V60 looks fancy, but it is really just a controlled way to pour hot water over ground coffee. Get the basics right and it gives you clean, sweet cups that taste like the coffee on the bag, not the kettle.
This guide is written for a single mug brew on a standard V60 02 size dripper.
What you need
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V60 dripper and paper filter
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Mug or server
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Fresh coffee, ideally a filter roast from Grace and Taylor
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Grinder that can do medium to medium fine
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Kettle (gooseneck is lovely, but not required)
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Scales and a timer
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Clean, boiling water
Simple recipe and ratio
A solid starting point:
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Dose: 15 g coffee
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Water: 250 g water
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Ratio: about 1:16
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Time: 2:30 to 3:00 minutes total brew time
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Water temp: boiling, straight off the boil
You can scale this up, for example 22 g coffee to 350 g water. Keep the ratio the same and aim for the same brew time.
Grind size in normal language
For V60 you are aiming for:
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A grind around table salt or slightly coarser
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Grains that are clearly individual, not powder, but smaller than coarse sand
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When you pinch the grinds they should not clump like espresso, they should fall apart easily
If the drawdown is very fast and tastes weak, you are too coarse. If the water sits there forever and the cup tastes harsh or muddy, you are too fine.
Step by step: one calm brew
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Rinse and preheat
Fold the filter along the seam, pop it in the V60.
Rinse the filter with hot water to remove paper taste and warm the brewer and server.
Tip out the rinse water. -
Grind and add coffee
Grind 15 g of coffee.
Add it to the filter and give the V60 a gentle shake so the bed is flat.
Place the whole set up on the scales and tare to zero. -
Bloom (first pour)
Start your timer.
Pour about 45 g of water, in a gentle spiral, so all the coffee is evenly wet.
Give the V60 a small swirl to make sure everything is saturated.
Let it sit until the timer reads 30 to 40 seconds. -
Main pour
At around 0:30, start pouring again, slowly and steadily.
Use small circles, keep the water level roughly the same, and avoid pouring directly on the filter.
Work your way up to 250 g total water by about 1:30. -
Small swirl and drawdown
Give the brewer one last gentle swirl to flatten the bed.
Let the water draw through. You are aiming for the coffee bed to be flat and the last drips to finish between 2:30 and 3:00. -
Serve and taste
Once it has finished dripping, remove the V60.
Give the coffee a swirl in the server or mug, then taste.
This first cup is your baseline.
If it tastes like X, try Y
Use this as your quick fix table.
| If it tastes like | What it likely means | Try this |
|---|---|---|
| Sour, sharp, or a bit under ripe | Likely under extracted. | • Grind a little finer. • Or keep the grind and brew slightly longer, for example add a small final pour to reach 260 to 270 g water. |
| Bitter, dry, or hollow | Likely over extracted. | • Grind a little coarser. • Or reduce total water slightly, for example 240 g instead of 250 g. |
| Weak, watery, or flat | Could be too coarse, or not enough coffee. | • Keep the grind size and increase your dose to 16 or 17 g. • Or grind slightly finer while keeping the same ratio. |
| Heavy, muddy, or dull | Could be too fine, or the brew time is too long. | • Grind coarser. • Check that you are not pouring too slowly or letting the water sit too high for too long. |
Change one thing at a time so you can taste what each adjustment does.
Which coffees to use
V60 is great for showing off what a coffee actually tastes like.
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Use your filter roasted single origins when you want clarity, fruit, florals or lighter style profiles.
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You can absolutely brew blends too, just expect more chocolate and nuts, less high acidity.
Because Grace and Taylor roasts for sweetness rather than darkness, you can push your pour overs a little longer and they will stay clean, rather than tipping into burnt or ashy.
Quick V60 checklist
Before you go chasing new drippers or kettles, make these habits automatic.
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Use a consistent recipe and weigh coffee and water
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Rinse your filter every time
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Aim for a flat coffee bed at the end, not a crater on one side
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Keep your grind in a sensible range, then tune in small steps
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Use fresh, good quality water and clean gear
Once this feels easy, you can start playing with different ratios, pour patterns, and coffees. The basics stay the same, and your home brews will already be miles ahead of where most people begin.
