Tetsu Kasuya 4:6 Method: Complete V60 Recipe Guide

Tetsu Kasuya is a Japanese barista who won the 2016 World Brewers Cup (WBrC) — the first Asian competitor to win the event. The recipe he used, the 4:6 Method, has since become one of the most widely adopted pour-over techniques among coffee enthusiasts worldwide.

What makes the 4:6 Method compelling isn't complexity — it's clarity. The recipe isolates flavor variables in a way that makes adjustments logical rather than intuitive.

The Core Concept

The method divides your total water into two distinct phases:

First 40% (2 pours): Controls flavor profile — the balance of acidity and sweetness
Last 60% (3 pours): Controls strength — how concentrated the final cup is

This division means you can adjust taste and strength independently — changing the flavor character without changing the strength, or vice versa.

Standard Recipe (20g / 300ml)

Parameter	Value
Coffee dose	20g
Total water	300ml
Ratio	1:15
Grind size	Slightly coarser than standard V60
Water temperature	93°C
Pour interval	45 seconds

The Five Pours

Pour	Amount	Cumulative	Purpose
1st	50ml	50ml	Bloom + acidity
2nd	70ml	120ml	Sweetness (completes 40%)
3rd	60ml	180ml	Strength (1 of 3)
4th	60ml	240ml	Strength (2 of 3)
5th	60ml	300ml	Strength (3 of 3)

Each pour is separated by 45 seconds. If the previous pour hasn't fully drained at the 45-second mark, pour anyway — the timing matters more than waiting for complete drainage.

4:6 Method (V60)

Total 3:30–4:00

Set up V60 with server. Rinse paper filter with hot water

Discard rinse water; preheat server

Add 20g of coffee; level the bed

Use slightly coarser than standard V60 grind

Zero your scale and start timer

Pour 1 (0

00)

Wait 45 seconds — observe the bloom

A big bloom means fresh beans

Pour 2 (0

45)

Wait 45 seconds (at 1

30)

Pour 3 (1

30)

Pour 4 (2

15)

Pour 5 (3

00)

All water should drain by 3

30–4

Flavor Adjustment: The 40% Phase

Adjusting Acidity vs. Sweetness

Change the distribution of pours 1 and 2 while keeping the total (120ml) constant:

Distribution	Effect
Pour 1: 60ml / Pour 2: 60ml	More acidic and bright
Pour 1: 50ml / Pour 2: 70ml	Standard balance
Pour 1: 40ml / Pour 2: 80ml	More sweet, less acidic

Why this works: The first pour extracts predominantly acidic and fruity compounds (early extraction). A larger first pour means a higher ratio of those compounds. A larger second pour shifts the ratio toward sweetness compounds that extract in the middle phase.

Master the standard first The power of the 4:6 Method is adjustment clarity — but only if you have a stable baseline to adjust from. Brew the standard recipe (50ml / 70ml / 60ml × 3) at least 5–10 times before changing anything. When your hands know the rhythm, adjustments become genuinely informative experiments.

Strength Adjustment: The 60% Phase

Controlling Body

Change the number of pours in the 60% phase while keeping the total (180ml) constant:

Number of Pours	Pour Sizes	Effect
2 pours (90ml × 2)	Larger	Fuller body, more concentrated
3 pours (60ml × 3)	Standard	Balanced body
4 pours (45ml × 4)	Smaller	Lighter body, more transparent

Why this works: More, smaller pours keep the coffee bed more agitated throughout extraction, resulting in slightly higher extraction and more body. Fewer, larger pours are gentler.

Grind Size

The 4:6 Method specifies slightly coarser than standard V60 grind.

Why Coarser?

The five-pour structure already provides good agitation and contact. A coarser grind prevents over-extraction across the ~3:30–4:00 total brew time.

Calibration by Brew Time

Result	Adjustment
Total brew time under 3:30	Go slightly finer
Total brew time over 4:00	Go slightly coarser
3:30–4:00	Grind is calibrated

Roast-Level Adjustments

Roast	Adjustment
Light	Fine end of the range (denser beans resist extraction)
Medium	Standard setting
Dark	Coarser (more porous structure extracts quickly)

Temperature

Standard: 93°C

Adjust based on roast level:

Roast	Temperature
Light	92–96°C
Medium	90–93°C
Dark	85–90°C

Common Questions

What if the water drains too fast between pours?

Go slightly finer. If it drains before 45 seconds consistently, the grind is too coarse for your specific setup.

Can I scale the recipe?

Yes. Maintain the 1:15 ratio:

15g coffee → 225ml water (pours: 37.5ml / 52.5ml / 45ml × 3)
30g coffee → 450ml water (pours: 75ml / 105ml / 90ml × 3)

What beans work best?

Light to medium single origins produce the clearest demonstration of the 40% adjustment. Ethiopian, Kenyan, and Colombian coffees — with pronounced sweetness and acidity — are excellent starting points.

Why the 4:6 Method Works

Traditional pour-over involves pouring in one to three pours, with flavor adjustment happening through grind, temperature, and pour speed. These variables are hard to isolate and measure in the moment.

The 4:6 Method converts flavor adjustment into a quantity decision: how much goes in pour 1 vs. pour 2? This is easy to measure, easy to record, and easy to change systematically.

The result is a recipe where you can genuinely say "I made it more acidic by putting 10ml more in the first pour" — and verify that claim the next time.

Summary

First 40% (2 pours): Controls flavor profile — more in pour 1 = more acidity; more in pour 2 = more sweetness
Last 60% (3 pours): Controls strength — more pours = lighter body; fewer pours = fuller body
45-second intervals: Fixed timing reduces variables; let the quantity do the work
Total brew time 3:30–4:00: Calibration target for grind size

The 4:6 Method is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to understand pour-over systematically — and for anyone who's frustrated by recipes that require "feel" rather than giving you clear levers to pull.