The Hario V60 is one of the best methods for bringing out the delicious fruity and floral flavors in specialty coffee. But achieving the right amount of extraction starts with having the correct coffee-to-water ratio.
This article explains why a 1:15 ratio is the best brewing ratio for Hario V60 coffee.
Hario V60 coffee-to-water ratio
1:15 is the best coffee-to-water ratio for Hario V60 coffee. This means 1 gram of coffee for every 15 grams (or mililiters) of water. This coffee ratio allows you to achieve the perfect extraction so your V60 does not taste sour or bitter. This works best with a light to light-medium roast of coffee.
How much coffee do you put in a Hario V60?
22 grams of coffee is ideal for a 330ml cup of Hario V60 pour over. This uses a 1:15 ratio and will fit nicely into a standard 350ml coffee mug. You can increase or decrease the amount of coffee you use as long as you maintain a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio.
Why is 1:15 the best coffee ratio?
A 1:15 ratio allows a Hario V60 to extract an optimal amount of coffee to produce a pleasant tasting brew. Slightly more or less will also produce a great cup of coffee. But too much water will cause the coffee to taste weak and sour, while too little will cause it to become muddy and bitter.
The amount of coffee you use in your Hario V60 will affect how quickly the water can filter through the cone. Too much water may cause carbon-dioxide to be trapped and will impact a funky taste on your beverage.
Ultimately, the best coffee is coffee that tastes great to you. We recommend trying different coffee-to-water ratios and brewing techniques to discover what works best for you.
The 1:15 ratio is a good starting point as it seems to be a ubiquitous coffee ratio for many pour over enthusiasts.
How to measure your Hario V60 coffee
The most accurate way to measure your coffee is by using a coffee scale that rounds to the nearest tenth of a gram. Make sure the scale you buy can weigh at least 1kg of weight because you will be placing your ceramic mug, Hario V60 cone and coffee on top of it. Some of the more precise scales only have a capacity of up to 300g, which is not enough for coffee making.
It’s useful to buy a scale that includes a built-in timer that you can use to time your bloom and total brew duration. But this is not necessary because you can simply use your phone.
Measuring to the nearest 0.1g allows you to achieve the most accurate brew, but measuring to the nearest gram is perfectly fine as well. We’ve found it difficult to find scale in local retail stores that measure to the nearest tenth of a gram. But there are plenty available on Amazon for between $20-$30.
How to measure your water while making a pour over coffee
1 mililiter (ml) of water weighs 1 gram (g). So when brewing coffee on a scale we simply need to weigh the amount of water we want in grams. But how do you know how many ml/g your mug can hold?
Place your mug on your coffee scale or food scale and press the tare button so it reads 0g. Then simply pour tap water into the mug until you reach your desired amount. The measurement, in grams, is what we will use to calculate our coffee.
If you aren’t using a scale then what you can do is fill up your coffee mug with tap water. Then pour the tap water into a measuring cup and read the volume in mililiters (ml).
Calculate your water based on your coffee
We find it’s easier to choose a coffee weight that’s rounded to the nearest gram. For example, if we have a 350ml mug, we know that we will want to brew about 325ml of coffee (because we don’t want it up to the brim).
So we divide 325ml by 15 (our 1:15 ratio) and get 21.67g of coffee.
Now, we could simply weigh out 21.67g of coffee and be on our way. But 21.67g isn’t the easiest number to remember since we plan on making this coffee every day. So instead, we might round the coffee weight up to the nearest gram (22g) and then multiply that by 15 to get 330ml.
This means we will weigh 22g of coffee and brew 330ml (or grams) of water. It’s just a nice round number that’s easier to remember.
How many grams is a Hario scoop?
A Hario scoop has three lines that each measure 8g, 10g and 12g of ground coffee. These measurements are a rough estimate. The true weight of your coffee will fluctuate based on your grind size and whether you’re using a light, medium or dark roast.
Why does my coffee weigh differently than my measuring scoop?
Dark roasted coffee can be 30-40% lighter than light roast because it loses water weight from being roasted at higher temperatures. Darker roast beans are also larger in size, which means an equal volume of light and dark roast beans will contain different amounts of beans.
For these reasons, we highly recommend using a scale to prepare Hario V60 coffee because it will help you achieve consistently great tasting coffee. You can buy an inexpensive scale for under $20 online or at most grocery stores.
How many scoops do you put in a Hario V60?
A typical coffee scoop will hold between 11-12 grams of light roast coffee, 10 grams of medium roast ground coffee, and 8-9 grams of dark roast coffee. This is for a standard filter grind density.
A coffee scoop will hold a little more coffee when it’s ground more finely and a little less when it’s more coarse. For comparison, one level tablespoon of ground medium coffee is about 5 grams.
