There is a belief that you can enjoy great drinks only in coffee shops equipped with sophisticated equipment, but everyone can realize that there are various coffee brewing methods besides the traditional ones.
Innovators worldwide
Fortunately, coffee lovers and innovators worldwide are constantly exploring creative ways to brew coffee to help open up the best notes and aroma in coffee. Several methods came to us at different times from different continents. Despite their differences, these methods are all related to classic brewing methods. As a result, you get something other than concentrated espresso or a typical Americano.
The pour over method is an alternative method of brewing coffee. You need to pour water over the ground beans to brew the coffee, resulting in light, smooth drinks. Today you will learn a little bit more about Hario, the company, that once was just a glassware company and later created this beautiful ceramic pour-over coffee dripper which is super popular these days.
A story of Hario V60's Development
It started with the Japanese company Hiromu Shibata Works. It established itself as the market leader in glass manufacturing and has developed its product range since 1921. The company producing 1st-degree glass was named Hario, "The King of Glass" in Japanese.
This company launched its first coffee brewer in 1964. Despite the company's traditional focus on glassware, its coffee-brewing equipment has gained tremendous popularity.
14-year-old design
In the beginning, V60 was shaped like a parabola. In Hario's view, V60 was named for its letter V shape at a 60-degree angle, a figure that appears in nature: y = x². Hario's designers took a few years to develop model V60 parabolic shape, which allows water to pass through the grounds instead of steeping them, helping to create a cleaner-tasting cup.
Initially, the designers proposed a cone-shaped dripper with wire rods supporting a paper filter. Sadly, this design gained little popularity in the face of instant coffee. However, in 2004, Hario improved its original design with the brewer featuring a large drip hole on the inner side of the cone, along with spiral ribs, that allow air to escape during brewing. In addition to its high-quality materials, today's model is designed with additional features. A single shape with a variety of sizes and colors
Ceramic V60
Original V60 ceramics are made from Japanese porcelain of the Arita Yaki brand. The fine clay used in Arita Yaki results in smooth and transparent ceramics. Arita Yaki continues to manufacture ceramics today, as it has for 400 years, and is still the production site of the V60. A lot of people prefer the V60 because of its unique design features. Also included in the collection are special editions, one with an olive wood base and the famous Copper edition.
These features make it possible for it to create bright, clean cups. The versatility in brewing is also a critical factor in how we enjoy coffee when using V60s made from other materials.
Ceramic V60s have a pleasant feeling but can be challenging to travel with. Moreover, porcelain is more difficult to heat due to its thickness. However, plastic brewers have low heat retention compared to ceramic brewers. Therefore, the brewing water will drop only a few degrees in temperature, which allows you to maintain a stable water temperature.
It is more suitable to travel with metal versions, and the design was brought in to help with extraction, but copper is a bit more cost-intensive and thus would not work for a home setup. In addition to these benefits, plastic V60s are very lightweight and easy to handle. Its sleek design protects you from burning your hands and is easy to carry around.
V60 brewing recipes
Now let's look at the V60 brewing recipes from coffee experts. Below you will find the right recipe and pour over coffee ratio for this brewing method.
Scott Rao method
Coffee experts offer various methods and recipes for brewing with a V60. One of them was introduced by Scott Rao, the father of the Rao spin. He recommends the one-pour or two-pour method:
Coffee dose: 20-22g of coffee.
Pre-wet water: 3 times the weight of the coffee dose.
00:45 – do the main pour up to 360g and give the brew a gentle stir.
Give the coffee bed a spin at 01:45 minutes to prevent the grounds from sticking to the wall and to flatten it.
Tetsu Kasuya Method
Another great method is the invention of the World Brewers Cup Champion, Tetsu Kasuya.
His famous 4:6 method ratio:
Divide the water into a 4:6 ratio during brewing, with 40% adjusting sweetness and acidity and 60% adjusting strength.
Coffee dose: 20g
Grind: Coarse.
40% of the ratio: 3 times as much as the coffee dose, poured five times. (5×60=300ml) 45-sec breaks between pours.
60% of the ratio: 3 equal pours of 60ml of water.
The pour over coffee ratio for this method is 15:1. Where on 15 grams of water is 1 gram of coffee.
Conclusion
The process of making coffee with a V60 is an aesthetical coffee ceremony. Every coffee lover has an opportunity to enjoy the natural taste and aroma of beans with the maximum amount of essential oils. As a result, coffee is still strong but has a cleaner and more flavorful taste. Depending on your recipe, you'll get a clean cup every time you use a V60.