HARIO Mugen Dripper Brew Methods – Single Pour vs Low Agitation

The Hario V60 Mugen Dripper is a clever twist on the classic Hario V60 Dripper. Designed with unique star shaped grooves and a much flatter inner wall, this brewer encourages a slow, controlled flow making it ideal for those chasing a consistent and clean cup with minimal effort.

What sets the Hario Mugen dripper apart is its low bypass making it the best option for brewing single pour brew methods. Overall the V60 Mugen dripper is perfect for both beginner home baristas looking to start making pour over coffee and professionals looking for repeatable results in cafes or even in competition.
In this article, we’ll cover two distinct approaches: the single pour brew method and a low agitation brew method using a coarser grind size and the Hario V60 Drip Assist.

Why Brew With the Hario V60 Mugen?

Unlike traditional conical coffee brewers with deep ridges and large exit holes, the Hario V60 Mugen drippers smooth internal surface and carved out star pattern slows down your pour over coffee's flow rate without needing an extremely fine grind size. This not only makes brewing more forgiving but also lets you experiment with higher amounts of agitation a simpler pouring techniques and brew method.

Because there’s only one central hole, and no spiral ridges, the Mugen dripper holds water longer, creating a higher water to coffee contact time similar to an immersion style of coffee before allowing the coffee to filter through. The result? Greater sweetness, clarity and a body that mimics that of a 3 stage pour but with just a single controlled pour of water.

The trick? a finer grind size and the technique.

V60 Mugen Single Pour Method

You Will Need:

• Hario V60 Mugen Dripper
• 1x 02 sized Filter Paper
• 15g Filter Roasted Coffee Beans
• 240ml Water at 92–95°C
• Gooseneck Kettle
• Coffee Brewing Scale

Recipe:

1. Insert the Filter paper into your Hario V60 Mugen dripper, don't fold the mountain of the filter and instead hold the filter paper in place with one hand and pour some hot water to pre wet the filter and set it in place. You can tell if the filter is set correctly when the filter is perfectly flush with the coffee dripper, if you see the paper lifting up and creating an air bubble it's best to rearrange and try to adjust the paper filter.
2. Add 15g of freshly ground coffee beans, aim for a slightly finer grind size use 20 clicks on the Comandante C40 Grinder.
3. Start your timer and pour 240ml of water in a single flow, finishing the pour in around 45 seconds. The technique is to start pouring hard and fast in a controlled way, Aim to hold the kettle in the same place and have a consistent stream of water.
4. Using a chopstick give your dripper a stir to agitate the coffee grounds and allow your brew to drain completly.
5. Let the brew drain completely. Total brew time should be around 1:30 to 2:00 minutes.
6. Serve and enjoy a beautifully balanced cup with a full body and clean taste.

Why it works:

This technique leverages the Hario Mugen Dripper's slow drainage to allow full extraction with only one pour. Perfect for speed, consistency, and low effort brewing especially in a café setting with time constraints. The shortened brew time is of set with the finer grind size, higher agitation and the lower amount of bypass from the Mugen dripper.

V60 Mugen Low Agitation Method:

This is the polar opposite approach to our previous brew method, in this recipe we are going to use the Mugen dripper in conjunction with the Hario V60 Drip Assist. The inherent slow flow rate of the Hario Mugen Dripper allows us to grind a little coarser and explore low agitation brewing.

You Will Need:

• Hario V60 Mugen Dripper 
  
• 1x 02 sized Filter Paper
• 15g Filter Roasted Coffee Beans
• Hario V60 Drip Assist
  
• 240ml Water at 98–99°C
• Gooseneck Kettle (Optional)
• Coffee Brewing Scale

Recipe:

1. Insert the Filter paper into your Hario dripper, don't fold the mountain of the filter and instead hold the filter paper in place with one hand and pour some hot water to pre wet the filter and set it in place. You can tell if the filter is set correctly when the filter is perfectly flush with the coffee dripper, if you see the paper lifting up and creating an air bubble it's best to rearrange and try to adjust the paper filter.
2. around 28–30 clicks on Comandante C40.
3. Place the Drip Assist on top of your Mugen Dripper and align it so it's sitting perfectly flush with the rim of the dripper.
4. Start by pouring 240ml of water through the outer ring of the Drip Assist in a slow and steady stream over 1 minute.
5. Let the coffee drain. Aim for a total brew time of 3:00–3:30 minutes.

Why it works:

The coarse grind size and higher water temperature encourages a higher extraction while reducing the agitation within the brew bed. The Drip Assist ensures an even dispersion of water across the entire coffee bed, reducing any channeling and over-agitation. This results in a clean and delicate cup, particularly suited for lightly roasted filter coffees.

The Hario V60 Mugen Dripper proves that great coffee doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you’re looking for a fast, one-pour routine or want to explore more controlled, low-agitation extractions, the Mugen makes it easy to experiment and dial in consistently great brews with lower amounts of bypass.

We've been fans of the Mugen since day one and if you haven’t tried it yet I highly recommend you buy a Hario V60 Mugen Dripper. Another not so commonly known way to brew with the Mugen Dripper is with the Hario V60 Switch, You can easily disassemble the Hario V60 Mugen Dripper from it's base and swap it out for the Hario V60 Switch Base.

By doing this, it opens up a world of possibilities allowing you to brew between immersion, percolation or a hybrid of both brew methods.

Single Pour vs Low Agitation – Which One Should You Use?

While both methods use the Hario V60 Mugen Dripper, they produce noticeably different results in the cup. Each approach takes advantage of the Mugen's unique design in its own way, so choosing between them comes down to the type of coffee you're brewing and the experience you’re chasing.

Taste Comparison Chart