Hario V60 alternative filter papers - Rombouts No.4 white filters.

MWJB

Since Hario replaced their white, tabbed V60 filters with the ‘green stripe’ version in January 2023 I have been looking for an easy to find, affordable, well stocked replacement.

I dabbled with the Cafec filters (of which, the Abaca seem to be the earliest version of the V60 white tabless), but results weren’t that promising. Plus the differing versions, each of which have 2 designations, seem a pain, as does domestic shipping cost.

I also tried the LilyDrip Lotos, a device that converts V60/Switch to Kalita flat bottomed filter use. I think this is more of a ‘get you home’ in an emergency fix, rather that an everyday solution. Compared to Kalita Wave brews, Hario with the Lotos always seemed siltier & drier.

I compared the Rombouts No.4 against Chemex full circle white filters (trimmed to fit) and the ‘medium crepe inside & out’, Japanese, tabbed white Hario filters, which were available up until a few months ago (and now seem to be completely replaced with new stock). I did 10 brews with each of the 3 filters, the same 10 coffees used in each case.

I had a slight preference for the Rombouts & medium crepe papers compared to the Chemex, but then I’ve never been blown away by the Chemex filters (but they’re better than the green stripe Hario). If you’re good with the Chemex filters you may not need to read further.

For the Chemex & Rombouts I ground coarser (6.67 on Ode V1.1, 6% 400Kruve) & stretched out the pour rate from 40g every 40s (200g total) with the medium crepe, to 30g every 30s (210g total) for the former two. Rombouts 2 pours in the centre of the Drip Assist, then the remaining 5 in the ring. With the Chemex filters, 3 pours in the centre and 4 in the ring.

More details in the description of the video.

LMSC

MWJB For the Chemex & Rombouts I ground coarser (6.67 on Ode V1.1, 6% 400Kruve)

Doesn’t 6% 400 Kruve give a weak cup? Thx

MWJB

LMSC No, because the pour rate is slower to bring the EY back into range. The brews can get rather silty if brewing with much finer grinds like 12%400, also note that when I was using 10-12% with Zero & Feldgrind, the Ode was at 9%, despite making a finer grind overall it seems to have less below 400Kruve than some other grinders.

Platypus

I have quite a few newer Hario papers to get through and have been wanting to ask a question that will probably make your eyes roll but here goes anyway… would it work turning the filter inside out so that the rough side is in contact with the coffee or even doubling them up to slow draw down? 😬

MWJB

Platypus I don’t know regarding the 2 options - I’ll give them a go.

Note that slowing the brew down is only one (only very slightly faster), minor aspect, as somehow you need to lift the extraction without creating more silt by grinding finer.

MWJB

Platypus … would it work turning the filter inside out so that the rough side is in contact with the coffee or even doubling them up to slow draw down?

I tried a brew with doubled up ‘smooth inner/med crepe outer’ Hario papers. compared to the old papers, the brew still ran 9s faster, it extracted the same, but again, no notes/acidity. The resulting cup tasted like instant coffee, nice instant, but not something I’d recognise as filter drip/pour over.

I’ll have another go in the coming days, with a coarser grind & slowed pour, to see if I can brighten up the cup.

MWJB

MWJB Has anyone else tried ‘inside out’ Hario filters? Seems incredibly fiddly & time consuming.

Extracted essentially the same as the medium crepe paper (both between 20.5% & 21%), a tad faster (8s can’t say whether this is significant)), but the flavour was awful - no acidity, silty & dry. Unless there is a quicker, easier method to turning the papers inside out, I don’t think I’ll be doing this again.

Platypus

MWJB the flavour was awful - no acidity, silty & dry.

Whoops! I guess that answers my question then.

Thanks for taking the time to give it a go.

Jony

Been using No.4 for over a year . Now and at £1.50 they are god dam cheap

wintoid

In your video, your final pour is at 3.00 and you say the bed is dry at 3.23. Doesn’t that mean that your pours are going through faster than 30 seconds, and the bed is sitting dry for part of the time you’re brewing? If so, is that something to be avoided?

MWJB

wintoid I don’t think so. The speed at which the water flows through the bed is dependent on the individual coffee being used. For my 10 test brews with the Rombouts paper average brew time was 3:42 (ranging from 3:25 to 4:31), average extraction 19.5%, the 3:23brew in the video was a Kenyan and EY was 21.2% - Kenyans tend to be on the more soluble side & can extract normally in less time.

I don’t see any particularly close relationship with brew/flow time and extraction. It’s most important to focus on the pour rate/speed, keep it consistent and let total brew time fall out naturally. Obviously, if all your brews at a given setting average peculiarly fast and generally taste under, then you probably need to adjust grind. Likewise, if all are too long/fine. But I don’t adjust grind based on the result from one bean/bag, as you can end up in a spiral of unnecessary adjustments and inconsistent extractions.

You can also tweak an individual coffee, if necessary, by stretching out the pour to lift extraction (say 25g/30s), speed it up to drop it (say 40g/40s), without changing grind size.

LMSC

@MWJB Have you come across these please?

https://www.ueshimacoffeecompany.com/collections/brewing-equipment-and-accessories/products/cotton-filter-paper-2cups

MWJB

LMSC Sorry, I haven’t. I’m done with 60degree V cone filter papers, too many small supplier/inconsistent supply issues. Shipping not stated on the Ueshima site. Brew guide looks unrepeatable/like no one has actually attempted it.

LMSC

MWJB Thx.

Apparently, free delivery over £20.00 or £2.50 postage. Am thinking of getting a bag of 60 and see. I can only go by taste. Happy to send a half of them for you to try, should you be interested in testing as you have experimented so many of them. Of course, I understand that you have drawn a line over V cone filter papers.

I am also thinking if I should try Clever 1 cup as a Hybrid. Hahaha.

BTW, you have done an awesome job of experimenting loads of filter papers and sharing your results using Rombouts 4. Thx VM. 😊

MWJB

MWJB I tried a brew with doubled up ‘smooth inner/med crepe outer’ Hario papers. compared to the old papers, the brew still ran 9s faster, it extracted the same, but again, no notes/acidity. The resulting cup tasted like instant coffee, nice instant, but not something I’d recognise as filter drip/pour over.

I’ll have another go in the coming days, with a coarser grind & slowed pour, to see if I can brighten up the cup.

Just tried another doubled up, green stripe paper brew, coarser grind (6.67 on Ode V1.1), 7×30g every 30s, first 3 in centre of Drip Assist. Average EY for this coffee 18.9%, this brew 19.8%, again generic, no acidity or notes.

LMSC

I grabbed the Cleved Filtropa Size 4 folded to the Hario Switch. I also brewed the same Raves’ Guatemala with the V60 01 filter paper on the Switch. I thought the Filtropa 4 tasted a bit better in terms of acidity and notes than the 01. The only challenge was I ended up having a tiny silty cup. I can’t measure the yield, though. This was just one brew at 12% 400 Kruve. Both were Hybrid brews (the first 2 pours the switch closed, the remaining 3 as a normal V60). May be, I will have another go with another coffee.

Nevertheless, considering, I have the Clever and the Swiss Gold filter lying unused, I will brew a few Hybrid and see. I also have a bag of Ueshima V60 filter paper in the post.

LMSC

MWJB By any chance, did you brew Hybrid Hario using Clever size 04 pr 1 cup paper please ? Thx

MWJB

LMSC I haven’t done any hybrid brews with the Switch.

LMSC

MWJB Hope you may consider testing this as well. 😀

MWJB

LMSC What are your intervals between pours?

All poured direct from the kettle (e.g. no Drip Assist/strainer)?