If you have interest in coffee, you may have heard of the Hario V60 Coffee Dripper?
Maybe not. But you will today as I share all of my insights into using this pourover coffee method that produces absolutely delightful coffee.
The Ultimate Hario V60 Brewing Guide
The biggest question is what sets the Hario V60 apart from other coffee making methods?
How is it different from other methods like the Cafetiere, Aeropress or Moka Pot? And why do baristas love it so much?
In this post, I'll explain everything you need to know in our ultimate guide to brewing with the Hario V60.
Upgrading to an outstanding coffee shop standard coffee, is just a sip away. If you're ready? Let's dive in.
What is a Hario V60?
Made by Hario, a Japanese glassware company, the V60 is an incredible piece of coffee brewing equipment.
It uses the pour-over brewing method which you may have otherwise heard been called 'drip coffee'.
This method of coffee is classified as filter coffee, which differs to espresso because it produces a higher ratio of water to coffee.
This completely changes the drinking experience. To provide you with a comparison, espresso is a short, punchy, concentrated drink.
It's why you perceive it as stronger due to this concentration. It's worth noting that it's not actually stronger in caffeine content.
Filter coffee on the other hand, which is made using the Hario V60, is lighter, and more diluted meaning it's a more subtle and smoother way to enjoy coffee.
Most people that drink coffee from a Hario V60 enjoy it black, without milk. Although, that's really down to your taste preferences.
To explain it simply, filter paper is inserted into the V shape of the funnel.
Next, freshly ground coffee is placed inside the filter in preparation for brewing. 
Next, hot water is poured over the coffee bed using gravity as a natural pressure, then the brewed coffee simply drips at it's own flow rate into the cup or vessel like below.
Voila! The V60 has been expertly designed, with internal ridges that help water and air flow when brewing.
These ridges allow the coffee to bloom beautifully, and it guides the water to flow through the coffee grinds at an even rate.
Because of its careful design, the Hario V60 is a great coffee brewing method for anyone - even beginners! It delivers a fantastic cup of coffee, every single time.
Why I Recommend Brewing With the Hario V60?
There are many benefits to why brewing with a Hario V60 is a great choice if you're drinking coffee regularly.
Let's start by sharing some of my favourite reasons why this device for brewing coffee is one of my favourites.
Clean Coffee & Low Body
A cup of coffee made in a Hario V60 produces a gorgeous, clean cup of coffee, But what do I mean by clean?
Well, let's compare it to cafetière coffee so you can understanding what I mean.
Don't get me wrong, the cafetiere is really delicious and one of my top coffee makers.
However, one of the by-products of brewing with method, is the sediment that is generated. This is by nature of the design.
You'll experience small, silty coffee grounds pass through the liquid into your cup giving it more texture.
With the Hario V60, the filter paper catches the grounds and coffee oils, resulting in a coffee that's lower in body and extremely enjoyable to drink.
What this also does to the drink is wonderful.
It amplifies more of the subtleties of the coffee itself, so you can really taste the individual notes that are expressed in a way that other brewing methods just can't replicate. 
It's Simple to Use
One of the most appealing aspects of the V60 is how easy it is to use.
If you just want a quick coffee in the morning, pour water over the bed for a minute or so and you'll get a decent cup of coffee out of it as you rush off to work.
Alternatively, if you want to take it up a notch, you can experiment.
For example, If you add water slowly, it will aid extraction and the coffee will be rich and full-bodied.
If you add the water quickly, you'll experience a lighter-bodied coffee. This means that baristas like you can easily experiment with different pouring techniques.
You can then adjust things like grind size and water temperature to find the perfect flavour for you.
Very Affordable
If you're talking about price, the Hario V60 is a super cheap way to get started on your coffee journey.
You can pick up this awesome device for as little as £6 if you're looking at the plastic option. Of course, there are a few accompanying accessories you'll need to consider purchasing too.
Like a pouring kettle, and the on-going filter papers - but that's not a huge cost. Further on in this article, I discuss the exact equipment list you'll need to get started.
Convenient as Anything
Another great aspect of the V60 is that it is very portable, especially if you purchase the plastic version.
This makes it one of the reasons it's the best coffee makers for camping.
Other coffee equipment like the cafetiere can be a bit bulky and heavy to carry around, but you don't have that problem with the V60 as it's lightweight.
You can even head into the office and take your V60 with you, Ideal for brewing epic office coffee right? Furthermore, it is incredibly easy to clean.
You just need to remove the used coffee filter, give it a rinse and it's as good as new.
The Design & Shape
It has to be said, that the V60 is really beautiful to look at.
The conical shape is very pleasing, and it comes in a variety of colours and materials including glass, copper, and ceramic. 
How To Brew Coffee With the Hario V60?
Here's a quick video of me brewing coffee with the Hario V60 Coffee Dripper.
Hopefully it'll help provide you with step by step instructions on how to use it.
If you have any further questions or need any advice, we have a 7 days a week service to help you get the best out of your coffee making.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36jWjEwpaFI&t=10s
Hario V60 Equipment List:
- Digital scales - this is to weigh your coffee. It's not essential but it'll dramatically improve your quality since you'll know exactly how much coffee you're using each time. Once you've mastered the recipe you can then replicate for the best cup of coffee daily.
- The Hario V60 - You can buy it here.
- Coffee decanter - The decanter isn't an essential purchase to brew coffee with a Hario V60 however, if you're making more than one cup at a time it's a good idea to invest in one of these.
- Pouring Kettle
- Medium ground coffee - any of the coffees in our filter coffee taster pack
- would do excellently with this type of brewing method.
- Filtered water - Read or blog to find out why filtered water for coffee is necessary to brew the best coffee at home.
Next up? Work out how many cups you'd like to make. (note - the V60 can only produce x2 cups maximum in one batch but here's a coffee cup brewing scale below.
Balance Coffee Brewing Scale
- For 1 cup (15g of coffee to 250g water)
- For 2 cups (30g of coffee to 500g of water)
- For 3 cups (45g of coffee to 750g of water)
- For 4 cups (60g of coffee to 1000g or 1L of water)
The Method
- For our brew method today, I'll be sharing the 2 cups recipe with you.
- Rinse your filter paper with hot water. This will get rid of any papery flavour whilst also pre-heat your brewing gear. Discard the excess water before brewing.
- Add your freshly ground speciality coffee.
- Pre-infuse coffee before brewing by pouring approx 70ml or grams (they are the same) of water then give it a stir and leave it for 30-40 seconds.
- Add more water until you reach 220ml. Give it a swirl and then add the rest of the water. Brewing should take around three to three and a half minutes.
Struggling to get the Flavour Right?
How to overcome common coffee-brewing problems
If you're saying to yourself: "My coffee is too weak" - use less water, use more coffee, or use a finer grind If you're finding :
"My coffee is too strong" - use more water, less coffee, or a coarser grind Having problems like:
"My coffee is too bitter" - you've over-extracted the coffee, use a coarser grind This is not a good one.
But if you are experiencing: "My coffee is too sour" - you've under-extracted the coffee, use a finer grind
More Useful Tips:
Make sure that you're using the right coffee for the V60.
The grind should be a medium grind for filter.
If the grind is too coarse, then the water will pass through the coffee too quickly with less resistance, creating an unbalanced coffee extraction and flavour.
A finer grind therefore allows for more resistance, and creates more surface area for the water to access.
The perfect medium-grind balance will result in a slower style drip through the coffee bed.
It's all about finding the sweet spot. This will dissolve the flavours more easily, creating the desired flavour.
The best tip I have is as follows: Ensure that you have saturated all coffee grounds evenly with water so that it passes through the coffee at an equal rate.
This will ensure no bitter flavours are produced and you'll get a really fruity, clean up of coffee. It's also important to consider the flavour of the coffee.
The V60 is perfect for highlighting complex, light to medium-roast coffees.
Washed coffees tend to do particularly well, as they are bright and clean, with a lighter body and texture.
You can explore our current selection of organic coffees here. Finally, your pouring technique is also extremely important.
You need to pour consistent concentric circles, as this will enable the coffee to extract evenly.
Make sure not to dump your water down the centre hole, as this will make the water flow too fast, and produce unpleasant acidity and flavour.
This can be a bit difficult to control with a standard kettle, so it might be worth investing in a gooseneck kettle, as this will make your pour much more precise. Why not read more about about gooseneck kettles. 
Conclusion
If you're looking to improve your home barista skills, then the V60 is absolutely the method for you.
It takes a little longer to make my afternoon cup when compared to something quick like an espresso.
However, it's a nice break from work and can become a beautiful ritual.
I think it has something to do with the gentle pouring in 'concentric circles' which is quite a relaxing experience.
If you want to try the Hario V60 Coffee Dripper for yourself, you can purchase everything you need from our equipment page.
And if you're not sure if the V60 sounds like it's for you, then check out our other recommended home equipment.
