“Slow,” “gentle,” and “elegant” are words that describe most pour-over brewing techniques. But—as with everything—there are exceptions. There are countless ways to brew pour-over coffee, and a few of them are surprisingly rough. One of the most unusual methods is what I’m sharing today: the Rao Spin.
How rough are we talking? Well, in addition to stirring the coffee bed with a spoon, this method literally requires you to pick up the dripper and shake it vigorously during the brew. It looks almost reckless, but don’t let the appearance fool you—there’s solid reasoning behind it. And the resulting flavor? Not to be underestimated. In fact, this method can be a lot more fun (and sometimes more effective) than many traditional pour-over approaches. That’s why it went viral the moment it was shared.
The person who popularized this technique is the coffee expert Scott Rao. You may not immediately recognize his name, but if you read coffee books, you’ve probably come across his work—The Coffee Roaster’s Companion, The Professional Barista’s Handbook, Everything but Espresso, and so on. With a background like that, it’s safe to assume his brewing foundation is solid.
One thing to clarify: Scott Rao did not invent this method. He stated clearly on his blog that he was simply sharing it after seeing someone else use it. The original inventor is unknown. But since Rao’s demonstration made the method famous, people began calling it the “Rao Spin.”
Like most pour-over techniques, the Rao Spin works with any roast level. Your choice of beans simply depends on your personal taste.
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If you prefer a heavy body and low acidity, go with medium-dark or dark roasts.
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If you enjoy fruitiness and a bright sweet–acidity balance, choose light to medium-light roasts.
With the basics covered, let’s dive into how to actually perform the Rao Spin.
Brewing Guide
Since Scott Rao only shared the general concept rather than exact parameters, you’ll need to adjust the recipe based on your equipment and coffee. For this demo, I used my Ethiopia “Gesha Village” beans, with the following parameters:
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Coffee dose: 15 g
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Ratio: 1:15
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Water temperature: 94°C (201°F)
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Grind: Slightly finer than usual, 80–85% pass-through on a 20-mesh sieve (Ek43 level 9 as reference)
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Dripper: V60, size 02, resin version
Before brewing, here are two key notes:
1. Use a size 02 dripper
You’ll be pouring a large amount of water at once and shaking the dripper. The taller walls help prevent hot water from spilling. Size 01 can work, but it’s harder to control.
2. Use a resin (plastic) dripper
Resin reduces the chance of burning your hands during shaking. And even if you slip, the dripper won’t shatter.
3. Manage fines
If your grinder produces lots of fines, sift some out before brewing. When shaken, excess fines can easily clog the filter—something I experienced repeatedly with hand grinders.
Step-by-Step: How to Do the Rao Spin
1. Bloom
Pour three times the weight of your grounds (45 g of water).
After pouring, stir the bed with a spoon. The goal is simple: help water fully saturate the grounds and release gas more efficiently. Stir a few rounds and let bloom for about 30 seconds.
2. Full Pour
After blooming, pour all remaining water in one continuous circular motion. Yes, all of it.
Even though the volume is large, try to pour with a slightly thinner stream to prolong extraction.
Avoid pouring directly onto the dripper walls to minimize bypass.
3. Scrape the walls
After the pour, you’ll notice some coffee grounds stuck to the dripper walls. Use your spoon to gently scrape them back into the slurry.
4. The Spin
Once the water drains to about halfway down the dripper, lift it and shake it in a circular motion—3–4 spins are enough.
The purpose of the shake is to increase extraction in the latter half of brewing by redistributing the slurry and encouraging more even contact. But don’t overdo it—too much shaking increases the chance of clogging.
5. Drain & finish
Let the coffee drip through completely, then remove the dripper.
Total time: about 2 minutes 15 seconds, very similar to a conventional pour-over.
The resulting cup of this Ethiopia was beautifully balanced—strawberry, citrus, creaminess, floral notes, and a pleasant lingering finish. A lovely brew.
Final Thoughts
This brewing method is genuinely fun and produces delicious results. So if you have time to experiment, definitely give it a try. But remember: just like any other brewing style, the extraction parameters matter far more than how you stir or shake. If the grind and ratio are off, even the best spin won’t save the cup.
Dial in your parameters first, then play with the shake. That’s the real secret to brewing a great cup with the Rao Spin.