MVM Brews with the 4:6 Method (Our Preferred V60 Recipe)

At MVM Technical Services, we don’t just fix, calibrate, and maintain your coffee equipment — we use it. Above the tools and machines, there’s a deep love for the craft itself. Among many ways to brew filter coffee, our go-to method is the 4:6 Method, originally developed by Tetsu Kasuya (2016 World Brewers Cup Champion). We didn’t come up with it — but having worked with many brewing styles, this one stands out for balance, clarity, and predictability.

What Is the 4:6 Method?

The 4:6 Method refers to how you divide your pouring stages: you pour 40% of your total water first, then the remaining 60%. This gives you control over flavour (sweetness vs acidity), extraction, and strength, without having to rely purely on instinct or luck. It makes good coffee replicable.

Our Version of the 4:6 V60 Brew

Here’s how we brew it, with the tweaks and practices we’ve found deliver great results in our context:

Coffee & Ratio
We use a ratio of 1 : 15 (coffee : water by weight). For example: 20 g ground coffee to 300 g water.

Grind Size
Medium-coarse. Something between table-salt and coarse sand. Consistent grind is key.

Water Temperature
Generally around 92-94 °C. Minor adjustments depending on roast level: slightly lower for lighter roasts to preserve acidity, slightly higher for darker ones to ensure extraction.

Stage 1 — 40% Pour
Take your total water (e.g. 300g), calculate 40% (120g). Divide that 120g into two pours. The first pour brings out sweetness; the second introduces acidity and balance. Allow the water to draw down slightly between pours.

Stage 2 — 60% Pour
The remaining 180g is divided (often into three pours) to build strength and finish extraction. The number of pours and their spacing can alter how bold vs delicate the cup is.

Total Brew Time
3:00 to 3:30 minutes, depending on grind, pour speed, and amount of water.

Key Tips from Our Experience

• Consistency matters: We use scales and timers. If your weight or pouring speed varies, the cup changes.

• Adjust to your beans: Roast level, origin, bean freshness all change how the 4:6 method behaves. Lighter roasts benefit from finer tuning, especially in water temp and pour spacing.

• Grind calibration: If your grind is too coarse, extraction may be weak; too fine, and it gets bitter or over-extracted. Small changes make noticeable difference.

• Water quality: Use clean, filtered water. Mineral content should be controlled. We aim for moderately soft water (not stripped of minerals, but not overly hard either).

• Equipment care: A clean V60, clean kettle, dry filters — technical details matter. We apply our technician mindset even when brewing.

Why This Method Resonates with Us

At MVM, attention to detail, repeatability, and technical precision are what we bring into every service call. The 4:6 Method mirrors those values: structured enough to be consistent, flexible enough to adapt. Just as with machine calibration and diagnostics, in brewing you want control over variables — grind, water, temperature, timing — to produce a predictable, excellent result.

Final Words

We believe that being good at servicing coffee equipment starts with loving what those tools are used to do. Brewing really well — whether for a client demo or our own break room — gives us insight into how machines respond to changes, how parts affect taste, and what our clients can expect. When we bring our tech side and our brewer’s experience together, that’s when MVM delivers excellence.