I have had a Hario Switch for about 10 months. I use a regular V60 more, but usually try a new coffee a time or two in the Switch. Since I mainly brew low to mid 20 grams of coffee, I have a V60 size 03 that I use in it, so I can do a full pour.

Today, wanting to use a size 02 filter, because I have about 1500 of them, I tried a hybrid method, where I kept the Switch closed for only 60% of the brew and then open for the rest of the brew. It worked out very well, and was very similar to the regular full pour Switch brew I did with the same coffee.

Here is what I did. 24.8g of coffee - target was 16:1 ratio so targeted 396.8ml water. First I pour, more rapidly than a normal V60, ~240ml of water, I let it sit for 35 seconds. Then I stirred the top and middle and let it sit in that state until 0:55 second mark. I then opened the Switch. At the 1:30 mark - I timed it to begin at 1:30 but water had drawn down to ~cm above grounds, I left the Switch open and finished the rest of the pour with a more normal pour flow rate for V60. It finished at 3:23 which is around the same time I got in a normal two pour V60 with the same coffee, and almost 1 minute faster than a full Switch in a 03 with release at 2:30 took for same coffee.

Its weird, but I get better results with my high aggitation switch technique than the v60 for the same filters, coffee, water, temp. I do grind a bit finer with the switch but the finer grind in the v60 tastes over extracted. I am using a 1:17 ratio, 13g ground at 2 on a fellow ode with stock burrs for the switch and 3 for the v60.

v60: bloom for 30 sec, then single pour to 220g should complete by 2:40
switch: bloom for 30 sec with a swirl to ensure all grounds are wet, then add the rest of the water quickly till 220g, and start agitating with a spoon with a mix of stirring and excavating till 2:30 then flip the switch. should complete by 3:30-4:00

After experimenting with full immersion using the Switch, I've settled (for now) on using the steeping only for the bloom phase.
My recipe is 15g coffee + 185g water, typically yielding about 155g beverage (1:10 yes I know it's more concentrated compared to the "usual").
I am using Sibarist fast flowing filters.

Place the filter in the Switch and pre-rinse with hot water and drain.
Add coffee.
Bloom Pour: ad 60g water to the coffee and let steep for 60 sec (timer begins when pour starts)
Pour 2: Press the switch while beginning to add the next 60g water. Swirl. Wait until most of the water is drained but the bed is still slightly under water.
Pour 3: Add the remaining 65g water. Swirl. Let drain to completion.

Typically ~3:00 to 3:30 is total time
TDS is in the range 2.0 to 2.25% resulting in a total extraction of about 20 to 23%. Typically it's in the middle of that range.

jmotzi wrote: TDS is in the range 2.0 to 2.25% resulting in a total extraction of about 20 to 23%. Typically it's in the middle of that range.

What do you use to measure? I would like to measure but the lower price tools seem inaccurate and the "good" ones are hundreds of dollars.

I use the "good" (expensive) one = VST

Acavia wrote:I have had a Hario Switch for about 10 months. I use a regular V60 more, but usually try a new coffee a time or two in the Switch. Since I mainly brew low to mid 20 grams of coffee, I have a V60 size 03 that I use in it, so I can do a full pour.

Today, wanting to use a size 02 filter, because I have about 1500 of them, I tried a hybrid method, where I kept the Switch closed for only 60% of the brew and then open for the rest of the brew. It worked out very well, and was very similar to the regular full pour Switch brew I did with the same coffee.

Here is what I did. 24.8g of coffee - target was 16:1 ratio so targeted 396.8ml water. First I pour, more rapidly than a normal V60, ~240ml of water, I let it sit for 35 seconds. Then I stirred the top and middle and let it sit in that state until 0:55 second mark. I then opened the Switch. At the 1:30 mark - I timed it to begin at 1:30 but water had drawn down to ~cm above grounds, I left the Switch open and finished the rest of the pour with a more normal pour flow rate for V60. It finished at 3:23 which is around the same time I got in a normal two pour V60 with the same coffee, and almost 1 minute faster than a full Switch in a 03 with release at 2:30 took for same coffee.

most extraction seems to happen early on, especially with the agitation happening that you described which would effectively mean most extraction would be through full immersion. it would be interesting to separate the brew from "switch mode" to "pour-over mode" in two different cups and see what the difference is. it might be the last bit is heavily diluted with a lot of the water escaping via bypass but not much extraction happening. the first batch would have the same bypass shortcomings except that the coffee has been "steeping" for a full minute before "releasing".