How to Brew the Perfect V60 Pour Over
The V60 is the gold standard of pour-over coffee. Master it, and you'll unlock more flavour from your beans than any other home method.
What You'll Need
The Recipe
Step-by-Step Brew Guide
Rinse the Filter
Place the filter in the V60, set it on your mug or server, and pour hot water through the filter to rinse it. This removes the papery taste and preheats the dripper. Discard the rinse water.
Add Coffee & Level the Bed
Add 15g of medium-ground coffee to the filter. Give it a gentle shake to flatten the bed — an even surface ensures even extraction. Place everything on the scale and tare it to zero.
The Bloom
Start your timer and pour 30–45ml of water in a slow spiral, just enough to saturate all the grounds. You'll see them puff up and release CO₂ — this is the bloom, and it's a sign of fresh coffee.
First Pour
Pour in a slow, steady spiral from the center outward, then back in. Avoid pouring directly on the filter paper. Add water until you reach 150ml on the scale. The stream should be about the thickness of a pencil.
Second Pour
Once the water level drops to about 1cm above the coffee bed, begin your second pour. Same spiral technique, bringing the total to 250ml.
The Swirl & Drawdown
After your final pour, give the V60 a gentle swirl — just one rotation. This settles the grounds into a flat bed, which promotes even extraction during the final drawdown. The last drop should fall around the 3:00 mark.
Reading Your Bed
After the brew, look at the coffee bed inside the filter. It tells you a lot:
Flat, Even Bed ✓
Extraction was even. Your technique and grind size are dialed in.
Dome / High Sides
Grounds stuck to the sides. Pour more toward the edges, or your pour was too aggressive.
Crater / Channel
Water channeled through one spot. Your pour was uneven or your grind is too coarse.