James Hoffmann's V60 Coffee Brewing Guide! How Many Pour Stages Are Best for Coffee Brewing?

The Ultimate V60 Brewing Method

As you know, FrontStreet Coffee loves exploring unusual brewing methods. Recently we came across a V60 technique we hadn't shared before — one that lets you brew a delicious cup with very simple skills and tools. Its inventor is none other than the coffee authority behind "The World Atlas of Coffee," James Hoffmann.

After several trials, FrontStreet Coffee found the results genuinely excellent. So today we want to explain what this method — dubbed by netizens the ultimate V60 solution — is all about, and how to actually do it.

Understanding the Ultimate V60 Brewing Method

Since it's called the ultimate V60 method, the dripper is naturally a V60 (though other drippers can work, preferably those without bypass). In James Hoffmann's demonstration, the total water is divided into five equal pours, with the Rao shake method incorporated into both the first and last pours — that is, picking up the dripper and shaking it.

Combining these two elements makes brewing remarkably simple. Dividing the water into five pours means less water per pour and shorter gaps between them, so you don't have to worry much about controlling the flow. The shortened intervals also let hot water accumulate in the dripper, creating a kind of immersion extraction that extracts the coffee more evenly. The main purpose of adding the Rao shake at the start and end is to ensure fuller contact between the grounds and the water, so degassing and extraction proceed more thoroughly. There's also no need for elaborate bed management, since shaking disrupts the coffee bed's structure. As a result, even without a professional gooseneck kettle, you can comfortably brew a delicious cup.

Benefits and Preparation

So the method's main purpose is to lower the difficulty of brewing good coffee. Even without complex techniques and professional equipment, a delicious cup becomes effortless. It does place more emphasis on parameters, though — so next, FrontStreet Coffee will share how to operate it and what settings to use.

Brewing Demonstration

In the video, Mr. Hoffmann demonstrated with light-roast beans, and the disclosed parameters were: water temperature 100°C, extraction time 3 minutes, and a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:16.6. Although the grind size wasn't disclosed, FrontStreet Coffee concluded from repeated brews that it's likely the grind we normally use. These parameters may seem extreme, but because there's minimal agitation and more immersion-style extraction, the coffee basically won't be over-extracted. In our tests, our usual grind worked perfectly with this method; unless your grind is highly unusual, you can apply the formula directly.

A Practical Brewing Session

For this session, FrontStreet Coffee will demonstrate with Costa Rica Mirasu Strawberry Candy, using the following parameters: coffee beans 16g (other amounts also work), coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, grind level EK43 at 9.5, 75% passing through a #20 sieve (fine-sugar texture), brewing water temperature 100°C, and a V60 dripper. The total water for this brew is 240ml, which divided into five equal portions gives 48ml per portion. First, the bloom. Before blooming, you can dig a small hole in the center of the coffee bed to help the hot water reach the grounds at the bottom more quickly.

After pouring 48ml of hot water to begin the bloom, immediately pick up the dripper and shake it — about five rotations will do. Then wait 30 seconds for the coffee to bloom and degas before starting the next pour.

After the bloom, the water volume and method for the next four pours are identical: a small flow in large circular motions, 48ml per pour, with roughly 10-second intervals between pours.

When the final pour is finished, pick up the dripper and shake again, similarly about five rotations. Once the shaking ends, simply wait for the coffee to finish dripping, then remove the dripper and the extraction is complete.

Results and Tasting Notes

Total time: 3 minutes. Measured extraction yield reached 21.5%, a very healthy value. The coffee tasted highly sweet with prominent aromas, featuring strawberry, raisin, and fruit-wine character. The mouthfeel was round and smooth with a long aftertaste — quite excellent.

Important Considerations

As you can see, this method is extremely simple. There are two things to keep in mind, though. First, grind size will vary with the beans and dripper, so it's best to adjust based on the final taste of your brew — which is also why Mr. Hoffmann didn't share a specific grind in his video. Second, don't shake too vigorously: it's easy to spill hot water from the dripper and burn yourself, and it can send fine particles to the bottom, potentially clogging the filter paper.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

This five-pour method suits almost any bean, but it rewards the clarity that a good V60 setup provides. The Hario V60 itself is a good starting point: Hario was founded in Tokyo in 1921 as a maker of heat-resistant glass for research institutions, redesigned the V60 in 2004, and released it the following year, naming it for its distinctive 60° cone and V-shaped profile. Its single large opening means the flow depends almost entirely on your pour, which is exactly why the five-pour approach levels the playing field.

Whatever dripper you use, the bean still decides the cup. If you want the classic floral, tea-like profile that suits this method, start with FrontStreet Yirgacheffe Gedingding for citrus, berry, and jasmine, or FrontStreet Ethiopia Huakui for a tropical, strawberry-and-passion-fruit burst. FrontStreet Kenya Cherry Tomato brings bright tomato-and-plum acidity, while FrontStreet Strawberry Candy and FrontStreet Mozart lean into candy-like, raisin-sweet fruit.

For a fuller, deeper cup, the same brewer handles darker roasts well — FrontStreet Blue Mountain No. 1 and FrontStreet PWN Golden Mandheling both show mellow, syrupy body without losing balance. And if the tasting notes above appeal to you — strawberry, raisin, fruit wine — pick a fruit-forward bean such as FrontStreet Strawberry Candy or FrontStreet Yirgacheffe Gedingding, and let the five-pour rhythm do the rest.