How to Use a Ceramic V60 for a Cleaner Pour-Over

By Kiss the Hippo Coffee | London's Premier Specialty Coffee Roastery | Published: 2026-10-23

Category: How-to Guides

Learn how to use a ceramic V60 for a cleaner pour-over coffee. Step-by-step guide with tips on grind size, pouring technique, and dripper care.

Quick answer

To get a cleaner pour-over with a ceramic V60, focus on a medium-fine grind, a steady spiral pour, and preheating the dripper. The ceramic material retains heat well, which helps extraction but also means you need to warm it thoroughly before brewing.

Why ceramic matters for a clean cup

The ceramic V60's thick walls hold heat longer than plastic or glass versions. This means your slurry stays at a more stable temperature during extraction, which can reduce under-extracted sour notes and produce a cleaner, more balanced flavour. The trade-off is that if you skip preheating, the cold ceramic will steal heat from your water and stall extraction.

The role of the filter and spiral ribs

The V60's signature 60° cone and single large hole rely on the paper filter and spiral ribs to regulate flow. Using a high-quality, unbleached paper filter and seating it properly against the ribs prevents channeling and ensures even water distribution. A poor filter seal is a common cause of muddy or uneven extraction.

Step-by-step ceramic V60 pour-over

Preheat the dripper and mug: Place the ceramic V60 on your mug, insert a paper filter, and rinse it with hot water. This warms the ceramic, removes papery taste, and preheats your mug. Discard the rinse water. A cold ceramic V60 can drop your brew temperature by 5–10°F, so don't skip this step.
Add coffee grounds and make a well: Use 15–18 g of coffee per 250 ml of water (a 1:15 to 1:17 ratio). Grind to a medium-fine consistency (similar to table salt). Gently tap the dripper to level the bed, then create a small well in the centre with your finger. If your brew drains too fast, grind finer; if it stalls, grind coarser. The well helps the bloom water saturate all grounds evenly.
Bloom for 30–45 seconds: Pour twice the coffee weight in water (e.g., 30 g for 15 g coffee) in a slow spiral from the centre outward. Let it sit for 30–45 seconds. Freshly roasted coffee will bubble and release CO₂. No bubbles means stale beans. A bloom that's too short can cause uneven extraction and a sour taste.
Pour in stages with a steady spiral: After the bloom, add the remaining water in 2–3 pours. Keep a steady, gentle spiral from the centre to the edge, avoiding pouring directly onto the filter paper. Maintain a consistent water level just below the rim. Pouring too aggressively or directly on the filter can cause channeling, leading to a thin or bitter cup.
Let it drain fully, then remove the dripper: Allow all water to pass through the grounds. The total brew time should be 2:30–3:30 minutes. Once dripping stops, lift the V60 off the mug to avoid over-extraction from residual drips. If the drawdown takes longer than 4 minutes, your grind is too fine. If it finishes under 2 minutes, grind finer for better extraction.

Product used in this guide

Ceramic V60: The Hario Ceramic V60 Dripper has a 60° cone shape and single large hole that promote even extraction and clean, balanced flavour. This design, combined with the ceramic's heat retention, gives you the control needed for a consistently clean cup when you follow the right technique.
Ceramic V60