What you need
- Hario V60-02 (ceramic or plastic) + paper filters
- Grinder, manual or electric (Timemore C2 is ideal)
- Scale with a timer (or phone + kitchen scale)
- Gooseneck kettle (Hario, Timemore Youth) or any kettle with a controllable spout
- 15g coffee, freshly roasted single origin
- 250ml water, filtered, heated to 92°C
The classic recipe
Step 1 — Prep (1 min)
- Place the filter in the dripper, over a cup or carafe
- Pour hot water over the filter — rinses the paper and warms the dripper
- Discard the water from the cup
- Grind the coffee medium (coarse-salt grind)
- Place the ground coffee in the filter and level it with a gentle tap
Step 2 — Bloom (0:00 — 0:30)
Start the timer. Pour 50g water in spirals, from the center outward. The coffee starts to "bloom" — releasing CO2 trapped during roasting.
Let it breathe for 30 seconds. With freshly roasted coffee, you'll see a beautiful brown foam.
Step 3 — First pour (0:30 — 1:15)
Slow, steady pouring: add another 100g water (150g total on the scale). Pour in concentric spirals, avoiding the filter wall.
Step 4 — Second pour (1:30 — 2:15)
When the level drops to half, add another 100g (250g total on the scale).
Step 5 — Drawdown (2:15 — 3:00)
Let the water drain fully. By 3:00 it should all be in the cup.
What beginners get wrong
1. Grind too fine or too coarse
Too fine → water gets blocked, bitter coffee (over-extracted)
Too coarse → water passes too fast, sour, under-extracted coffee
Test: if you finish under 2:30, your grind is too coarse. Past 4:00, too fine.
2. Water too hot or too cold
Ideal: 92°C (98°C for light roasts). Boiling water = 100°C → leave the kettle open for 30 seconds.
3. Stale coffee
Coffee oxidizes within 4-6 weeks of roasting. Check the date on the bag.
4. Pouring fixed at the center
Water needs to wet the entire coffee bed. Use spirals, not a single jet in the middle.
5. Wrong amount
Ideal ratio: 1:16 (15g coffee : 250ml water). A scale is essential.
Coffees we recommend for V60
V60 best showcases coffees with clear, acidic profiles:
- Tanzania Nyasi Furaha — vibrant, citrus, juicy
- Honduras Siguatepeque — citrus, chocolate, balanced
V60 is more ritual than expense: 4 minutes of attention each morning, followed by the cleanest cup of coffee you can make.