How to Brew Coffee with a Hario Switch
Brew Better Coffee
The Hario Switch is one of our favorite brewers because it combines two approaches to making coffee: the clarity of a traditional pour-over and the control of an immersion brewer. Unlike a standard V60, the Switch has a valve at the bottom. Leave it open and water flows through the coffee. Close it and the coffee steeps until you're ready to release it. Our method uses both.
Grateful Roast Hario Switch Recipe
Coffee: 25g. Water: 400g. Ratio: 1:16. Grind: coarse. Starting water temperature: 90–95°C / 194–203°F. Final water temperature: 70–80°C / 158–176°F. Total brew time: about 3:30. Rinse the paper filter first, discard the rinse water, and add the freshly ground coffee.
Step 1: Close the Switch and Bloom
Start with the Switch closed. Pour 60–70g of 90–95°C water, making sure all of the coffee is saturated. Let it bloom for 40 seconds. The bloom helps freshly roasted coffee release trapped gas and prepares the bed for a more even extraction.
Step 2: Open and Pour to 160g
At about 40 seconds, open the Switch and continue pouring slowly and evenly until the scale reaches 160g total water. Distribute the water across the bed rather than concentrating the pour in one spot.
Step 3: Pour to 260g
At about 1:30, continue the pour until the scale reaches 260g. Maintain a controlled pour and let the brewer continue draining.
Step 4: Close and Lower the Temperature
At about 2:10, close the Switch again. Reduce the remaining brewing water to roughly 70–80°C / 158–176°F and pour until you reach 400g total. Pre-measuring a small amount of room-temperature water can make lowering the kettle temperature easier.
The cooler final immersion gives us another way to control late-stage extraction while preserving sweetness and body.
Step 5: Release and Drain
Open the Switch and allow the coffee to drain completely, aiming for a total brew time around 3:30. A little faster or slower is fine. Coffee, grinders, filters, and individual lots behave differently. Use the numbers as a starting point, not a law.
What If It Doesn't Taste Right?
Change one variable at a time. If the cup tastes thin, sharp, or sour, try grinding slightly finer. If it tastes overly bitter, dry, or astringent, try slightly coarser. If drawdown is dramatically long, the grind may be too fine or the filter may be clogging. Ultimately, the timer is a diagnostic tool. Taste is the final judge.
Start with Good Coffee
A brewer can help you get more from a coffee, but it cannot put something into the cup that was not there to begin with. Start with freshly roasted coffee, good water, and a consistent grinder. Measure, take notes, and make small adjustments until the cup tastes the way you want it to.
Practice gratitude and drink good coffee.
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