Serge from Mere Coffee Roasters walks through a few simple steps for brewing a very tasty cup of coffee with a V60 brewer. The process uses a clear brew ratio, a simple pouring structure, and a few easy adjustments to help improve the final cup.
This guide follows the same step-by-step method, from heating the water and rinsing the filter to evaluating the finished coffee. It is designed to result in one tasty cup of coffee.
Brew Ratio
Start with a 1:16 brew ratio. This means using about 20 grams of coffee to 320 grams of water, resulting in one tasty cup of coffee.
- 20 grams of coffee
- 320 grams of water
- 1:16 brew ratio
Preparation
- Heat the water to boil.
- Grab your filter and place it in the brewer.
- Preheat and rinse the filter with water to get all that paper taste out.
- As the rinse water continues to drip out, portion the coffee: 20 grams.
- Grind the coffee at a roughly medium to coarse grind size.
- Dump out the extra liquid so it does not end up in your cup.
- Make sure the coffee dose is 20 grams.
- Settle the bed a little bit, tare it again, and get ready to brew.
Brewing Steps
First Pour
Start with the first phase by pouring 50 grams of water and waiting for about 30 seconds.
This allows all the gases to escape, resulting in a much tastier cup of coffee.
Second Pour
When it is coming close to 30 seconds, prepare for another pulse. Pour up to 200 grams on your scale using gentle circular motions.
When it reaches 200 grams, give it a little swirl, set it down, and wait roughly 10 to 15 seconds for it to draw down.
Final Pour
Then pour to the total weight of 320 grams using nice and easy circles. Once you hit 320 grams, give it another swirl.
Target Brew Time
The target time is roughly 3:15 to drip out.
- If it happens a little faster, such as stopping at 3:00, the grind size was a little too coarse, and you want to tighten it up just a hair bit.
- If it takes too long, such as going to 3:30, the grind size was a little too fine, and you want to coarsen it up a bit.
Finishing the Brew
Once it is finished brewing, take off the brewer, set it to the side, swirl the coffee a little bit, and it is ready to serve and enjoy.
How to Evaluate the Cup
After brewing, you can evaluate your cup and make simple adjustments next time.
- If it tastes a little sour, the grind size is probably a little too coarse. Make it a little finer to extract more.
- If it tastes a little bitter and is drying out your mouth in the back, then it is probably too fine and your time is probably too long. Coarsen up that grind size.
For the most part, those are the simple adjustments to get a very tasty cup of coffee.
FAQ
What coffee-to-water ratio should I use?
Use a 1:16 brew ratio, which means about 20 grams of coffee to 320 grams of water.
What grind size should I use for this V60 brew?
Use a roughly medium to coarse grind size.
Why should I rinse the filter?
Rinsing the filter helps get all that paper taste out.
How much water should I pour first?
Start by pouring 50 grams of water, then wait about 30 seconds.
Why wait 30 seconds after the first pour?
It allows all the gases to escape, resulting in a much tastier cup of coffee.
What should I do after the first 30 seconds?
Pour up to 200 grams using gentle circular motions, give it a little swirl, and wait roughly 10 to 15 seconds for it to draw down.
What is the final total water weight?
Pour to a total of 320 grams.
What is the target brew time?
The target time is roughly 3:15 to drip out.
What if the brew finishes too fast?
If it stops around 3:00, the grind size was a little too coarse, so tighten it up just a hair bit.
What if the brew takes too long?
If it goes to about 3:30, the grind size was a little too fine, so coarsen it up a bit.
What does a sour cup mean?
A sour cup probably means the grind size is a little too coarse, and you want to make it a little finer to extract more.
What does a bitter, drying cup mean?
If the coffee tastes a little bitter and dries out your mouth in the back, it is probably too fine and the brew time is probably too long, so you want to coarsen up the grind size.
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