Introducing the Hario W60 Brewer: A Versatile Pour over Coffee Brewer

Which is best; flat bottomed vs cone-shaped brewing? The debate over whether flat-bottomed or cone-shaped brewing is better has been going strong for some time. Each side of the divide believe they’re correct, and there is evidence of significant flavour difference between the two brewing methods (more on that later). Perhaps it really is down to personal preference which style of brewer you opt for. But what if you didn’t have to choose?

Our new versatile W60 brewer unites fans of flat-bottomed brews and V60 lovers by offering a piece of kit that can do either...or both simultaneously!

What is the Hario W60 Brewer?

Once you’ve perfected one of the most globally iconic pieces of coffee brewing equipment, it’s difficult to know where to set your sights next... For Hario fans, you can now join us on our first journey into the world of flat-bottomed brewing. We have teamed up with World Barista Champion Pete Licata and created an ingenious hybrid brewer that we think is the best of both worlds.

The W60 is a little bigger than the traditional V60 with a curved, flowing outline & slightly adapted ribs inside. Pete Licata explains the design is intended to look like a traditional teacup, whilst still performing in the tried & tested way of a V60, and being compatible with V60 filter papers.

The really interesting part of the new W60, though, is the mesh flat-bottomed filter basket which sits in the top of the ceramic cone. The fine resin mesh acts as a filter which can be emptied, washed and reused over and over.

This addition is what transforms the W60 into a dripper with huge potential. Users can choose between 3 brewing methods - each with unlimited possibilities for new recipes and ratios – and 3 distinctly different ways to enjoy your coffee.

Mesh filter only
Paper filter only
Combination of mesh and paper filter

Flat-bottomed vs conical brewing: What’s the difference?

Many people believe that there are huge taste-benefits that come from brewing in their preferred type of coffee dripper.

In fact, a fascinating study by the Specialty Coffee Association found that there truly are significant flavour differences between coffee brewed in a conical vs flat-bottomed brewer.

The study found that flat-bottomed brewers yielded sweeter flavours of dried fruit and florals in light roasts and chocolatey, woody flavour in darker coffees. Conversely, the conical brewers resulted in sourer flavours of citrus and berries in light roasts and more intense flavours and bitterness in dark roasts.

Add to this the difference in body resulting from paper vs mesh filters; and we believe that the scope of the W60 for experimenting and enjoying the diversity present in each coffee is unmatched by any other piece of equipment.

As Pete Licata explains, the properties of each brewing method can be summed up like this:

Using just flat bottom mesh = A full-flavoured coffee with tonnes of body from oils in the coffee and a little bit of sediment.

Using just filter paper = A coffee with high clarity, a slightly different texture and flavour than with a traditional V60.

With flat bottom mesh + paper filter = A complex coffee with very even extraction plus the cleanliness of paper filtered coffee. This method produces beautifully sweet & articulate cups of coffee.

During development and since its release, Pete Licata has had a great time experimenting with the W60’s versatile brewing options. Pete has perfected his own personal recipe for brewing with the flat-bottomed filter twinned with a paper V60 filter which you can find below.

Pete Licata’s W60 recipe

24g coffee – slightly finer than usual V60 grind
396g water at 95°c
Ratio – 1:16.5
Total brew time: 4:00-4:30
Pour coffee into filter basket & shake to get an even surface.
50g bloom (30sec) 346g continuous pour in roughly 1:30, then leave the coffee to drain through.

Or

50g bloom (30sec)
100g pour, 15 sec pause
100g pour, 15 sec pause
100g pour, 15sec pause
46g pour to finish and leave to drain through.

When pouring, always keep 1cm pour gap around the edge so you don’t pour directly onto the filter and accidentally bypass your coffee grounds. Aim for around 4 minutes total brewing time to give the coffee enough time to pass through both filters.

Here are another three great recipes to try from Hario Japan, but we’d also encourage a bit of experimentation too, to really benefit from the adaptability of the W60.