place your V60 dripper on top of your mug or cup, and place a paper (or metal) filter in the cone.
Step 2
Measure out 400 ml of hot water into a goose neck kettle.
Step 3
If you are using a paper filter, wet it to get rid of the paper taste.
Step 4
For a 12 oz coffee, measure out 25 grams of your favorite Single Origin light roast from Martin’s. We recommend Unwashed Sidama or Yirgacheffe.
Step 5
Grind your coffee beans on a medium to fine grind.
Step 6
Place your V60 and mug on a scale, and add your coffee grounds. Zero out the scale with everything on it.
Step 7
Make a small hole in middle of grounds. Using circular motions, slowly pour around the cone until the grounds are saturated.
Step 8
Pause, and allow the grounds to bloom for 30 seconds. You can begin your next pour once the coffee best stops bubbling.
Step 9
Start pouring water to the top of the V60 in a slow, circular motion, making a spiral around the dripper until your scale reads 400mg. Brew time should be 2 minutes, at most 3
Brew Measurements
12 oz yield coffee: 400 ml water + 25 grams of coffee = 2-3 minute brew time
16 oz yield coffee: 500 ml water + 30 grams of coffee = 3-4 minute brew time
20 oz yield coffee: 600 ml water + 35 grams of coffee = 4-5 minute brew time
Pro Tip: If your coffee tastes a little off, you need to adjust your grind settling. If your brew tastes sour, acidic, and salty, you should increase the brew time, decrease the temperature of your water, and adjust your grind to a finer setting. This means that your brew did not extract enough of the flavors and left you with watered down versions of your roasts flavor profile, which left you with an under extracted cup of coffee. If your brew tastes bitter and hollow, and doesn’t have any notable coffee flavors, you should decrease your brew time, increase your water temperature, and adjust your grind to a coarser setting.