What is the 4:6 pour-over method and why Coffee Addicts love it

As a pour-over fan, you might have heard of the 4:6 Method, created by 2016 World Brewers Cup Champion Tetsu Kasuya. When learning about this recipe, we were amazed by how timing, water distribution, and extraction can completely change the flavour profile of a brew, giving you more tools to better explore your beans. What we especially love is Tetsu’s focus on the usability and simplicity of the method as technique, rather than a strict recipe, allowing anyone to get the best from their coffee.

So, What Is the 4:6 Method?

The 4:6 Method is the splitting of your total brewing water into two stages, 40% of the total water in the first, and the remaining 60% in the second stage. The initial 40%, which includes the bloom stage, affects the sweetness and acidity, while the remaining 60% affects the strength of your coffee.

What makes this so interesting as a technique is how it allows you to adjust a few variables to shake up your brew, giving you more versatility with your coffee. Instead of brewing a bag of coffee the same way every time, this method encourages experimentation. It can help you push the limits of your beans to be more sweet, or more bright, and really dial in how intense the final cup is.

What does this Do?

To know what 40% and 60% is, we need to know how much water we're using. This method normally uses a 1:15 ratio (1 part coffee to 15 parts water), which works out to 20g of coffee to 300g of water for one nice large cup of coffee. This means our 40% will be 120g of the water, and our 60% will be the remaining 180g. Feel free to adjust this up for more output coffee =)

The 40% Stage gets broken up into the Bloom, and a Control Pour. If we pour more heavy for the bloom, we'll get a brighter, less sweet cup. This looks like 70g to bloom the coffee, then another 50g to finish the first stage. For a sweeter, less acidic cup, flip the amounts, and bloom with only 50g, then finish the first stage with 70g. We want to aim to have our first 40% of water in the brewer within 1 minute.

The 60% Stage now rinses the rest of the soluables from the beans into the cup. The more we agitate the grounds during this stage, the stronger the cup will be. Therefore, for a lighter bodied cup, pour the full 60% (180g) in one pour. For more strength, break this up into 2 to 3 smaller, equal pours (2 pours of 90g, or 3 pours of 60g), letting the bed drain fully between pours. We want to have all our water added by about 2min 45seconds, with the brew fully drawn down by 3 minutes 30 seconds.

What does this look like for brewing?

For a Medium-Dark Roasted Coffee or a Sweeter, Stronger Brew

(Think notes of chocolate, caramel and perhaps a little citrus.)

20g medium coarsely ground coffee

300g water, at ~93 degrees C

For the first 40%:

• Begin with 50 g of water and gently swirl the brewer to saturate all the grounds. Allow the water to pass through the coffee bed until it is no longer dripping through the filter.
• Add 70 g of water, bringing the total to 120g, and wait for it to draw down. 

For the remaining 60%:

• Option one: Complete two pours of 90 g to create a strong cup. Allow the water to pass through the coffee bed before beginning each new pour.
• Option two: For an even stronger cup, complete three pours of 60 g, allowing each pour to draw down before beginning the next one.
• Gently swirl the brewer after the final pour to ensure all the grounds are evenly saturated.

For a Medium-Light Roasted Coffee or a more Bright, Citrusy Brew

Think fruit-forward coffees, including Ethiopian or Colombian origins.

20g medium coarsely ground coffee

300g water, at 95-97 degrees C

For the first 40%:

• For a bright, clean cup, begin with a 70 g pour and gently swirl the brewer. Follow it with a 50 g pour, bringing the total to 120g.
  

For the remaining 60%:

• Option one: For a delicate coffee with floral or tea-like notes, complete one continuous pour of 180 g to help keep the cup light.
• Option two: To highlight citrus notes and create a stronger cup with more noticeable acidity, complete two pours of 90 g.

What Are Some Other Important Considerations?

Ratio: The brewing ratio compares the amount of ground coffee with the amount of water used. If you find the coffee too strong at the gioven 1:15 ratio, feel free to reduce the strength by adding more water, for a 1:16 or 1:17 ratio.

Water temperature: Lower (92-93C) water temperatures can work well for darker roasts and may help reduce bitter or overly roasted flavours. Lighter coffees often benefit from higher temperatures (95-97C), which can help extract more of their sweetness, acidity and complexity.

Grind Size: If you find that your pours are going way faster than our recommended timelines (under 2min 30), or you feel the cup is quite weak, try grinding a bit finer! If your draw down is taking significantly longer (over 4min 30) you may be grinding too fine! Agitating the cup too much by pouring very aggressively or swirling too often can also slow draw down time, which can lead to over extraction and bitterness.

Equipment: Pour-over brewing has evolved to offer plenty of options for experimenting with different techniques and flavour profiles. Here are some of our top picks:

• The Hario V60 is a classic choice for anyone getting started with pour-over, giving you plenty of control over your brew. This kit includes what you need to get started.
• We love the Origami for its 20-rib design, which creates airflow between the brewer and filter to support an even extraction. Explore the Origami Air M Dripper.
• The Kalita Wave features a flat bottom and three drainage holes, helping create a more balanced and consistent extraction. Explore the Kalita Wave 155 Brewer.
• The Brewista Artisan Variable Temperature Kettle 1.0L with a Gooseneck Spout delivers a consistent, repeatable temperature with a smooth, controllable pour, making splitting your pour up a breeze.

There you have it: a comprehensive guide to Tetsu Kasuya's 4:6 Method, along with some of our preferred ways to adjust it.

 Let us know what you think in the comments, connect with us through email or social media, or visit us in-store. We’d love to hear about your experience with the method!

Happy brewing, everyone!