Sound Coffee

Brew Guides

Make it count.

How we brew our coffee at home. These recipes are dialed in for light roasts, with gear you probably already own.

Hario Switch — Hot
Pour OverHybridHot

Hario Switch Hybrid

Our Daily Driver

The Hario Switch lets you do immersion and pour-over in one device. Bloom with the valve closed so the grounds steep, then open it and let gravity do the rest. You end up with more body than a V60 and more clarity than a French press.

Equipment

Hario Switch Immersion BrewerConical Filter PaperPouring KettleScaleTimerServer (or mug)

Recipe — 16:1 Ratio

Coffee

20g

medium-fine

Total Water

320g

~94°C / 201°F

Brew Time

3:10

Steps

0

Prep

Rinse the paper filter with hot water (switch UP so water drains through). Discard rinse water. Add 20g coffee, level the bed. Switch stays UP (closed).
1

0:00 — Bloom

Pour 60g water over the grounds. Switch stays UP (closed).

Immersion extraction — the grounds steep in the bloom water.

2

0:30 — Main Pour

Pour to 200g total (+140g). Slow, circular motion. Switch stays UP.
↓

1:10 — Release the Valve

Push the switch DOWN. The slurry begins draining through the paper filter.

Transition from immersion to pour-over drawdown.

4

Continuous Pour

Pour the remaining 120g water slowly and steadily to reach 320g total. Gentle circular motion — keep the stream thin.
✓
~3:10 — Drawdown complete. Enjoy.

Why Hybrid?

With the switch up, the grounds just sit in water. You can't really mess it up. With the switch down, water drains through like a normal pour-over, which cleans up the cup. So you get the body from steeping and the clarity from filtering, without needing perfect pouring technique.

Hario Switch — Iced
Pour OverImmersionIced

Iced Switch Pour Over

Hario Switch · Japanese-Style Iced

Japanese-style iced coffee through the Switch. You brew hot with less water than usual, and it drains onto ice in the server. The flash cooling keeps the bright, fruity notes that cold brew tends to flatten out.

Equipment

Hario Switch Immersion BrewerConical Filter PaperPouring KettleScaleTimerServer (or mug)Ice

60/40 Water/Ice · 16:1 Ratio

Coffee

20g

medium-fine

Hot Water

190g

~94°C / 201°F

Ice (in server)

130g

Brew Time

~2:00

Ratios are approximate — rounded for easy measuring and memorization.

Steps

0

Prep

Add 130g ice to your server. Rinse the paper filter (switch UP). Discard rinse water. Add 20g coffee, level the bed. Switch UP (closed).
1

0:00 — Bloom

Pour 60g hot water over the grounds. Switch stays UP (closed).
2

0:30 — Main Pour

Pour remaining 130g water to reach 190g total. Switch stays UP.
↓

1:10 — Release the Valve

Push the switch DOWN. Hot coffee drains directly onto ice.

Flash-cooling preserves volatile aromatics that heat destroys.

✓
Drawdown finishes. Swirl to melt remaining ice, then serve over fresh ice. Enjoy.

Tips

  • Shines with fruity, floral light roasts — the flash-cooling preserves delicate aromatics.
  • Melt all ice in the server before pouring over fresh ice to get the right dilution.
  • The 60/40 water/ice split is adjustable — use more ice for a lighter, more refreshing cup, less for a bolder concentrate.
Hario V60 — Iced
Pour OverPercolationIced

Classic Iced V60

Hario V60 · Japanese-Style Iced

The standard Japanese iced pour-over. Three pours through a V60 dripping straight onto ice. Same idea as the Switch version but without the immersion step. Use this if you don't have a Hario Switch, but you do have a V60 (or other dripper).

Equipment

Hario V60 DripperV60 Filter PaperPouring KettleScaleTimerServer (or mug)Ice

60/40 Water/Ice · 16:1 Ratio

Coffee

20g

medium-fine

Hot Water

190g

~91°C / 196°F

Ice (in server)

130g

Brew Time

~2:30

Steps

0

Prep

Add 130g ice to your server. Rinse the paper filter with hot water, discard rinse. Add 20g coffee, level the bed.
1

0:00 — First Pour (Bloom)

Pour 50g water over the grounds in ~10 seconds. Let it bloom.
2

0:40 — Second Pour

Pour 75g water (125g total) in ~10 seconds. Slow, steady circles from center outward.
3

1:10 — Third Pour

Pour 65g water (190g total). This is the gentlest pour — thin stream, minimal agitation.
✓
~2:30 — Drawdown complete. Swirl to melt ice, serve over fresh ice.

Tips

  • Finish each pour in about 10 seconds — don't pour too slowly or the bed will drain unevenly.
  • The third pour should be the gentlest — by now the bed is thin and disturbing it can cause channeling.
  • This is the go-to iced method if you don't have a Switch. Same ice ratio, same great results.