How to Brew V60 Pour Over: A Step-by-Step 1:16 Recipe

The V60 has a reputation for being fussy. In reality, a clear recipe and a few good habits are all it takes to brew a clean, sweet, aromatic cup every morning. Here is the method we recommend to get started, and then to fine-tune your settings.

Why the V60 is so popular

The V60 is a cone-shaped dripper named after its 60° angle. Its spiral ribs and single large opening let water flow freely, which means you, not the filter, control the speed of extraction. The result is a clean cup that shows off the fruity or floral notes of specialty coffee. That freedom has a downside: without a method, your results change from one day to the next. The good news is that a simple recipe and a few tools are enough to make it consistent.

What you will need

• A size 02 V60 dripper and paper filters, such as our cone dripper pour over set with 600 ml glass server
• A gooseneck kettle for slow, precise pouring
• A coffee scale with timer to weigh coffee and water in real time
• A grinder set to medium-fine, roughly the texture of table salt
• 15 g of specialty coffee, ideally roasted one to four weeks ago

The base recipe: a 1:16 ratio

A 1:16 ratio means 1 g of coffee for every 16 g of water. For a large mug, use 15 g of coffee to 240 g of water. This starting point works for most filter coffees, and you can adjust it to taste later. Use filtered or soft water, since water makes up almost all of your cup.

For temperature, aim for 92 to 94 °C (198 to 201 °F). No thermometer? Simply let freshly boiled water rest for about 30 seconds before you start.

Step by step

1. Rinse the filter with hot water in the dripper, sitting on the server. This removes any papery taste and preheats everything. Then pour away the rinse water.
2. Add the grounds and gently tap the dripper to level the bed. Place everything on the scale and tare it.
3. Bloom: start the timer and pour 30 to 40 g of water in a spiral to wet all the grounds. Wait 30 to 40 seconds while the coffee releases carbon dioxide and swells.
4. First pour: pour slowly up to 120 g, in small circles from the centre outwards, without hitting the edge of the filter.
5. Second pour: at around the 1:15 mark, bring it up to 180 g.
6. Final pour: at around the 1:45 mark, finish at 240 g, then give the dripper a gentle swirl to flatten the coffee bed.
7. Let it drain: the brew should finish between 2:45 and 3:15.

Dialling in to taste

Your taste buds are the best guide. Change only one variable at a time:

• Sour, hollow or watery: the extraction is too short. Grind a little finer or pour more slowly.
• Bitter, harsh or drying: the extraction is too long. Grind a little coarser.
• Too weak: move to a 1:15 ratio, which is 16 g of coffee to 240 g of water.
• Too strong: try 1:17, which is 14 g of coffee to 240 g of water.

Jot down your settings with every brew: within three or four cups, you will have found the ideal recipe for each new bag of beans.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Pouring too fast or from too high, which digs a hole in the grounds and creates channels.
• Pouring straight onto the paper filter, so the water bypasses the coffee entirely.
• Using coffee that was ground days ago and has already lost much of its aroma.
• Skipping the scale: 2 g more or less coffee makes a clear difference in the cup.

The bottom line

A great V60 rests on four pillars: an accurate ratio, the right grind, water at the right temperature and steady pours. With a scale and a gooseneck kettle, the method becomes simple and repeatable. All that is left is to taste, tweak and enjoy.