At Ueshima Coffee Company, we are dedicated to helping you unlock the authentic flavour of coffee in every cup. Pour over coffee, especially brewed with Japan’s iconic V60 dripper, embodies the craftsmanship and precision that lie at the heart of our philosophy and Japanese coffee culture. 

Pour Over Versus Dripper Coffee

Is there a difference between pour over and dripper coffee? Well, technically yes and this is where there can be some confusion. 

Although both Pour Over and Drip Coffee refer to the process of hot water passing through ground coffee via a filter, the difference is in how the water is delivered. 

Drip coffee often refers to the more automated process of coffee making and the use of a coffee machine which dispenses hot water evenly over the grounds.

Pour over coffee requires manual pouring, allowing for more control over the brewing time and water distribution. This extracts more flavour from the coffee beans by allowing the grounds to bloom during short pauses between slow, circular pours.

Clear as coffee? Well, just think of Pour Over slower, more manual and considered method and important, it is the only method that uses the famous V60. 

What Is a V60 and Why It Matters to Ueshima

The V60, developed in our homeland of Japan in 2005, is a celebrated pour over method that exemplifies simplicity, control, and excellence in brewing. Its elegantly conical 60° shape, accompanied by spiral ribs, ensures optimal water flow, extraction, and aroma release.

Why is it called a V60? Well, that is very simple. The V refers to the cone shaped filters used and the 60 references the angle of the drippers sides. It was invented by Hario, a Japanese company and can be traced back originally to the 1920s when Hario were known predominantly as an eco-friendly heat-proof glass manufacturer in Japan. Initially designed for use by chemists, it wasn’t until the 1980s when it was reimagined for use commercially that something close to today’s V60 was born. 

At the time, trapezoid-shaped coffee drippers dominated the Japanese market. Hario’s designers wondered whether a parabolic shape would help to achieve a cleaner-tasting cup by allowing water to pass through the grounds rather than steeping them. They say this resulted in the ‘Era of the Coffee Geek’, the first Hario conical dripper using wire rods to support a paper filter. 

Unfortunately, the 1980s coffee drinkers  weren’t ready for such innovation and it failed to take off in the face of the popularity of instant coffee and mechanical coffee makers.

But Hario never forgot the success of the simple, but brilliant, structural change.

In 2004, their designers revisited the method to invent the V60 as we know it today. . Working closely with resin makers and potters in Arita, they sought to replicate the delicious taste of cloth-filtered coffee with a conical paper filter.

It gained huge popularity after the 2010 World Brewers Cup in London and became synonymous with the coffee boom of that time and perhaps the definitive “era of the coffee geek.” 

Hario remains one of the finest producers of glassware and coffee brewing equipment in the world and we proudly stock our fellow Japanese innovators products, like their pour over kettle. 

Why Choose Pour Over Coffee?

So what is all the fuss about? Why should you look to try Pour Over Coffee versus other methods of brewing? Ultimately it all comes down to individual taste 

1. Precision Brews Exceptional Clarity

With pour over, you are in full command of key variables: grind size, water temperature, coffee-to-water ratio, and pouring technique. This level of control elevates intricate tasting notes (floral, fruity, roasty) into the spotlight. Not sure which taste will tickle your fancy the most? We recommend trying 250ml of water per 15g of coffee and ensuring that the coffee grounds are evenly covered for the perfect taste.

2. Clean, Refined Taste

Thanks to paper filters, pour over yields a crisp, smooth cup, free from residue and bitterness which is perfect for appreciating single-origin coffees. This will quickly become your go-to brewing method if you prefer a lighter, cleaner tasting coffee.

3. The Ritual of Mastery

The deliberate pace of pour over brewing fosters mindfulness, transforming your morning brew into a moment of elegance, patience and reflection, something we celebrate at Ueshima and feelings that we can struggle to find time for in the modern business of life! 

Enjoy Pour Over Coffee with Ueshima…

Read our Brewing Guide to Pour Over Coffee and choose from any of our Coffee Beans and Pour Over products to give it a try.

Fancy a short cut? Why not try our Pour Over Coffee Bags?