Short bloom, one continuous pour rising steadily, and a vigorous swirl (Rao Spin) that settles the bed. A "no breaks" style aimed at high, even extraction.
Scott Rao, coffee author and consultant ("The Coffee Roaster's Companion", "Everything but Espresso"), developed an approach aimed at high, even extraction — but in different ways from Japanese methods.
Rao's philosophy: uniform agitation, not multi-stage. Instead of splitting the brew into multiple pulses, he argues that pulses create uneven agitation and therefore uneven extraction. Instead — one continuous pour rising quickly, and at the end the Rao Spin.
Rao Spin (the signature swirl):
A vigorous rotation of the V60 at the end of the pour, creating strong circular motion. This achieves two things:
- Knocks down all particles stuck to the walls back into the brew — prevents under-extracted zones
- Levels the coffee bed — ensures even drawdown (if the bed is tilted, part drains fast and part slow = uneven extraction)
Bloom stir instead of swirl:
Rao prefers gentle spoon-stirring right after the bloom, instead of swirling. His reasoning: this guarantees full saturation of particles that float on top of the water.
Relatively fine grind:
Because a long drawdown (3:00–3:30) requires high resistance, achieving high extraction. Rao targets EY (Extraction Yield) of 21%–22% — very high.
His approach is debated: lack of multi-stage agitation emphasizes sweetness and body, sometimes at the cost of clarity. Doesn't fit every coffee — best with medium roasts and low-acidity beans.