Nov 10, 2024

Hario Mugen/Switch Brewer Hack: How to Combine Two Great Coffee Tools for Better Brews

The Hario Mugen and Hario Switch are both excellent brewing tools, each offering unique features to help you make great pour-over coffee. The Hario Switch is a hybrid immersion dripper that lets you control the steeping time with a simple switch mechanism. Meanwhile, the Hario Mugen is designed for easy, continuous pour-overs thanks to its ridged walls that promote even extraction.

By combining these two brewers, you can create a more versatile brewing setup that blends the immersion benefits of the Switch with the smooth flow control of the Mugen. This hack is straightforward and will give you a unique, controlled brewing process that leads to great-tasting coffee.

In this guide, we'll show you how to "hack" the Hario Switch and Mugen together, followed by a recommended recipe to help you get the best out of this pairing.

Why Hack the Hario Mugen and Switch Together?

1. Enhanced Control Over Brewing Process

The Hario Switch allows you to fully immerse the coffee grounds in water and control the exact time the coffee begins to drip into your cup by flipping the switch.
The Mugen dripper, on the other hand, excels at promoting even extraction with its continuous pour-over design, but without immersion control. Combining the two gives you the best of both worlds: immersion brewing for saturation and pour-over for precise control over flow and extraction.

2. Consistent Flavor and Body

Immersion brewing helps extract richer, fuller flavors from the coffee because the grounds are fully soaked, while the Mugen’s single-ridge design ensures even saturation during the final drip process, creating balanced coffee with clarity and body.

3. Versatility in Recipes

Whether you prefer a short immersion time for bright, vibrant coffees or a longer steep for a full-bodied cup, this combo gives you complete control over how you brew. You can use different water-to-coffee ratios, grind sizes, and brewing times to create the exact profile you’re looking for.

Hacking the Hario Mugen and Switch Together

The hack itself is very simple, and once you have both brewers, it requires no special modifications. Here’s how to combine the two:

What You’ll Need:

Hario Switch (including the dripper, switch mechanism, and base)
Hario Mugen (just the dripper itself)
Coffee grounds
Filter papers (V60 filters work best)
Kettle with a gooseneck spout (optional but recommended for precise pouring)
Digital scale (optional for accuracy)
Timer (for precise brew timing)

The Hack:

Prepare the Hario Switch: Set up the Hario Switch by placing it on top of your mug or server. Make sure the switch is set to the "off" position, so no liquid will drain while you pour water into the brewer.
Insert the Mugen into the Switch: Simply place the Hario Mugen dripper into the Switch base. The Mugen dripper will sit comfortably inside the Switch, functioning as the brewing chamber. The design of both brewers makes them naturally compatible.
Insert a Filter: Place your filter (preferably a standard V60 paper filter) inside the Mugen dripper and rinse it with hot water to remove any papery taste and preheat the dripper. Discard the rinse water.
Add Coffee Grounds: Add your ground coffee into the filter. For this recipe, we recommend starting with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio. For example, use 20 grams of coffee for 300 grams of water.

The Hario Mugen/Switch Recipe: Balanced, Rich, and Clean

Now that your Mugen/Switch setup is ready, here’s a step-by-step recipe to maximize flavor and balance.

Step 1: Grind the Coffee

Grind Size: Use a medium-fine grind size, similar to table salt. This grind size is perfect for immersion brewing and will allow for even extraction without clogging the filter.
Amount: Use 20 grams of coffee for 300 grams of water (1:15 ratio).

Step 2: Heat the Water

Heat your water to 93°C (200°F), or just below boiling. Water that’s too hot can over-extract, while cooler water might under-extract and lead to flat flavors.

Step 3: Bloom

Start the brewing process by blooming the coffee. Pour 40 grams of water evenly over the coffee grounds to fully saturate them.
Stir the slurry gently to ensure all the grounds are wet.
Let the coffee bloom for 30 seconds to allow the gases to escape and prepare the grounds for even extraction.

Step 4: Add Water and Immersion Phase

After the bloom, pour water slowly in circular motions until you’ve reached 300 grams of water.
Stir the slurry gently to ensure even extraction.
Let the coffee steep for 1:30 to 2:00 minutes (depending on your preference). This is the immersion phase, where the Switch's valve remains closed.

Step 5: Flip the Switch

After the immersion phase, flip the Switch to the "open" position and let the coffee begin dripping through the filter.
The Mugen’s ridged walls help promote an even flow, ensuring that the coffee passes through the grounds at a consistent rate.
Allow the remaining liquid to drain into the cup. This should take about 30-45 seconds.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Once all the water has dripped through, your coffee is ready to serve.
Give it a quick swirl to combine all the layers of flavors and aromas.
The result will be a clean, bright cup with a rich body, thanks to the controlled immersion and precise dripping process.

Customizing Your Recipe

The beauty of the Hario Mugen/Switch hack is that it’s highly adaptable. You can adjust various parameters to suit your taste preferences:

Longer Immersion for More Body: If you prefer a fuller-bodied coffee, extend the immersion time to 2:30 or even 3 minutes before flipping the switch.
Coarser Grind for a Lighter Brew: If you want a lighter and more vibrant cup, try using a coarser grind and reducing the immersion time to about 1 minute.
Different Coffee-to-Water Ratios: Play around with the coffee-to-water ratio to achieve your desired strength. For a more intense brew, you can try a 1:14 ratio (e.g., 20 grams of coffee with 280 grams of water), or for a lighter brew, go for 1:16.
Stirring and Agitation: Stirring the coffee during the bloom and immersion phases helps ensure even extraction. However, if you want to bring out more subtle flavors, you can experiment with less agitation.

Why This Hack Works

The combination of the Hario Switch and Mugen dripper is a perfect balance between immersion and percolation brewing. The Switch allows the coffee to steep fully, extracting a rich body and deeper flavors, while the Mugen promotes an even, controlled drip process for clarity and brightness in the cup. By using this hack, you effectively create a hybrid brewing system that enhances both the complexity and the balance of your coffee.

Final Thoughts

The Hario Mugen/Switch hack is an easy way to elevate your brewing experience, giving you the benefits of immersion and drip brewing in one setup. Whether you prefer a rich, full-bodied coffee or a bright, crisp cup, this method offers flexibility and control over your brewing process. Try the recipe above, then tweak it to suit your personal taste, and enjoy a perfectly brewed cup of coffee every time!