Scott Rao is one of the most influential figures in specialty coffee. His books literally wrote the playbook that most modern cafes follow, and his V60 technique — built around the now-famous “Rao Spin” — has become a staple for baristas and home brewers alike. The method is focused on one thing: even extraction.
| Method | Hario V60 (plastic recommended) |
| Coffee | 20g |
| Water | 340g |
| Ratio | 1:17 |
| Grind | Medium-fine |
| Water Temp | Just off the boil |
| Total Time | ~3:00–3:30 |
Step by Step
- Rinse the filter with hot water and preheat the dripper. Discard the rinse water.
- Add 20g of coffee and level the bed.
- Bloom (0:00–0:45) — Pour 60g of water and gently stir within the first 10 seconds to wet all the grounds. Wait until 0:45.
- Main pour (0:45–1:30) — Pour in steady circles to 340g total. Keep the pour slow and controlled.
- Stir (around 1:45) — Give one gentle stir around the edge of the brewer to release any grounds stuck to the walls.
- The Rao Spin — Pick up the V60 and give it a gentle swirl. This flattens the coffee bed and promotes even extraction during drawdown.
- Drawdown — Let it drain. Aim for the brew to finish around 3:00–3:30.
Watch the Full Guide
The Rao Spin
The signature move. After your pour, give the V60 a gentle swirl to settle the coffee bed flat. This does two things:
- Reduces channeling. Water finds the path of least resistance — an uneven bed means some coffee gets over-extracted while other grounds are barely touched. A flat bed forces even flow.
- Improves repeatability. The swirl gives you a consistent bed shape every time, which means more consistent cups.
Rao recommends the plastic V60 specifically because you can pick it up and swirl it mid-brew without burning your hands — something you can’t easily do with ceramic or metal.
Tips
- Stir during the bloom. Don’t just pour and wait — a quick stir ensures all the grounds are saturated evenly.
- Use at least 20g of coffee. Rao notes that smaller doses require finer grinds and lower temperatures, which complicates things. 20g is the sweet spot for a clean, well-extracted cup.
- One continuous main pour. Unlike methods that break the pour into stages, Rao’s approach uses a single main pour after the bloom. This keeps things simple and reduces agitation.
- Watch your bed shape after drawdown. A flat, even coffee bed at the bottom means you got an even extraction. If it’s sloped or has a hole in the center, adjust your pour pattern.
Scale It with Coffee Calculator
Whether you’re scaling up for guests or dialing down for a smaller mug, Coffee Calculator handles the ratio math for you. Enter your dose and get your water weight instantly.
Technique by Scott Rao. Author of “Everything but Espresso” and “The Coffee Roaster’s Companion.”