Before you even pack your V60, check your beans. Stale beans—or pre-ground coffee that sat in a bag for weeks—will lack aroma no matter how you brew. For wholesale evaluation, you need beans roasted within the last 2–4 weeks, and you should grind them right before brewing. If you're tasting several lots side by side, write down roast dates and keep a log.

Also check your water. Tap water with heavy chlorine or mineral content can mute aromatics. If your tap water tastes flat, use filtered water. And water temperature matters: if you're using a gooseneck kettle without a thermometer, you might be brewing cooler than you think.