V60 coffee is made by pouring hot water through ground coffee held in a paper filter. The water passes through the coffee and into your cup or server below. A good starting recipe, a scale and a little consistency make the process much easier to repeat.
Start with the balanced setting in our Brew Calculator: 20g of coffee and 320g of water. From there, use the flavour of the finished cup to guide your next adjustment. There is no need to master several pouring techniques before making a coffee you enjoy.
What you need
Use a V60 dripper, matching V60 filter papers, a mug or server, scales, a timer and a kettle. A grinder lets you adjust the coffee to your own setup; if you buy ground coffee, choose a grind intended for pour-over brewing.
Check the filter size against the dripper before you begin. A paper that does not fit properly makes preparation awkward and can affect the way water flows. Set the dripper on a stable vessel with enough room for the finished drink.
A gooseneck kettle helps you pour steadily, but it is not a requirement for getting started. The useful habit is to pour with control rather than emptying the kettle into the brewer at once.
A starting V60 recipe
This recipe begins with the balanced setting in our Brew Calculator. Use the quantities as a starting point, then adjust the grind and pouring to suit your coffee.
Method
- Fold the filter’s seam, place it in the dripper and rinse it with hot water. Discard the rinse water before adding coffee.
- Add 20g of coffee and gently level the surface. Place the brewer and vessel on the scales, then tare to zero.
- Start the timer and pour enough water to wet all the grounds. Allow about 30 seconds before continuing.
- Pour steadily in small circles over the coffee, taking care not to overflow the brewer. Stop when the scales show 320g of total water, including the first pour.
- Allow the coffee to drain, remove the dripper and gently swirl the finished drink. Let it cool a little before tasting.
The finished drink weighs less than the water you add because some water remains in the grounds. The time is a reference for this recipe, not a pass-or-fail test: coffee, grind distribution, filter paper and pouring all affect drawdown.
Finding the right grind
Grind descriptions are approximate. One grinder’s medium-coarse setting will not necessarily match another’s, and coffees can behave differently at the same setting. Start with the calculator’s guidance, then change the grind in small steps.
If the brew runs through very quickly and tastes thin or sharply sour, try slightly finer. If it drains unusually slowly and tastes dry or harsh, try slightly coarser. Neither symptom identifies grind as the only possible cause. Pouring, water and the coffee itself also influence the result.
Keep the dose and water quantity unchanged while testing a grind adjustment. For more detail, read our existing guide to grinding coffee beans at home.
Adjusting strength without changing everything
Our calculator also offers 20g with 340g of water for its mild setting, or 20g with 300g for bold. These options change the amount of water relative to the coffee. They also include different grind and time guidance, so use the full calculator setting when trying one.
If your coffee tastes balanced but is simply too intense, a little hot water added to the finished cup is an easy adjustment. If it tastes unpleasantly sour or drying, changing strength alone may not solve the brewing problem.
Choosing coffee for V60
Choose a coffee by the flavours you enjoy, rather than assuming pour-over must mean a light roast. Fruit and floral notes can be appealing in a black filter coffee; chocolate and nut-led profiles may suit someone who prefers a rounder cup.
Read the current tasting notes in our pour-over coffee collection. Origin gives context, but processing and roasting also shape the flavour. Brew the coffee you are curious about, then make small adjustments to suit it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to grind immediately before brewing?
Grinding shortly before brewing gives you control over the setting and helps preserve aroma. Ground coffee is still a practical option when you do not have a grinder. Buy an appropriate quantity and keep it sealed between uses.
Can I make two cups with the same recipe?
You can scale the coffee and water at the same ratio, provided the dripper and server have sufficient capacity. A larger batch may need a different grind or pouring pace. Use the Brew Calculator for quantities and assess the result by taste.
Why does my V60 take longer than the recipe says?
Grind size, fines, filter paper, batch size and pouring technique can all affect drainage. If the coffee tastes good, a different finishing time is not automatically a problem. If it tastes dry and drains slowly, try a small grind adjustment before changing several variables.
Is V60 coffee the same as espresso?
No. V60 is a gravity-fed filter method. Espresso uses pressure to produce a much more concentrated drink. If you are choosing between them, consider how you like to drink coffee and the equipment you want to use.
Make the next cup a useful comparison
Begin with one recipe and write down the dose, water, grind setting and result. Change one thing on the next brew. A few useful comparisons will tell you more about your coffee than trying a new technique every morning.
Use our Brew Calculator to choose a starting recipe, or browse the pour-over coffee range for your next bag.