Types of Coffee Brewing: The Most Common Techniques to Know
There’s nothing better than making a cup of coffee from the comfort of your own home, but with an endless array of brewing options, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. From pour over coffee brewing to the AeroPress® method, this article will help you decide which method is best for you.
At Fellow, coffee is what we know best, so sit back and relax, while our seasoned professionals guide you through various brewing techniques for that fantastic cup of coffee.
The Top Coffee Brewing Techniques Defined
With so many coffee brewing methods today, it can be hard to select your go-to technique. Is it pour-over, auto drip, French press, AeroPress®, or siphon brew?
We've compiled a list of the popular brewing methods below to help you understand the benefits of each, and their impact on the coffee flavor.
Pour Over
This pour-over method is one of the fastest and more economical ways to make a good cup of coffee. The most common technique used is a coffee cone and filter paper.
You can expect coffee that's soft and well-balanced, with just the right flavor. The results of the pour-over brewing method rely greatly on the rate and speed at which water passes through the coffee ground. Too fast and the taste can be sour or watery , but too slow and over-extraction could cause a bitter taste.
Besides the complex, flavorful coffee and delicious aroma, many people prefer this method which produces clear coffee with no sediment and lower natural oils, low costs, and fast brew time. Try this technique if you want a simple, yet fulfilling and engaging, coffee making process.
Here’s how to make a pour-over:-
Place 22 grams (approximately three tablespoons) of medium to medium-fine coffee grounds in the coffee cone at the top of the filter paper.
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Boil hot water in your gooseneck kettle, and let that hot water sit off the heat for about 20 seconds to cool to 205˚ F. Pro tip: take the manual work out and use Fellow’s Stagg EKG, Stagg EKG Pro, or Stagg EKG Pro Studio Edition to set the exact temperature.
- Shake your coffee dripper to even out your coffee grounds
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Pour the hot water into the cone, evenly over the grounds . Start at the center and move in a spiral to the edges and then back to the center.
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All grounds should be saturated, and the entire pour should take roughly 10 seconds.
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Repeat a pour of 10 seconds 3 more times, making sure to pour when the water is 1 inch above the bed of coffee.
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Your brewed coffee will drip slowly into your cup.
For more pour-over info, check out our Pour-Over Guide for Beginners.
French Press
The unique built-in filter in a French press makes brewing simple, quick, and hassle-free.
New coffee lovers will appreciate the easy process and, dare we say, one of the most flavorful coffees.
Here's how to make a French press brew:
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Grind your preferred coffee beans to a medium coarse to coarse size, as medium to fine grounds can give off bitter flavors due to over-extraction or can slip through the metal filter, creating extra sediment.
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Add your coffee to your French press —60 grams for one 840 gram French Press (approximately 10 tablespoons per 24oz).
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Add hot water (not boiling water) into the French press. Scalding hot water can extract flavor too quickly from the grounds and add an unpleasant, bitter taste to your coffee.
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Insert the plunger into the pot (it should be pulled back), place the lid on, and let the coffee brew for about four minutes. You may want to press the plunger down halfway at 2 minutes into the brew to soak all of your beans evenly!
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Plunge down slowly and steadily to force the grounds to the bottom of the pot.
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Serve your fresh brewed coffee.
For more French Press info, check out our French Press Guide for beginners.
AeroPress®
The compact, lightweight, and portable nature of the AeroPress® makes it popular among ardent travelers and campers who love coffee. It's easy to use and has a short brew time, plus, the brewing process gives you ultimate control of the flavor.
The AeroPress® is highly customizable and versatile, so you can experiment to find your perfect drink.
The basic parts used here are the filter, chamber, and plunger. Here’s how to make the perfect brew with the AeroPress® using the inverted AeroPress® method:
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Grind your coffee to medium-fine.
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Heat your water to boiling and let it cool for 20 or so seconds, or 200-205 if you’re using a temperature-controlled kettle.
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Put the filter (paper or metal) in the filter cap. Make sure to get the filter wet with a little hot water before brewing. Put the filter and filter cap aside.
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Push the plunger firmly onto the chamber on the side opposite of where the filter cap attaches, but only press it in approximately ½ inch and let the brewing begin.
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Stand the chamber near your mug and add 20g or around 3-4 tablespoons of coffee. Gently shake to level.
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Add around 200g or about 1 cup of water to the chamber
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Attach the filter inside the filter cap to the top of the chamber, twisting to lock in place
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Flip the AeroPress® onto a mug that you have nearby
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Apply gentle constant pressure– but don’t use too much muscle. If you notice significant resistance it may be a sign that the coffee grind is too fine.
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Once all water is pressed through, you should hear a “hiss”. To clean the grounds out of the chamber, above a trash can, remove the filter cap and push the plunger through until you hear the pop and the coffee grounds pop out.
Siphon
Also known as a vacuum pot, the siphon brewer can be complex to use at first, but once you master the art, you'll understand why people love this brew method.
The brewer uses a heat-generated vacuum to send water up toward the coffee grounds. When the beans are soaked, brewed coffee will be drawn back into the lower chamber.
Ready for a refreshing coffee-making process? Here’s the full brew guide for your perfect cup:
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Fasten the chain on the upper chamber down into the glass tube below. This step secures the filter.
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Put hot water in the bottom chamber.
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Position the top chamber on top of the lower one.
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Light the burner and put it under the lower chamber.
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Water should start rising into the upper chamber
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Once all water has risen to the upper chamber add medium ground coffee in the upper chamber. Turn off or blow out / remove heat.
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Stir clockwise 10 times.
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The coffee should now trickle down from the upper to the lower chamber.
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Take off the top chamber and serve the fresh, clean, smooth, and flavorful coffee created from a beautifully intricate brewing method.
Cold Brew
Cold brew is made by soaking fresh grounds in water for about 8 - 24 hours, and doesn't require specialized equipment. Since no heat is used to extract oil from the grounds, your coffee will be free of bitterness or acidity.
Our favorite part about this brew method is you can make a large batch and stock it in jars inside your fridge. Follow these steps to make cold brew at home:
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Place coarse grinds in the coffee strainer. The most recommended coffee-to-water ratio is 1 coffee to 10 water, for example 70 grams of beans for every 700 grams of water.
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Pour just about 700 grams of cold water into the pot.
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Seal with a lid.
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Put the pot or jar in the fridge and wait at least eight hours before removing it. The longer you leave it brewing, the stronger your coffee will be.
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When ready, remove the strainer and serve as-is or with ice.
How to Choose a New Coffee Brewing Technique to Try
Coffee brewing is an art you can perfect in the comfort of your own home. By identifying the type of coffee you want to drink and how simple or complex you want your brewing method to be, you'll be able to identify the best process for you.
Effort: Do you want a short brewing ritual or do you want to nerd-out with a complex and advanced process? Pour-overs, for instance, offer a short yet focused and precise morning ritual, while the siphon is great for the crafty person who loves a challenge.
Brewing time: Are you running out the door to make it to your morning meeting or do you kick off your day slowly and mindfully? This is an important factor to keep in mind when choosing a brewing method. French Press or pour-over coffee brewing is arguably the most efficient method. The patient coffee lover who prefers a siphon or pour-over might have to devote a few extra minutes to their morning routine to setup / brewing!
Lifestyle: Your daily routine or lifestyle choices can help you find the perfect brew style. More minimal brewing methods like the French press require less time and equipment.
Flavor: The flavor profiles of different methods are helpful in navigating your preferred brew method. Pour-over coffee is generally balanced and expressive, while the French press has a richer, heavier, and denser texture in comparison.
Go with your taste: There's no right or wrong way to brew coffee. What works well for one person might be a no-go for the next coffee lover. So trust your palate and find a method that makes coffee just the way you like it.
Versatile Coffee Gear for Trying Different Brewing Methods
Still hard to settle on one brewing method? Our Opus Conical Burr Grinder allows you to try out different brew methods! This powerful, classic, all-purpose grinder offers a superior coffee-making experience. You can now make hot espresso on a cold morning or go for the cold brew on a hot afternoon without having to buy new coffee gear.
This grinder's built-in conical burrs plus powerful motor, produces a consistent grind size each time, which means your next cup of coffee will be just as great as the previous one. Not to mention the calibrated lid gives a tool to measure your beans to the gram, precision settings optimize brewing, the anti static technology helps minimize messes, and the flashy design will make your kitchen pop.
Ready to try a new brew style? Check out our coffee kits to get all the equipment you need + save. Ready for some new recipes for the gear you’ve already got? We’ve got that too - check out our coffee recipes and how tos. Ready to level up your pour-over game? Check out our how to guide!