The Better 1 Cup V60 Technique Part 0 by James Hoffmann

I. Recommended Equipment and Ingredients

Hoffmann emphasises using the right gear and high-quality ingredients for the best results:

Brewer: Plastic V60s are preferred for cost, durability, and heat retention. The Hario Drip Decanter is also highly recommended.
Scale: A digital scale accurate to 0.1 gram is essential for repeatable brews.
Kettle: An electric pouring kettle is ideal for boiling and pouring. Using a regular kettle is fine, but avoid pouring from a standard kettle into a separate gooseneck kettle, as this loses temperature.
Grinder: A burr grinder is a "fantastic investment." While the technique works with pre-ground coffee, fresh grinding offers the best control.
Coffee: Great technique only provides transparency; low-quality coffee will still taste terrible.
Water: Use good tasting, relatively soft water, as it makes up over 98% of the cup. Hard water may require a Brita filter or bottled water.

The example uses a ratio of 30 grams of coffee to 500 grams of water (a standard 60 grams per litre ratio).

Grind Size: Aim for a size that is on the finer end of medium. (See tuning section below for adjustment tips).
Rinsing: Rinse the paper filter with the hottest possible water to remove any papery taste and preheat the brewer. Discard the rinse water.
Dosing & Well: Add the freshly ground coffee and create a small well in the centre of the grounds. This aids in even saturation during the bloom phase.
Water Temperature: Use water that is as hot as possible for light roasts. For darker roasts, waiting 15–25 seconds after boiling is acceptable.

Pour: Gently pour 2 grams of water per gram of coffee (60 grams of water for a 30g dose). Ensure all grounds are saturated. Avoid using more than a 3:1 ratio in the bloom.
Swirl: Immediately put the kettle down, grab the brewer, and swirl it vigorously in a circular motion until the coffee slurry is perfectly uniform and no longer lumpy.
Rest: Allow the coffee to rest for up to 45 seconds (or 30 seconds in a cafe setting) to allow CO2 to escape, making the grounds easier to extract.

The remaining water is poured in two continuous phases, prioritising agitation and maintaining temperature.

A. First Pour (0:45 - 1:15)

Goal: Get 60% of the total water (300 grams) into the brewer in the next 30 seconds, aiming to hit the target weight by 1 minute and 15 seconds.
Technique: Pour quickly but gently. This phase provides the ideal amount of agitation (churn) to prevent channeling without causing a slow, under-extracted brew.

B. Second Pour (1:15 - 1:45)

Goal: Pour the remaining water to reach the full target weight (500 grams) in the next 30 seconds.
Technique: Pour a little slower and more gently to keep the cone topped up, maintaining a high thermal mass to keep the temperature high.

Stir: Once the full brew weight is reached, grab a spoon and give the slurry a gentle stir in one direction, then the other. This is crucial to knock any grounds stuck to the sidewalls back into the bed.
Final Swirl: Allow the V60 to drain just a little, and give it one final swirl to flatten the coffee bed at the bottom, promoting the most even extraction.
Drawdown Factors: The drawdown phase is largely affected by water temperature (hotter water brews and draws down faster) and the paper type.

Hoffmann's primary recommendation for adjusting taste is to change the grind size, not the technique or ratio.

If the coffee is empty, hollow, acidic, or unpleasant (Under-extracted): Go a little finer.
Keep pushing finer until you hit a sudden wall of bitterness, harshness, and astringency (Over-extracted).
At that point, move back a little coarser; you are now at the maximum possible extraction for your setup, which should produce a great-tasting cup.