Barista Basics - Pour Over Coffee

As a barista, I believe that pour over coffee is one of the best ways to extract the truest flavours from your coffee beans. And when it comes to pour over, the Hario V60 dripper is an excellent choice for any coffee enthusiast.

In this blog post, I will guide you through the process of making pour over coffee using the Hario V60 dripper, this is the most cost-effective dripper we stock and still has fantastic results in comparison to other V60 drippers like the Metal Matte Black Hario V60 and the Ceramic Matte Black Hario V60 Dripper. But before we dive into the process, let's talk about the importance of using quality coffee beans and proper water temperature.

Quality Coffee Beans:

To make a great cup of pour over coffee, the quality of the beans is paramount. Choose fresh, high-quality coffee beans that have been recently roasted and are within their optimal freshness range. We always have a bunch of coffee available from local coffee roasters here in Melbourne, check out our current coffee offerings.

Water Temperature:

Water temperature plays a vital role in the extraction process. The ideal water temperature for pour over coffee is between 95°c and 100°c. Water that is too hot or too cold can result in an uneven extraction, which can negatively impact the flavour of your coffee.

Now that we've discussed the importance of quality coffee beans and water temperature, let's dive into the process of making pour over coffee with a Hario V60 dripper.

Check out our article to learn more about water minerals.

Step 1: Gather Your Equipment

To make pour over coffee with a Hario V60 dripper, you will need:

• Hario V60 dripper
• Hario V60 filter
• Gooseneck kettle
• Freshly roasted coffee beans
• Coffee grinder
• Coffee Brewing Scales
• Mug or Coffee Server

Step 2: Boil Water

Fill your gooseneck kettle with enough water for your coffee and heat it to the ideal temperature of around 95-99ºc. You can use a thermometer or a temperature-control kettle like the Fellow Stagg EKG to achieve the right temperature or if you are using a regular kettle try to wait 1-2 minutes to let your water drop from boiling point.

Step 3: Grind Your Coffee Beans

Grind your coffee beans to a medium-fine consistency, similar to granulated sugar. You can use a burr grinder like the Baratza Encore for consistent grind size. 

Step 4: Rinse the Filter

Place the Hario V60 filter in the dripper and rinse it with hot water. This step removes any paper flavour and warms up the dripper and mug.

Read this article here on how to perfectly set your paper filter every time!

Step 5: Add Coffee Grounds

Place the dripper on top of your mug or carafe and add your coffee grounds. I recommend using a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio, which means for every gram of coffee, use 16 grams of water. For example, for 15 grams of coffee, use 250 grams of water.

Step 6: Bloom the Coffee

Start the timer and pour hot water over the coffee grounds in a circular motion, making sure to saturate all the grounds. This process is called "blooming" and releases the gases trapped inside the coffee. Let the coffee bloom for 30 seconds.

Step 7: Pour the Remaining Water

After the bloom, pour the remaining water over the coffee in a slow and steady stream, making sure to pour in a circular motion. Aim to pour the water at a steady pace and maintain a consistent water level in the dripper.

Step 8: Enjoy Your Coffee

The brewing process should take around 3 minutes, depending on the amount of coffee and water used. Once the brewing is complete, remove the dripper and filter from the mug or carafe and enjoy your freshly brewed coffee.

Making pour over coffee with a Hario V60 dripper can seem intimidating, but with the right equipment and technique, it's a simple process that can produce amazing coffee.