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The Better 1 Cup V60 Technique Part 2 by James Hoffmann

1. Swirling vs. Stirring the Bloom​

  • Goal: To ensure all coffee grounds are fully saturated with water as quickly as possible without excessive agitation.
  • Recommendation: The speaker generally prefers swirling because it's quick, easy, and consistent, but notes that excessive swirling can clog the paper filter.
  • Alternative: Stirring might be better if you use a cheaper grinder that produces more fines. Use a gentle stir just to incorporate any visible dry grounds. The gentle swirl is still recommended at the end of the full brew.

2. Using the Technique on a Two-Cup V60​

  • Can you use a 2-cup V60 for a small brew (15g to 250ml)?

    • Yes, 100%. As far as the coffee is concerned, the 1-cup and 2-cup brewers are identical in angle, hole size, and ridges.

  • Can you scale the technique up (e.g., 30g to 500g)?

    • Probably, and it would likely work well, but the speaker has not done the extensive testing required to recommend an "ideal" pour rate for the deeper coffee bed.

3. Applying the Technique to Flat-Bed Brewers​

  • Can you use this technique for flat-bed brewers (e.g., Kalita Wave, April Brewer)?
    • Probably, but the speaker cannot confirm.** The technique has not been thoroughly tested on flat-bed devices, but there is no immediate reason why it wouldn't work.

4. Grind Size for the V60​

  • Commandante Grinder Clicks: For light roasts, the recommended range is 25 to 30 clicks from absolute zero. Adjustments are necessary for different roasts and water (finer for light, coarser for dark).
  • Frustratingly, taste is the best guide. If the coffee tastes empty/hollow, grind finer; if it tastes dry/bitter, grind coarser.

5. The 10-Second Pause​

  • Why 10 seconds between pours? The pauses prevent the water from constantly running through the bed, which could cause channeling or unevenness. Keeping a small amount of water in the cone during the pause also helps maintain temperature stability, as a drained bed cools down rapidly.

6. The Controversy: Preheating the Brewer​

The most criticised part of the original video was suggesting the use of hot tap water for rinsing and preheating the brewer.

  • Speaker's Preference: The speaker prefers hot tap water because it's less wasteful than running the kettle, and he avoids wasting his more expensive "recipe water" in the kettle.
  • Alternative Methods:
    • Kettle Water: If using a kettle, pour the water and let it steep in the V60 (by sealing the exit hole against the sink) rather than letting it drain straight through, as a slow drain offers better thermal transfer.
    • Kettle Steam: An alternative, "weird" method is to place the V60 upside down on top of a boiling kettle to preheat it with steam.