I got myself a V60 (along with the honker kettle) in order to finally enjoy lighter roasts. I already have a timemore grinder and a mid range lelit espresso machine so I just wanted something to cleanse my palate and explore more varieties of coffees.
Currently I use the 15g coffee in, 5 pours ending with total of 250g over 3 minutes. I have modified the method to have more sweetness by pouring more water on second pour than rest. Pouring in a spiral motion going from center.
What are some other must know tips and core logic? What changes the flavor and what doesn’t?
V60 is a world of experimentation. Look forward to some mind blowing cups and for seemingly no good reason at all sometimes, a “wow, would have been better off with Starbucks today” cup
I’ll reiterate that grind size is easily the most important variable.
Give a little Rao swirl right after your bloom pour, keep your water temp toasty for your lighter roasts, and consider trying cafec abaca filters to allow you to push your grind a bit finer.
Have fun tinkering, you’re going to stumble onto some really great brews!
For me, the parameter that changes the final result the most is, undoubtedly, the grinder setting’s, which, as you already pointed out, affects the total extraction time.
Deos extraction time change anything? How to dial in grind? Finer until it becomes bitter/clogs and dial back?
It does! If it takes too long to extract (too fine grind), you will get over extracted result and increased bitterness, and the opposite if water disappears too quickly and extraction time is shorter. In my experience, for light roast fine grinding and some over extraction is preferable in order to get all the flavour out of the beans, but with every new coffee I get, I adjust it to get the balance I look for in my cup (it is different for every person) Usually, adjusting the grinding for your target extraction, let’s say 3:00, is good enough to start experimenting with different level of coffee roasts!
do it by taste. most coffee has a grind size cliff of bitterness and you have to stay coarser than that for best results. rarely, you may find one that is great no matter the grind.
Good to know it is a cliff and on some coffies. On my first local bag there is no wall as the filter clogs due to small grind size rather than becomes bitter.
Honestly does not seem as complicated as espresso so far.
You pour some water in, then forget about it for half an hour, re boil the water and pour the rest feeling like an ass.
It seems like you did some tests, how do you think the frequency of the pouring influence the final taste?
I don’t know if I’ve been ruined by the Swedish tradition of strong black coffee but I can never get a brew I enjoy from only 15g coffee per 250g water.
I also tend to get better brews when I do a double rather than single cup brews. Though it’s not always convenient.
