Coffee Brewing Methods: V60 Dripper Features & Brewing Ethiopian Coffee Flavor and Mouthfeel

When friends come to FrontStreet Coffee, the most common question they ask is, "I also use a V60, why doesn't my brewed coffee have any flavor?" At this point, FrontStreet Coffee's barista will analyze the key points to answer their question by examining coffee bean freshness, grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, brewing water temperature, brewing technique, and brewing time. This time, FrontStreet Coffee has compiled knowledge points about V60 brewing to share with everyone.

V60 Dripper

The V60 dripper, designed by the Japanese company Hario, can be said to be one of the essential tools for every pour-over beginner. The name V60 comes from its 60-degree conical angle, which is quite intuitive. The 60-degree angle data was determined through continuous testing by Hario Company, allowing coffee grounds to be concentratedly distributed, and when pouring water, the water flow can converge toward the center of the dripper, ensuring sufficient contact time between water and coffee grounds, thereby achieving appropriate coffee extraction.

V60 Dripper Principle

Another structural feature of the V60 dripper is its rib-shaped interior. The spiral shape extends from the bottom to the top, serving to guide water flow, creating enough space between the filter paper and the dripper, ensuring good water flow mobility and a relatively fast flow rate, making it one of the fastest-flowing drippers among many. Additionally, the ribs of the V60 dripper turn clockwise. When pouring water clockwise, the flow will be smoother along the texture. If water is poured counterclockwise, it will slow down the water flow rate. The large hole at the bottom of the V60 dripper is also designed to promote water flow rate.

After understanding the characteristics of the V60 dripper, we can now explore the previously mentioned factors: freshness, grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, brewing water temperature, brewing technique, and brewing time.

Coffee Bean Freshness

The freshness of coffee is crucial for coffee quality. If coffee beans are left for too long after roasting, it will lead to the loss of coffee flavor and aroma. FrontStreet Coffee believes that the best tasting period for freshly roasted coffee beans is 30 days. After 30 days, the aromatic molecules of coffee beans decrease as carbon dioxide is released. Coffee beans that are more than 2 months past their roasting date may taste dull and plain when brewed.

Grind Size

The finer the coffee beans are ground, the more easily the coffee powder accumulates at the bottom of the filter paper, resulting in greater extraction resistance, slower flow rate, and longer extraction time. The extraction rate of substances contained in coffee is higher, and the brewed coffee will be stronger or have miscellaneous flavors such as woody taste.

The coarser the coffee beans are ground, the larger the gaps between the powder layers, and the less coffee powder contacts with hot water, resulting in weaker extraction resistance, faster coffee dripping speed, and lower extraction rate, so the coffee flavor is also lighter.

FrontStreet Coffee recommends using a grind size similar to fine sugar for light to medium roast coffee beans (EK43s grinder setting 9-10), and a grind size similar to coarse sugar for medium to dark roast coffee beans (EK43s grinder setting 10-11).

Coffee-to-Water Ratio

This is based on the extraction parameters for pour-over coffee water-to-coffee ratio derived from SCA Golden Cup extraction theory, with differences in taste:

Strong Flavor: 1:10-1:11 (equivalent to Golden Cup standard 1:12.5-1:13.5)

Moderate Flavor: 1:12-1:13 (equivalent to Golden Cup standard 1:14.5-1:15.5)

Light Flavor: 1:14-1:16 (equivalent to Golden Cup standard 1:16.5-1:18.5)

A coffee bean amount to brewing water ratio of 1:14.5-1:15.5 most easily achieves the golden range of Golden Cup extraction rate of 18%-22% and concentration of 1.15%-1.35%, which is why FrontStreet Coffee has always recommended everyone to use 1:15 for brewing.

Brewing Water Temperature

FrontStreet Coffee recommends using a water temperature of 90-91°C for brewing light to medium roast coffee beans, and 88-89°C for medium to dark roast coffee beans.

At the same grind size, if the brewed coffee tastes bitter, scorched, or astringent, you can reduce the extraction water temperature for adjustment. Conversely, if it tastes bland or weak, it means there are still many flavors left in the coffee grounds, so you can consider increasing the temperature.

Appropriate water temperature and good extraction present positive and pleasant aromas and flavors. For example, the acidity will be rich, like the sweet and sour sensation of plums or stone fruits. The overall cleanliness, clarity, and transparency allow you to clearly taste the flavors. The delicate, rich, and distinct acidity can even remind people of certain fruits or even wine, with a persistent aftertaste that lingers in the mouth, making people savor it.

Brewing Technique

When using the V60 dripper for brewing, FrontStreet Coffee generally uses a three-stage brewing method, demonstrated here with FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya Little Tomato.

The first stage, blooming, uses twice the amount of water as the coffee powder weight, i.e., 30g of water for 30 seconds. Blooming refers to the process when coffee powder comes into contact with water and gets moistened, which is the beginning of coffee cells releasing molecules. After moistening the coffee powder, we stop pouring water and wait for the carbon dioxide to completely release and the coffee powder to stop expanding before continuing to add hot water, in order to achieve better extraction results.

The second and third stages of extraction refer to the process of soluble molecules in coffee cells dissolving in hot water. A coffee bean is composed of 70% insoluble cellulose, and the remaining 30% are some soluble aromatic molecules, which will be dissolved in sequence according to molecular size when encountering water. The first small molecules to be dissolved include acids and aromas, such as floral notes and citrus acidity; then are medium molecules of sweetness, like fruit juice sweetness, honey, and brown sugar sweetness; finally are large molecules of burnt bitterness, which is how coffee's different layers of flavor come about.

Brewing Time

In coffee extraction, the early aroma and taste are strong, and the concentration is also high. As the extraction liquid progresses further, the taste and aroma will also become lighter. At the same time, the amount of water poured will also affect the extraction time of coffee. If the amount of poured water is large, the water will flow down directly, naturally shortening the extraction time. FrontStreet Coffee is accustomed to using 15 grams of coffee for a cup, with a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15, where the brewing time will be within 2-2.5 minutes, making it less likely to cause over-extraction or under-extraction.

Next, FrontStreet Coffee will brew the Guodingding from Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia, to see the flavors extracted using the V60 dripper.

Origin: Yirgacheffe, Gedeo Zone

Altitude: 1900-2300m

Variety: Heirloom

Processing Method: Washed

Grade: G1

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Parameters

Water Temperature: 90-91°C

Grind Size: EK43s setting 10 (fine sugar size)

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15

Frontsteet Brewing Technique: First, inject 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then inject 95g (electronic scale shows about 125g), completing the injection in about 1 minute. When the water level drops to 2/3 of the powder layer, inject the remaining 100g (electronic scale shows about 225g), completing the injection in about 1 minute and 40 seconds. The drip filtration completes at 1:55-2 minutes, remove the dripper, and the extraction is complete.

Brewing Flavor: Bright citrus acidity upon entry, full-bodied berry juice sensation, with a distinct oolong tea feeling.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473