[Video Guide] Mastering the V60 Pour-Over: A Complete Brewing Guide

If you’re searching for a way to unlock the true flavors of specialty coffee, the Hario V60 pour-over is one of the most rewarding brewing methods. Known for its clarity, aroma, and clean finish, the V60 allows you to fine-tune your brew for light, medium, or dark roasts. Whether you’re brewing in Atlanta, GA, or anywhere in the world, this guide will help you master the technique and enjoy café-quality coffee at home.

 

 

☕ Quick FAQ: Brewing with the V60

What is a good coffee-to-water ratio for V60?

• Light roast: 1:15 (stronger ratio)

• Medium roast: 1:16 (balanced)

• Dark roast: 1:17–1:18 (lighter extraction)

 

What grind size works best for V60?
Medium-fine grind (similar to table salt). Use slightly finer for light roasts and slightly coarser for dark roasts.

 

Why does the bloom step matter?
Blooming releases carbon dioxide trapped in freshly roasted beans, allowing better flavor extraction.

 

How long should a V60 pour-over take?
Typically between 2–3 minutes. If it drains too quickly, adjust to a finer grind; if too slow, try a coarser grind.

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V60 Brewing Guide: Step by Step

The beauty of the V60 lies in its control and precision. Small changes in grind size, pouring style, or water temperature can transform your cup. Below is a tested recipe using Costa Rica Tarrazú Medium Roast coffee.

What You’ll Need

• Hario V60 dripper + paper filter

• Freshly roasted coffee beans (we used Costa Rica Tarrazú)

• Gooseneck kettle

• Grinder (e.g., Fellow Ode Brew Grinder)

• Scale & timer

• Mug or carafe

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Step 1: Measure & Grind

• Weigh 19 g of coffee beans.

• Grind to a medium-fine texture, similar to table salt.

• Adjust finer for light roasts and coarser for dark roasts.

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Step 2: Prep the Filter

• Fold the paper filter along its seam and place it in the V60.

• Rinse with hot water to remove papery taste and preheat the brewer.

• Discard rinse water.

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Step 3: The Bloom

• Place ground coffee into the V60.

• Start your timer and pour 50 g of hot water over the grounds.

• Ensure all coffee is saturated.

• Let it sit for 30 seconds. This step allows CO₂ to escape, ensuring smoother extraction.

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Step 4: The Pour

• After the bloom, slowly pour water in a circular motion, starting from the center and moving outward.

• By the 1-minute mark, aim for 150 g total water.

• Continue pouring until you reach 300 g total water by about 2 minutes.

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Step 5: Drawdown & Enjoy

• Let the coffee drip through the filter naturally (2–3 minutes).

• Adjust grind size if the drawdown is too fast or too slow.

• Once dripping slows to a stop, remove the V60.

• Swirl your carafe gently and enjoy a clean, aromatic cup of coffee.

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Why Coffee-to-Water Ratio & Grind Size Matter

The ratio ensures proper balance:

• Light roasts are denser and harder to extract—use more coffee for stronger flavor.

• Dark roasts extract faster, requiring less coffee to avoid bitterness.

The grind size controls extraction:

• Too coarse = sour, under-extracted coffee.

• Too fine = bitter, over-extracted coffee.

Experimentation is key. The more you brew, the better you’ll understand how each adjustment impacts your final cup.

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Pro Tips for Brewing with the V60

• Use freshly roasted beans for maximum flavor.

• Invest in a burr grinder for consistent grind size.

• Pour slowly with a gooseneck kettle for better control.

• Always taste and adjust—brewing coffee is equal parts art and science.

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Final Thoughts

Mastering the Hario V60 pour-over lets you unlock flavors hidden in every bean—from fruity and bright light roasts to rich and bold dark roasts. With just a few tools and practice, you can brew café-quality coffee right at home.

Ready to elevate your mornings? Try our Volcanica Costa Rica Tarrazú Coffee, a medium roast with notes of honey, citrus, and chocolate—perfect for V60 brewing.

 

👉 Shop Volcanica Coffee Beans

 

Full Video Transcript: 

"Today we're going to talk about this: the V60 from Hario. There are plenty of recipes out there, but we're here to guide you on how to master the V60 pour-over technique to get the most out of your favorite coffee.

 

My name is Lizzy, and if this is the first time we're meeting, I want to help you make better coffee at home and also help you see coffee for more than just caffeine. If you want to make better coffee at home, consider hitting that subscribe button down below.

 

First things first, it's important to note that the way you brew your coffee with the V60 completely depends on what type of coffee you're using and what you want from your final cup. By the end of this video, you'll understand the best practices, be able to adapt your recipe to suit the type of coffee you're using, and also understand how making changes at each step of the process can impact your coffee.

 

For this recipe, we'll be using our Costa Rica Original Medium Roast from Tarrazú, and we'll be using a 1:16 ratio. What you'll want to keep in mind when deciding your coffee-to-water ratio is the roast of the beans. With a lighter roast, you would want to have a stronger coffee-to-water ratio—around 1:15 usually works quite well. For a dark roast coffee, you'll want to use something more like 1:17 or 1:18. For medium, something in between works nicely.

 

Here's the reason for this. When we talk about stronger coffee-to-water ratios, we mean using more coffee grounds relative to the water you're using. So why would you do this with a lighter roast? The answer lies in how the beans are roasted. Lighter roast coffees are roasted for a shorter period of time compared to darker roasts. This means they retain more of their original flavors, often resulting in more complex and vibrant taste profiles and often with a higher acidity.

 

However, lighter roasts also tend to have a more dense cellular structure due to less time spent in the roaster, which makes it more difficult for water to extract these flavors. This is why we may need a stronger coffee-to-water ratio, or more coffee grounds per unit of water, to adequately extract these flavors and achieve a satisfying brew.

 

Keep in mind that brewing coffee is often a matter of personal preference. While these guidelines can provide a good starting point, the best ratio ultimately depends on your own taste. I encourage you to experiment with different ratios to find what you enjoy most.

 

The next important thing to remember when using the V60 is the grind size. Again, this will vary depending on the roast of your coffee. The surface area and size of your coffee grounds play a significant role in the extraction process when brewing. Coffee extraction is the process of dissolving desirable compounds that occur naturally in coffee beans. These compounds contribute to the aroma, flavor, and body of your coffee.

 

When water passes through the coffee grounds, it extracts these compounds. If your coffee is under-extracted, it can taste sour and weak. If it's over-extracted, it can taste bitter. Now let's consider lighter roast coffee. Lighter roasts are denser and harder than dark roasts because they've been roasted for a shorter amount of time. This means that water has a harder time penetrating the coffee particles and extracting those flavorful compounds.

 

Therefore, when you're using a lighter roast for pour-over coffee, a finer grind is often recommended. The smaller coffee particles increase the surface area that comes into contact with water, which facilitates more efficient extraction of the coffee's flavors. Remember, grind size is not a one-size-fits-all setting. It will change based on different factors such as the specific coffee bean, roast level, brewing method, and personal taste preferences. Experimenting and adjusting based on taste is always a good approach to find what works best for you.

 

Okay, with that out of the way, let's get started with brewing. Let's gather what you'll need: a V60 dripper, filter paper, a gooseneck kettle, a grinder, a scale, and your favorite Volcanica coffee. We're using the Costa Rica Tarrazú today. If you want to try this coffee, we currently have 20% off your first subscription order. Just subscribe and use the code SUBSCRIBE20 when using the link in the description.

 

Some people like to use a timer, but often we use feeling and judgment when timing each stage of the pouring process. Here's a key thing to note: when pouring your water into the V60, you don't want to pour too much in at once. If you have a big puddle of water sitting on top of your coffee grounds, it can lead to over-extraction, resulting in a bitter cup of coffee.

 

Okay, time to grind our coffee. We're using the Fellow Ode Brew Grinder. This is a great grinder for this coffee. You're aiming for a medium-to-fine grind, and for this 1:16 ratio we'll be using just under 19 grams of beans. So, weigh out 19 grams of your coffee beans—or your preferred amount—and grind them. If you're using a lighter roast, aim for a medium-fine grind, similar to table salt. A darker roast may require a slightly coarser grind.

 

Now we need to get our filter paper. I'm going to fold along the seam. Next, place the filter paper in your V60 and rinse it with hot water. This will remove any papery taste and preheat your V60. But remember to discard the rinse water.

 

Now we need to zero the scale. The first stage is known as the bloom. Start your timer and then pour around 50 grams of water over the coffee grounds. Ensure all the coffee is saturated. Let it sit and bloom for about 30 seconds. This allows CO2 to escape from the coffee, enabling better extraction.

 

After 30 seconds, begin pouring more water slowly in a circular motion, starting from the center and moving outwards, being careful to avoid directly hitting the filter. Aim to reach around 150 grams by the one-minute mark.

 

Continue pouring water until you reach a total of 300 grams, again using a slow circular motion. This should ideally be completed by the 90-second to two-minute mark. Let the coffee draw down through the filter. This should take around two to three minutes.

 

If the water drains too quickly, try a finer grind. If it drains too slowly, try a coarser grind. Once the water has completely filtered through and the drip becomes a slow drop or stops, remove the V60 from the mug or carafe. Your coffee is now ready to be enjoyed.

 

So, we're done. Remember, brewing coffee is as much of an art as it is a science. The key is to experiment with different variables until you find the perfect recipe that suits your personal tastes. Enjoy the process.

 

Don't forget to subscribe and let us know if there's anything you'd like to see in the next video down in the comments. See you next time!"