The 4:6 Pour Over Method - The Best Way To Make Coffee

[@propertwb]

I’ve seen this technique before but you are the first to truly explain the intricacies in a clear way. Great work!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Wow, thanks! Glad you enjoyed it

[@obiwun32]

Best 4:6 explanation I’ve seen. Thank you. I now use this method daily and love it. 18:300. 40g 80g 90g 90g four pours at about 40sec intervals.

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Nice work! 🔥

[@basic5005]

What is the average brewing time with this method?

[@Mandragara]

I use a hybrid method using the Hario Switch. I do the first 2 pours according to the 4:6 method - but then I close the switch and let my remaining 60% steep as an immersion brew in the Switch. Really ensures even extraction of the grounds

[@AlternativeBrewing]

nice! will have to try

[@0whitestone]

I've noticed experimentally the same thing regarding bloom. That's actually why I love my Hario Switch so much, it lets me do a very small Bloom but still wet all the grounds because I can retain the bloom. I'm usually at 17g of coffee to 36g bloom, but i like to see the grounds able to "flow" when swirled instead of being chunky. It's really unlocked some very sweet and delicious cups, it's nice to see that It's not just me using bloom to adjust flavor. My general goal is to have a small boom as possible, but I suppose if you were looking for more acidity then you could certainly increase the bloom to achieve that. Thank you for highlighting this, and gives me a new perspective in my bloom phase!

[@simkool77]

One of your best videos! My pourover technique had some similarities, but I incorporated 4:6 method from your video and my cup has noticeably richer flavor. I have used various brewers, but this 4:6 method made the biggest improvement in my cup. Thank you!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Thanks so much! 😀 so awesome to hear that !

[@ksub7670]

Excellent video!!!! Bravo very well done and simple explanations for newbies like me👍

[@AlternativeBrewing]

@@ksub7670 thanks so much

[@richardford392]

Really good clear explanation. Especially about the difference you get from the first pour volumes. Agree with playing with the water temperature. Reducing the water temperature on my final pour has been a complete game changer for me.

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Nice! 🙏 thanks so much

[@ryanmarcus3304]

This video was super helpful. Can’t wait to implement it on my next brew. Any chance you’d make a video covering broader pour over concepts like you talked about in the beginning of the video such as dose, agitation, etc and how they impact your brew?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Great suggestions, sure Ill work on that 👌

[@noxnext]

Just watched your Hario switch video before and then came to this one. I like how you explain things and show different pouring methods side by side! Beautiful lighting and slow motions as well! You have a new subscriber! 👍 Greetings from Munich! 🇩🇪🥨☕️😉

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Awesome! Thank you! and enjoy 😀

[@TheMrFulminant]

What a delightful video! It does a fantastic job of explaining the 4:6 brewing method with such clarity, covering both lighter and stronger approaches. The cool montage adds a fun touch, allowing us to see all the techniques simultaneously through a split screen. Thanks a bunch!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

thanks so much 😀 !

[@orismj]

Thanks for sharing this! According to the 4:6 by Tetsu the grind size should be course, almost like a french press, and this is mainly when I struggle around this versatile and brilliant method. Based on your experience, the Ideal grind size is simply a standard pour over grind? Second, Tetsu recommend leaving a 45 sec window between each pour, which always ended up with a dry coffee bed, that's also felt a bit off to me, I'll definitely give your suggestions a try with just going for the next pour right before the bed is getting dry. Thanks!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Yes 100% the details make a difference 👌 I wouldn't be so sure that this method is any better the one Tetsu prescribes - however, using elements of what you've learned to improve on making a better coffee is the only way to go 🙌

[@anujphadke9785]

My favourite video n recipe easy to understand

[@pashow6486]

This method certainly makes delicious pour over. I'm somewhat skeptical of the science behind it but whatever the reason the results work!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Great point! The science can be fascinating - however if I cant taste the results as being better , I’m usually less likely to adopt it. I think way back to VST baskets, then RO Water, Tamping Pressures, distribution, WDT & RDT to name a few 😅

[@pashow6486]

@@AlternativeBrewing yes ultimately we are brewers. Taste is our number one parameter

[@alleycat2144]

Great video, really well explained. One of my favourite brewing methods, particularly for light-roasted, fruity beans. Really highlights clarity and acidity.

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Thanks for watching 🙏 Glad you enjoyed it

[@sammarion]

Such a clear presentation. We live in North Carolina and have a niece who lives in Brisbane. If we ever make it to Brisbane, I would LOVE to stop by your place. Thanks for sharing your knowledge in such a clear and low-key way.

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Thanks so much! 🫶 Please do!

[@m.c5390]

Very cool and informative explanation! Thank you for sharing ❤ ☕️

[@AlternativeBrewing]

You are so welcome!

[@sue431]

I have watched numerous Pour Over Methods on youtube and yours was by far the best explanation ever. Thank you for explaining so well.

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Thanks so much 🙌

[@shayanfaghihi]

Awesome and super clear explanation ☺ Thanks mate 😎

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Glad you liked it!

[@maridelsantos4304]

The clearest explanation of this method I have seen so far!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Wow, thanks!

[@zesaima123]

what grinder setting for the k-ultra would you set it at for medium grind, 9?

[@SlowlyUnfurling84]

Great video!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Thanks!

[@Юлиус-п6ц]

Man! Tetsu Kasuya may invented this, but you make it clear! Thanks!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

My pleasure ! 🫶

[@BenjaminSweetnam]

Love this totally changed my perception on how to brew a interesting cup of coffee. I've been experimenting love it

[@AlternativeBrewing]

It's so good!

[@topjets5616]

Very nice video :)

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@HorrorJamHQ]

Hi Josh Need your guidance for a better brew :) I use 23.3g | 70ml pours for 2 cups, and 13.3g | 40ml pours for a 1 cup. If I grind to aim for roughly 3.5 mins of drawdown for 2 cups, the same grind ends up at 2:45 mins for 1 cup. If I aim for 3.5 mins of drawdown for 1 cup, it ends up being 4.5 mins for 2 cups :) What would you recommend - aim for 3.5 mins of drawdown in each scenario, and so grind coarser for 2 cups and comparatively finer for 1 cup? As a beginner, I use a fellow Opus. And a metal 2 cup V60. Would really appreciate your help. Thanks!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

hey! sure I'll try to help out 👍 From what I read - I'm assuming you're doing 4 equal pours for both brews - of 70ml or 40ml ? and when you say 2 and 1 cups - that's like 280ml and 160ml? Hoping to clarify this. My initial thought process is - when reading your post - I am not struck by any outstanding issues? - does the 1 cup brew at 2;45 taste over-extracted ? If not - this sounds ok - don't change the grind for the 1 cup - but pour slowly to increase contact time with the smaller dose, and slightly coarser grind - better suited to 2 cups. Food for thought - brew time includes pre-infusion and draw down time at the end. Yet, you have control over how fast you pour water as well. - If adding equal amounts each time - perhaps you can practice adding the 70ml or 40ml each time - at the same rate - IE: adding it all in 10 seconds for the 70ml and 5 seconds for the 40 ml pours. This will further help with consistency and reliability of when changing grind size, knowing the knockon effect of the adjusted brew time. Also - and my favorite quote for brewing coffee ... "if it tastes good, don't change a thing." You never mentioned anything about how each of the brew tastes. If unhappy, let me know why and I can help further 🫶

[@markhopcynjenkins9256]

A really well thought out video, thank you. Would you consider another video dealing with pouring heights, flow etc? Does the larger 02 V60 help achieve the best pouring height also?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

100% will do 🙌 thanks

[@markhopcynjenkins9256]

Great news, I’m looking forward to it. I just tried going up to 80g for the first time on the bloom on a Kenyan PB, using a Kono and also using a very slow poor like you did. It was a bit longer in time, but it was by far the best tasting coffee, for my palate and taste preferences I’ve ever made. Thanks again.

[@corvus510]

Many thanks for the information, you are the first to explain it in more detail

[@AlternativeBrewing]

My pleasure!

[@venturelord32]

Thanks for the clear explanation and showing what each variation of the pour structure is meant to achieve. I imagine this thinking may carry over to other recipes too to some extent. Anyways, this recipe seems very fun. Cheers.

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Great point! Absolutely it will 👍

[@ryanh8764]

Amazing breakdown

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Glad you enjoyed it 😀

[@infacts100]

love ur explanation🙌🙌👏👌

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Thank you so much 😀

[@kimwinnick6883]

This is all new to me. I appreciate the detail and science but on a practical level, how do you track how much you're pouring at every step without measuring it out in another container first?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

You're welcome 🫶 So I've placed the entire brew set up on a large set of scales - have added link to the ones I've used below. Once you add your set up on the scales, and the coffee in - TARE off the scale and you'll be able to measure any water you add to the brewer 🙌 alternativebrewing.com.au/products/acaia-pearl-brewing-scale-black

[@michaeldy8834]

Do you have the video for the temperature?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Will be getting to this soon 🫶

[@HorrorJamHQ]

Thanks Josh. Quick question - how much time do you pause between each pours in the 60% phase?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

You're welcome ! Until the water comes close to the bottom of the slurry/grounds. Hopefully with the right grind size - the water drains in an appropriate time

[@LivingTheLifeRetired]

Good god, another method. Cannot wait to try tomorrow! 😊

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Hope you enjoy! let me know 😀

[@jeremiepaquette2798]

Splendid video really! One of the rare ones explaning that method. Just wondering how do we define that 300g of water like showed in your video and how to come up with our amount of ground coffee ? Cheers !

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Great point! Begin by considering how much coffee you want to make - This may be dictated my the size of the Mug - or if you like to drink more than a mugs worth - over a little time - than say twice as much? It's really up to you and your coffee drinking habits. Typically a single cup pourover is between 240-300ml - Now some of this water will be soaked up in the grounds and remain in the filter - so what's in your cup may be more like 220 - 280 ml of coffee. Now working back off a brew ratio that's used for Filter coffee that is a 1:16 - so for every 1 part coffee - you use 16 parts water. - the example being for a 240 ml cup of coffee - you divide 240 by 16 - and get 15. So use 15g of coffee to brew a 240ml cup of coffee. Or the reverse - say you have only 12g of beans left in the bag - and you want to make a brew - multiply 12 x 16 - and you get 192 - so you can use around 192ml of water to get a good brew ration and balance of flavours throughout the extraction that does not leave you coffee too watery or too strong. Hope that helps 🫶

[@jeremiepaquette2798]

Very detailed response ! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer me ! Can’t wait to apply all this knowledge in my next coffee session. Thanks again !

[@livannal.t.9068]

THANK YOU!!

[@OrionRox]

Thank you for the detailed explanation, one question though: What's the water temp? I'm new to the pour-over and many videos I've watched all recommended using boiling water, so what's the water temp for this receipt?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Water temperature is a variable determining the speed of extraction. Hotter water will extract quicker and when using lighter beans

[@CrazyCalabrese78]

Good video :) 1) aside from the pouring, do you agitate at all with this method? I also noticed you didn’t pour right towards the edge near the paper. I tried 4:6 a couple of times and it stalled in the last two pours. Maybe I was bringing in too many fines from the pouring and by swirling. 2) do you count the bloom time as part of your total brew time? Thanks!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Thanks so much 😀 1. I stir the Bloom. I swirl at end of Bloom - and sometimes at the end of last pour - prior to drawdown. I generally don't pour right near the filter to avoid bypass of water through the paper and down the side of the brewer. 2. Yes - I count the Bloom time as included in total time 👌

[@CrazyCalabrese78]

@@AlternativeBrewing great, thanks. I’ve tried different ways and maybe when I don’t stir I’m getting uneven extractions and if I’m getting too close to the edge it’s migrating fines or doing the bypass like you said. I’ll try fixing those two things first. Cheers 😄

[@terencedavis4141]

I'm brand new to V60 after years of cafetiere/espresso machine and I initially tried the five pour method, but couldn't get the brew right until I used your method, which works perfectly. As others here have said you explain this technique clearly and fully but succinctly without any waffling. Thank you very much.

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Glad I could help!

[@dewaldomusic]

So after the first pour, you recommend a nice shake to flatten the bed, correct? Do you do any shaking or other similar manipulation after the first pour?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

It’s not a big deal but it does help - more my preference. And another swirl at the end of the final pour too

[@danielkolland7225]

Thanks for this video! Do you have a rough guideline as to how long you stop your pour between the different stages? I am especially curious about the break between pour 2 and 3. Will you first let the water drain before you pour the final 60%? Thanks

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Yes, exactly - let each pour drain almost completely out before pouring again 🙏

[@wmd5878]

What grind size do you use for this method? French press grind size or regular pour over grind?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Regular pour over is good - or a little finer 🙌

[@ericbaluya361]

Best explanation of the 4:6 technique

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Thanks!

[@richardosborne8570]

Hello Josh. Thank you for another very clear video. How would you approach darker roasts/decaf with this method? Would simply reducing the ratio and temperature to avoid over extraction work? That's what I'm going to try right now on my darker decaf....

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Great suggestion yes this is a good approach for darker roasts to minimise bitterness- decaf tends to extract faster too - so a coarser grind and slower pour may also assist 🙌

[@Dingdongding-h2q]

​​@@AlternativeBrewingcoarser grind would achieve a faster individual pour time. You've just put two polar opposites into one idea which is contradicting. Unless, if you mean slower overall pour time by introducing long gap time between each pour.

[@AlternativeBrewing]

@@Dingdongding-h2q Correct - so you can control CONTACT TIME of water to grounds, depending on how fast or slow you pour - and also the time between pours - but if grinding coarser you may want to lengthen this time whilst pouring, mainly to maintain a reasonable extraction. THe coarser grind can extract slower, so with a longer contact time - you can at least have a better control over the extraction through your pouring speed. This ofcourse is all to be done - one parameter at a time. I prefer you're approach to adjusting the RATIO and TEMPERATURE foremost, yet there are others avenues you can try 👌 If there's anything else I can help with, let me know

[@gregruniewicz3571]

Love it.😊

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Thank you! 😊

[@thebarak]

I've been using 4 to 6 pours, just keeping it all wet after the first 30 second bloom. Surely getting this close to one single pour begs the question, is this any better than a common drip machine with a dispersion screen?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

that depends on preference I guess and I personally prefer to make a pourover than let a a machine do it 😂

[@_Brewn]

Best 40:60 Video out there! really nice with the different Combos!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Wow, thanks!

[@d3mith199]

So your recommended ratio is 300/18 =16.667 right?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

no - i don't recommend a Ratio in this video - simply an approach to break up your pouring. Ratio's can be whatever you prefer

[@benforbes8840]

What would you use as a starting point for water temperature?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Depends truthfully on the degree of roast you are brewing with. 93-95ºc is a good bet 👌 Though I often go either much higher to 96ºc or down to 91ºc just to taste the contrast.

[@benforbes8840]

@@AlternativeBrewing Thanks, I've started using the 4:6 method now with really good results! I'm going with 20:300g ratio on a light roast Tanzanian washed, 95ºc, medium-coarse grind (120 clicks on the Kingrinder K6) and pouring 70g, 50g, 90g, 90g. I'm doing a small swirl on the first and last pours. Really enjoyable cups and getting the flavours to pop!

[@yuna7980]

Can I do the 4:6 method on cold v6?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Hmmm, yes I suppose you can - though I would certainly say it will change the dynamics of extraction - and what the 4:6 Method suggests may not be the same with cold brewing - Im interested in your results ! 😀

[@tristanmccoppin5761]

Legend

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Your welcome 😊 I have to thank Tetsu for this 🙌

[@jeffhardy3x]

Is this only for cone brew or can I do it on a flat Stagg x?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Sure its a pouring technique - try it with any brewer 🫶

[@EspressoMakersApprentice]

Also used this method with my Chemex for Japanese Style Iced Coffee.

[@edwardpage9996]

My grind is already pretty fine but the water drains through very fast still , what can I do?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

Pour more slowly 👌 This is really all you have left & if the coffee tastes good - don't change a thing. If however the coffee taste very weak - you may need to raise the temperature of the water - or add more coffee to the basket - all while pouring slower.

[@thomaspomeroy5678]

Is the taste different enough that a newbie would even notice?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

I would believe so yes. Depends on what the comparison of coffee your drinking is. A set standard recipe versus this - I think even a newbie could pick the difference yes 👌

[@tinodafuq4219]

Is Danny D making coffee now?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

hahaahah 😂 maybe I can try a Danny D style Video with coffee making

[@imac84]

What amount of coffee though?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

16 grams is a good place to start for a single cup.

[@Audiophile_Maniac]

You didn't mention how many grams of coffee for the 300ml of water!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

18g 🙌

[@Audiophile_Maniac]

@@AlternativeBrewing Thank you.

[@TC_Prof]

50-70-60-60-60 every 45 secs ☕️😇🔥 lovely 🥰

[@AlternativeBrewing]

right on 🙌

[@sjfleishnetworkportal]

what is this beautiful scale

[@AlternativeBrewing]

🙌 Acaia Pearl S Brewing Scale: alternativebrewing.com.au/products/acaia-pearl-s-brewing-scale

[@petacardi]

Sorry man, i dont quite understand the first part, maybe because English it is not my native language. - Before each pour, you wait for the water to completely drain? - you leave it rest for 40 secs after each pour or only after the second pour? Beacuse you also said that you need to pour almost immediately. - should we follow the images in the video or the instructions? Sometimes they dont match. Sorry, i find it hard to follow spoken instructions, my brain works reading.

[@petacardi]

How much is the total brew time?

[@AlternativeBrewing]

of course - don't worry - let me write it out for you 🫶 - So you wait 40 seconds between the first and second pour - then begin pouring immediately after that - and with every other in-between pour - you wait until he water has almost drained out before beginning your pour again. Total brew time depend on grind size, dose and your ideal extraction - but for a 1-2 cup V60 I would happily aim for 2:45-3 min 👌

[@petacardi]

@@AlternativeBrewing thank you for taking the time to answer ❤️! Now I'm going to sleep happy knowing I will try this in the morning.

[@riolopez4079]

When does she say grams of coffee ? Oh it’s at the end of the video

[@AlternativeBrewing]

we measure our coffee we use in Grams 🙌

[@engrammi]

Can't overstate my disdain over asking Siri to do simple math like this. Great video though!

[@AlternativeBrewing]

hahahaha it's true 🙌 - the more we lean on Siri the more we lose the ability to do these tasks ourselves