Table of Contents
The birth of the V60
We could define V60 as the king of filter coffees.
Today it represents one of the most widely used extraction methods by baristas around the world, especially for extracting specialty coffees.
The origin of an early version dates back to 1908, when a German housewife from Dresden, Melitta Bentz, watching her son do his homework in his school notebook, came up with the idea of tearing off a sheet of paper to use it for the first time as a filter.
Over time she refined the technique and began brewing coffee using a copper pot with a small central hole in the bottom lined with paper towels. A primordial form of V60, patented at the Imperial Patent Office.
It was Hario, however, that made the V60 as we know it today.
From a simple glassworks it became over the years a leader in the cafeteria industry, creating the first V60 in the 1860s, which, however, did not achieve fame until the 2000s with the final version, which saw the introduction of the internal spiral groove.
This, which may seem like a small modification, serves to improve “turbulence”.
Turbulence
It is used to promote uniform extraction and speed up the extraction phase. The greater the speed imparted to the circular motion used to pour the water, the more substances will be extracted from the coffee, and vice versa. I n other words: the less force and motion we give the water, the more delicate the drink will be; the more force we give the water, the more intense the drink will be. Be careful, however, not to overdo it otherwise we would have over-extracted coffee and therefore very bitter.
Structure of the V60
The name comes from the shape of the cone seen in profile, precisely in the shape of a “V,” while the number “60” refers to the degrees of inclination of the edges with respect to the base. Inside the tool we will then lay the special filter, in which it will house the ground coffee.
Next we will extract the beverage by pour over method, literally “pour over,” following the principle of percolation.
Percolation
This is one of the principles of coffee extraction, along with infusion, pressure or boiling. It indicates the stage in which water, poured over ground coffee, passes through the coffee layer and then, drop by drop, into the binder below. The liquid does not possess any pressure, as happens in espresso, for example, but only filters through the force of gravity, extracting the soluble parts of the coffee more slowly and gently.
There are various types of V60s that differ in material or size: plastic, metal, and ceramic, 1, 2, 4, or 6 cups.
The material is important to reduce heat loss during brewing and that they retain heat for a long time, so as to make the extraction more homogeneous and allowing for a hot drink at the right point. In this sense, ceramic is always the best choice. It is also the least porous material, so it is more easily washed and long-lasting.
Result in cup
With this fantastic extraction method we will have a result in the cup that is very different from an ordinary espresso or mocha, much more like a tea or herbal tea.
We will have a clean and delicate coffee, with hints of fruit, citrus, spice, chocolate and more. The acidity is well present, but it is smooth and balanced, while there is virtually no bitterness.
We achieve this for several reasons:
- As we have already mentioned, this tool has no force impressed other than that of gravity, making the whole process more delicate;
- A paper filter is usually used with this method, which does not allow fats to pass through, making the final beverage “lighter,” also lowering the bitterness;
- Arabica coffees, which are more delicate and aromatic than the traditional robusta used in bar blends, are usually used; Medium and light roasts, which zero out bitterness, instead enhancing the aromas and acidity of carefully selected raw coffee. A distinctly different roast than the “Italian” roast we are used to, very dark bordering on burnt that enhances the bitterness of the drink far too much.
Step 1 – Tools Needed
Of paramount importance are the tools we will use to do any Brewing preparation, such as precisely for V60.
Specific electric kettle
Features needed:
- Electric power supply
- Made of stainless steel
- Temperature can be set as desired with a tolerance of at least 1°C
- Temperature maintenance function
- With swan-neck spout, i.e., elongated, with a small diameter and water draining at the base of the boiler
- Capacity between 600ml and 1500ml. Remember that a larger kettle will have greater thermal inertia, but will be more difficult to handle and vice versa.
I recommend the Timemore one.
Paper or metal filter?
- White paper filter, most commonly used:
- disposable and compostable Brown paper, almost identical to the white one, but is less treated. So is it better? No, because it may release more paper odors to the final drink
- Metal, great if you want to have a reusable filter, but be careful to wash it perfectly
You can buy them here: paper and metal.
N.B. be careful to get them the same size as your V60!
Coffee grinder
For the best possible aroma, it is always advisable to grind coffee only at the time of brewing.
Necessary features:
- Larger grindstones produce higher quality particulate matter.
- That there is a solid alignment and spacing of the grinds that is accurate and stable over time. This is the part that makes the selling price go down or up the most
- Prefer tools that can be easily inspected, for efficient cleaning
- That it has the ability to adjust the grind from the finest grind, similar to powdered sugar, to the coarsest grind, similar to coarse salt
- If you will be using it only for espresso, buy it with flat grinds, if you will be using it only for filter, buy it with conical grinds
I recommend, for less expense, the one from Timemore. On the other hand, if you want to make a good investment, you can choose between Pietro Grinder and Il Comandante.
Finally, if you prefer electric, one of the best on the market currently is AllGround. On the other hand, if you want to go for cheaper models here is the one from Sage.
Step 3 – Now all you need to do is buy the coffee!
We recommend our single-origins that can be purchased either on our online site or at Torrefazione Ernani in Milan, Corso Buenos Aires, 20:
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Women’s coffee – Specialty Coffee
A socio-sustainable coffee with a sensual and feminine flavor profile, …€9,00 / month Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Colombia Finca la Meseta
Coffee balanced between the acidity of citrus and the sweetness …€8,50 / month Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Guatemala Huehuetenango – Specialty coffee
A sweet, fresh and creamy single-origin with notes of ripe …€9,50 / month Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Uganda Rwenzori – Specialty coffee – 250g
A smooth single-origin, balanced between sweetness and acidity 250g grain or …€11,00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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Brazilian Bom Chocolate
Coffee with intense cocoa notes, balanced and round-bodied …€8,50 / month Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Indian Kalledevarapura
An elegant coffee, presenting a broad, complex and intriguing aromatic …€9,00 / month Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Etiope Sidamo
A fresh, citrusy and floral single-origin, driven to a pleasant, …€9,00 / month – €9,50 / 3 months Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Now all you have to do is enjoy your professionally extracted coffee and try this fantastic extraction right away!
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