V60 recipe: step-by-step pour-over guide
Updated:
This V60 recipe gives you a clean, aromatic cup of filter coffee: 15 g of coffee, 250 g of water, about three minutes – and a few details that make all the difference.
Recipe at a glance
- Coffee
- 15 g
- Water
- 250 g
- Ratio
- approx. 1:16.5
- Water temperature
- 92–96 °C
- Grind
- medium-fine, like table salt
- Brew time
- 2:30–3:30 min
What is the V60?
The V60 is a cone-shaped pour-over dripper with a single large opening and spiral ribs on the inside. The name refers to the 60-degree angle of the cone. Because water flows through the coffee bed quickly, grind size and pouring speed put you in control of the extraction. The result is a clean cup that shows off fruity and floral notes – ideal for light to medium roasted single-origin coffees.
What you need
- V60 dripper (size 01 for one or two cups) and matching paper filters
- A burr grinder – or coffee ground for filter
- A digital scale (0.1 g precision is ideal) and a timer
- A kettle, ideally a gooseneck kettle
- A carafe or mug
- 15 g of freshly roasted coffee
Step by step
- Heat the water. Bring about 400 g of water to 92–96 °C. No thermometer? Boil the water and let it stand for around 30 seconds. The extra water is for rinsing.
- Rinse the filter. Fold the seam of the paper filter, place it in the V60 and rinse it thoroughly with hot water. This removes papery flavours and preheats the dripper and carafe. Discard the rinse water.
- Grind and add the coffee. Grind 15 g of coffee medium-fine, add it to the filter and shake gently to level the bed. Place everything on the scale and tare it.
- Bloom (0:00–0:45). Start the timer and pour 30–40 g of water evenly so that all the grounds are wet. Give the V60 a gentle swirl. Fresh coffee now releases carbon dioxide and swells, which helps the water extract evenly later on.
- First main pour (0:45–1:15). Pour in slow circles from the centre outwards up to 150 g. Avoid pouring directly onto the paper at the edge, or water will bypass the coffee.
- Second pour (1:15–1:45). Top up to 250 g with the same motion, keeping the water level roughly constant.
- Let it drain. Swirl the V60 gently once so the coffee bed settles flat. The brew should finish draining after about 2:30 to 3:30 minutes, leaving a flat bed without deep craters.
- Serve. Remove the dripper, swirl the carafe and pour. Taste mindfully: if the coffee tastes sweet, clean and balanced, your recipe is right.
How to adjust the recipe
The basic recipe is a starting point, not a rule. Light roasts benefit from hotter water around 95–96 °C and a slightly finer grind, while dark roasts taste rounder at 90–92 °C with a slightly coarser grind. For more body, use fewer, larger pours; for more clarity, several smaller ones. Change only one variable at a time and note down the results.
Troubleshooting
My coffee tastes sour or thin
The extraction was too short. Grind one step finer, pour a little more slowly or raise the water temperature slightly. If the brew finishes in under two minutes, the grind is almost always too coarse.
My coffee tastes bitter, dry or astringent
Too much has been extracted. Grind a little coarser, shorten the brew time or lower the temperature to around 92 °C – especially with darker roasts.
The water drains very slowly
If drawdown takes well over four minutes, the coffee is ground too fine or lots of fine particles are clogging the filter. Grind coarser and pour more gently so you stir up fewer fines.
The coffee bed is uneven or has holes
This points to uneven pouring. Pour in smaller circles, keep the spout closer to the coffee bed and give the V60 a gentle swirl after the final pour.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best V60 ratio?
A good starting point is 1:16 to 1:17, which is roughly 60 g of coffee per litre of water. For a stronger cup use 1:15, for a lighter one 1:17. With 15 g of coffee that means about 250 g of water.
What grind size do I need?
Medium-fine, roughly like table salt. The exact setting depends on your grinder, so use brew time and taste to dial it in – our grind size chart helps. No grinder? Simply choose “Medium (Filter)” on our product pages.
How do I brew more than one cup?
Scale the recipe at the same ratio, for example 30 g of coffee to 500 g of water, and use a size 02 V60. Grind slightly coarser because the larger dose takes longer; expect 3:30 to 4:00 minutes.
Which coffee beans suit the V60?
Light to medium roasts with fruity or floral notes show their full range in a V60. Organic and decaf coffees also work well as long as they are fresh.
Do I really need to rinse the paper filter?
Yes. Rinsing removes the slightly papery taste and preheats the V60 and carafe, which keeps the brewing temperature stable.
Coffees for your V60
Light to medium roasts with fruity notes show their full range in a V60.
Shop filter coffee