Hand-brewed coffee is no longer a strange word. Many coffee shops have popularized hand-brewed coffee, and some friends even made a set of hand-brewed equipment at home so that they can make it at home. But there are always friends who ask, why is the coffee I brew different from the one brewed in the coffee shop?

In fact, there are many factors that affect brewing. In addition to coffee beans and grinding, the filter cup used to brew coffee also has its own requirements.

This article will teach you step by step how to use the entry-level V60 series filter cup to make hand-brewed coffee.

HARIO's past and present

Hario is the designer of the V60 filter, and his story is one that brings together chemistry, glassware, and coffee. In fact, if you have a general idea of ​​the history of the Chemex filter, you will know that it was invented by a chemist.

Hario was founded in Tokyo in 1921. It started by producing and selling glass-related products. After nearly 30 years of research, they founded Hario Glass, using 100% natural minerals to improve the quality of heat-resistant glass and make it environmentally friendly. Then in 1949, Hario launched its first household product: a glass filter siphon pot. In 1957, this product evolved into a filter cloth siphon pot.

Hario has won hundreds of awards for their designs, but the V60 filter cup, launched more than a decade ago, is their most famous invention. The name V60 comes from the 60-degree tilt of the filter cup, which was first made of ceramic and glass, then plastic, and finally metal.

The most extreme invention of Hario V60 is the Copper Coffee Dripper, which is designed with high thermal conductivity and heat preservation, which can bring better extraction results.

What you get with the V60

The V60 accommodates many brewing variables. In fact, it accommodates more variables than most other brewing devices on the market. Here are three considerations when designing the V60:

• Filter bowl shape (60º): This allows the water to flow to the center of the filter bowl, extending the contact time between powder and water.
• Single large hole at the bottom: This allows the brewer to adjust the coffee flavor by changing the water flow rate.
• Spiral rib design on the cup wall: This thread extends from the bottom to the top, allowing air to be discharged in the filter cup, maximizing the expansion of the coffee powder.

Now that we have reviewed these three design considerations, let’s return to the brewing variables. The two most important variables that the brewer can control are grind size and water flow. If you pour the water slowly, you may get a full-flavored coffee, and if you pour the water quickly, you may get a weaker, thinner coffee.

The grind size also affects the body. If you use a finer grind (close to the coarseness of table salt), the water may not flow smoothly, which may cause the following problems:

• Steady water flow + fine grinding = medium body
• Slow water flow + fine grinding = full body
• Steady water flow + medium grinding = light taste
• Slow water flow + medium grind = light taste

It should be noted that if the grinding degree is too fine, it will cause water accumulation. Once accumulation occurs, it will affect the extraction. At this time, it needs to be ground coarser.

How to Charge Like a Pro with the V60

Basically, using this filter cup makes it easy and free to test. As long as you follow the basic steps below, you can combine many different brewing variations.

Preparation Procedure:

1. Fresh hot water, the temperature is about 90º ~96ºC. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can let the water cool for about one minute after it boils.

2. Fold filter paper (bleached or natural materials are recommended to reduce paper smell)

3. Soak the filter paper in hot water first. This action helps to remove the paper smell and preheat the V60 and the lower pot. If the filter cup is not preheated, the hot water temperature may drop during brewing, resulting in the coffee not being properly extracted.

4. Grind the fresh coffee beans and then start hand brewing.

Hand wash procedure:

Since the angle of the V60 is relatively inclined, a narrow-mouthed pot must be used to assist in hand brewing. Otherwise, it is difficult to extract evenly in a circular motion, and a narrow-mouthed pot is important for controlling the water flow.

First, pour about twice the amount of water into the V60 to steam the coffee powder. Many people like this stage because it is very therapeutic to watch the fresh coffee powder expand. After waiting for dozens of seconds, start to pour water evenly in a circular manner. The coarseness of the grind and the water flow will affect the time you pour water, but the ideal state must be between two and four minutes.

V60 Brewing Secrets

• The V60 won’t clog unless you use a very fine grind size, and because the water flows so quickly, you can choose a finer grind size.
• Since V60 has four different materials, the degree of preheating the filter cup must be considered according to the material. For example, the preheating time of ceramic V60 is longer than that of metal, glass and plastic.
• Pour water counterclockwise, which will create more turbulence in the coffee grounds bed and make the extraction more complete.

There are many factors that affect hand brewed coffee. Different beans will have different brewing parameters, but the overall routine is relatively fixed. Responding to ever-changing situations with constancy is the essence of hand brewing. I hope this article is useful to you who love coffee~!