Last Updated on August 28, 2021
How to Use a V60 Coffee Dripper: A Beginner’s Guide
Have you ever been curious about how to make a good cup of coffee? Or maybe you’re just sick and tired of the same old, same old. If this sounds like you, then it’s time to learn how to use a V60 coffee dripper! Yes, my friend, using a Hario dripper to brew pour over coffee is the way to a java-lover’s heart.
A V60 Hario coffee dripper is an inexpensive way for anyone – no matter your level of experience with coffee brewing – to make some seriously tasty joe in their own kitchen. This blog post will take you through all the steps necessary for successfully using a Hario v60 coffee dripper, even if you’re a newbie to the world of coffee drinking. This is a Beginner’s Guide so we’ll keep everything nice and simple for you!
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What is a Hario V60 Dripper?
The Hario is a glass coffee dripper with a narrow, cylindrical spout. This shape helps to restrict brewing time and extract the full flavor of your ground beans. The dripper may also be made with ceramic, metal, or plastic.
The paper filter sits in the dripper and holds the ground coffee. Once you have the right grind and a little patience learning how to add the heated water, it’s time to get brewing. More on that below. But first, let’s learn more about where this handy little brewing method originated.
Where did the Hario V60 Dripper originate?
We only have to go back as far as 1921 for the founding of the Hario V60 dripper, which now has world-renowned status.
A company was founded under the name of Hiromu Shibata Works, which was a heatproof glass manufacturer. Interesting side note: this is the only Japanese manufacturer with a factory as of 2018.
The first coffee-brewing device was launched in 1964 – the coffee syphon, and it was at that time that a separate glassware division, Hario Co., Ltd, was established. Hario is a well respected name in the glass manufacturing industry. The name ‘Hario’ means ‘King of Glass’.
The factory creates glassware of the highest quality, using silica sand, borax, boric acide and alumina in it’s production. These are all refined natural materials. Electric heating is used in production, so there are no chimneys, reducing the environmental impact.
Getting back to the V60 dripper we know today, we only have to go back to 2004, when the current design was created. It is in the ‘shape of nature’, a V shape, which is under the angle of 60 degrees.
The most famous V60 product is actually made of ceramic, with red and white being the signature colors. So you’ll see Hario V60 coffee drippers in both glass and ceramic material. If you are looking for a coffee dripper that won’t break into a million pieces if it’s dropped, no worries. You can purchase a V60 made from plastic, which is particularly helpful when traveling or transporting it.
What does the Hario Coffee Dripper look like?
The V60s have a beautiful minimalist appearance without any superfluous labels or branding – just the elegant glass cone with stainless steel filter for an understated appeal.
At its base, the Hario V60 is cone shaped and made of thick glass that tapers to an inverted cone shape at the top. The cone’s design allows water to drip down at a controlled rate for an even extraction, and the space inside creates less turbulence than with a flat-bottomed filter.
When you look at the inside of the V60 dripper you’ll notice spiral-like ribs. This design is to allow air to be released during brewing.
The V60s are available in different sizes depending on your needs: there are versions that can brew up to 40 ounces or six cups, and even a travel-friendly option that can brew up to 12 ounces of coffee.
What Do You Need to Brew Coffee with a V60 Dripper?
There isn’t a long, expensive list of coffee gear that is essential to learning how to use a V60 coffee dripper.
Here’s the short list:
- fresh, whole bean coffee – your choice, just make sure it’s fresh
- coffee grinder to grind your beans just prior to brewing – a burr grinder will give you the most even grind, but is not a must-have if you’re new to the coffee-drinking world
- Hario V60 coffee dripper – that’s what this beginner’s guide is all about, right?
- V60 paper filter – you need Hario V60 filters specifically, so make sure you have the proper ones
- filtered water
- your favorite coffee cup or mug
If you want to impress your friends and are willing to part with some extra dough, here are a few more pieces of coffee gear to consider:
- electric kettle – for heating the water to the perfect temperature
- scale – for measuring out exactly the right amount of coffee. A scale is useful to have if you are a perfectionist.
- timer – for keeping track of the pour process brew time
How to brew coffee with a Hario V60 dripper
Brewing a deliciously satisfying cup of joe using a Hario V60 coffee dripper is pretty simple, my friend.
- Heat the Water: Your filtered water should be heated to about 200 degrees, just under boiling. If you don’t have an electric kettle, you can heat the water until it just starts to boil, then pull it off the heat and let it sit for about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Grind the Coffee Beans: a medium-fine setting will give you the best result for this type of brewing method. If you’re not sure how much coffee to use, start out by following the Golden Rule of Coffee, which is 1 or 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for each 6 ounces of water. (I use about twice as much, but I like my coffee s-t-r-o-n-g). Of course, you can skip the grinding step if you’re using pre ground coffee.
- Take one of your Hario coffee filters and fold the edge over, then place it in the V60 coffee dripper.
- Pour a small amount of the heated water into the filter. This helps to seal the filter paper to the dripper, and also eliminates any paper taste. Discard that water!
- Put the ground coffee into the prepared filter, shake it just a bit to even out the grounds. The V60 coffee dripper should now be on top of your mug or carafe.
- Bloom the coffee: pour just enough of the heated water over the grounds to cover them, then wait about 30 seconds to 45 seconds for the coffee to bloom. You’ll enjoy the wonderful aroma as the hot water forces the coffee to release trapped gases. This enhances the taste, so don’t skip this step!
- After the bloom, pour more of the heated water over the coffee grounds, using a circular motion while pouring, and keeping the water level about even with the top of the coffee grounds. Let the water slowly seep through the grounds and into your coffee mug or carafe. This should take about 45 seconds.
- Repeat step 7 again.
- The entire brew time should take about 2 1/2 minutes. If the coffee ran through the grounds too quickly, your coffee was probably ground too coarse and needs to be finer. If the water took too long to drip through the grounds, the coffee was probably too fine.
- Now…remove the dripper and enjoy that awesome brew you just created!
Sum It Up
Brewing a perfect cup of coffee takes practice, my friend. There are a variety of ways to make that happen, and if you’re a beginner to the world of coffee brewing, let me tell you that it is addictive! You may not have visions of becoming a barista; I sure don’t.
But, using the Hario coffee dripper confidently will give you an excellent cup of joe!
Candi Randolph is a coffee lover, blogger, and content creator who loves to share her knowledge with the coffee-drinking world. You’ll often find her tending to her coffee bar at home, deciding which method to use to brew her next cup of java. Life is full of important decisions. ☕
