Coffee Brewing Methods: A Complete Guide
There are countless ways to brew coffee, but they all fall into two categories: immersion and percolation. In immersion brewing, coffee grounds steep in water before being filtered out. In percolation brewing, water passes through a bed of grounds. Espresso is a special case: percolation under high pressure.
Each method extracts coffee differently, producing distinct flavors and textures. There’s no best method, only the method that suits your taste and lifestyle.
While we discuss below a number of very specific instructions for optimal taste, you can make this as complicated or simple as you like. We personally do use the v60 recipe below but, frankly, can't taste a massive difference with one long pour instead of 3 smaller ones.
How Do You Brew with Pour Over (V60, Chemex, Kalita Wave)?
Pour over is manual percolation. You pour hot water over grounds held in a filter; gravity does the rest. It rewards attention and gives you more control than any other method.
How we make it
Start by rinsing the paper filter with hot water directly in the dripper, then discard the rinse water. This removes any papery taste and preheats the vessel.
We use 200°F water and a ratio of 1:15 by weight: 20g of coffee to 300g of water for a standard 10oz cup. We prefer to grind the coffee medium-fine. This is finer than table salt, coarser than espresso.
Next you add your grounds and begin with the first bloom: pour 40g of water in slow circles, making sure all the grounds are saturated. Let it sit for 30 seconds. You'll see the bed puff and release gas. That's CO₂ escaping, which would otherwise interfere with even extraction.
Pour a second 40g in the same slow, circular motion and wait another 30 seconds. These two small pours build even saturation through the bed before the main extraction begins.
Then pour the remaining 220g in a slow, steady spiral from center outward, keeping the water level consistent without flooding the dripper. The coffee should finish draining by 2:30–3:00. If it drains faster, grind finer next time. If it's dragging past 3:00, go coarser.
Flavor profile
Clean, bright, and nuanced. Paper filters remove oils and fine particles, producing clarity that lets subtle flavor notes come through. One of the best methods for single-origin coffees.
You'll need
A pour over dripper, paper filters, a gooseneck kettle, a scale, and a timer. The gooseneck matters — it controls your pour.
How Do You Brew Coffee with a French Press?
French press is immersion brewing at its simplest. Grounds steep directly in water, then a metal mesh plunger separates them from the brew. The least fussy method for the biggest payoff in body and texture.
How we make it
We recommend to use a coarse grind, like think rough sea salt. The plunger should press down with moderate resistance. Too easy means you're too coarse; too hard means too fine.
We recommend to use a ratio of 1:15 by weight (30g coffee to 450g water) and water at 200°F. Before adding grounds, preheat the press by rinsing it with hot water and discarding.
Add your grounds, then pour all the water in one go, making sure all the grounds are saturated. Stir briefly, then place the plunger on top without pressing down. Set a timer for 4 minutes.
When the timer goes, press the plunger down slowly and steadily over about 30 seconds. Then pour immediately. Leaving brewed coffee sitting on the grounds after pressing continues extraction and pushes the cup toward bitter. If you're not drinking it all at once, pour the rest into a separate vessel.
Flavor profile
Full-bodied and textured. The metal mesh lets oils and fine particles through, creating a richer mouthfeel than filtered methods. Works especially well with coffees that have chocolate or stone fruit character.
You'll need
A French press, coarsely ground coffee, hot water, a scale, and a timer. No paper filters required.
How Do You Brew Coffee with an AeroPress?
The AeroPress combines immersion and gentle pressure. It's fast, portable, and more forgiving than most methods.
How we make it
Place a paper filter in the cap, rinse it with hot water, and attach it to the chamber. Set it on a sturdy mug.
Use a medium-fine grind and a ratio of 1:15; 15g of coffee to 225g of water works well for a standard cup. We recommend 200°F water since our roasts are on the lighter side. This is the range that produces proper extraction and flavor clarity. Lower temperatures, sometimes suggested in older AeroPress guides, tend to produce flat, under-extracted results with specialty coffee. If you're dialing in a darker roast and finding it harsh, you can drop toward the lower end of that range, but don't go below 190°F.
Add your grounds, then pour all the water in. Stir briefly for about 5–10 seconds, just to make sure everything is saturated. Steep for 1:30–2:00 minutes, then insert the plunger and press down slowly and steadily over about 30 seconds. Stop pressing when you hear a hiss.
Flavor profile
Smooth, versatile, and clean. Sits somewhere between pour over clarity and French press body. One of the easiest methods to experiment with — try adjusting temperature, steep time, and ratio one variable at a time.
You'll need
An AeroPress, paper filters, a stirrer, and a sturdy mug.
What Is Drip Coffee Maker?
An automatic drip machine does what pour over does, just without your involvement. Water heats, distributes over grounds, and drains into a carafe.
How we make it
Use a medium grind and a ratio of 1:15 to 1:17 depending on your preferred strength. The narrower the ratio, the stronger the cup.
The main variable you can't control on most machines is water temperature. Look for brewers that heat water to 195–205°F. Many budget machines fall well short of this and underextract, producing flat, slightly sour coffee. Machines certified by the SCA reach the right temperature and distribute water evenly. If your drip coffee consistently disappoints and you're using good beans, the machine is usually the first thing to look at.
Flavor profile
Consistent and balanced when the machine is doing its job. Good drip is genuinely underrated. A well-calibrated machine rivals most manual methods for everyday drinking.
You'll need
A drip coffee maker and filters. SCA-certified brewers are worth the upgrade if you drink coffee every day.
How Do You Brew Espresso at Home?
Espresso is coffee brewed under pressure. Hot water is forced through finely ground, tightly packed coffee , producing a concentrated shot.
How we make it
We recommend to use a fine grind, the finest of any brewing method. Dose your portafilter basket (18g is a reliable starting point for a double shot), distribute the grounds evenly across the basket, and tamp level with firm, consistent pressure. Tamp for evenness, not force. What matters is that the puck is level and consistent every time.
Target a 1:2 ratio by weight: 18g in, 36g out. Grind size is your primary lever. If the shot pulls too fast, grind finer. If it's choking, grind coarser.
Expect some trial and error when switching to a new coffee or after your grinder shifts. Since our coffees are lightly roasted, we recommend starting at a very fine grind as you try to dial-in the espresso. A shot that tastes sour is usually underextracted (too fast, grind finer). A shot that tastes harsh and dry is usually overextracted (too slow, grind coarser).
Flavor profile
Intense, concentrated, and syrupy. The base for all milk drinks, lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites.
How Do You Make Cold Brew Coffee?
Cold brew steeps coarsely ground coffee in cold water for an extended period. Time replaces heat as the extraction agent, producing a smooth, low-acidity cup.
How we make it
First, decide what you're making: concentrate or drinking-strength.
For concentrate (the more efficient approach): use a ratio of 1:5 by weight, 100g coffee to 500g water. The result is strong enough to dilute 1:1 with water or milk before drinking, effectively doubling your yield. This is how most coffee shops produce cold brew.
For ready-to-drink (no dilution needed): use 1:8 to 1:15.
Use a coarse grind, just a step or two finer than you'd use for French press. A medium-coarse grind helps pull out enough sweetness without over-extracting during the long steep.
Combine grounds and cold water, stir briefly to ensure everything is wet, and steep in the refrigerator for 18–24 hours. Storing in the fridge produces a cleaner-tasting brew and eliminates any food safety concerns that come with leaving coffee out at room temperature for extended periods.
Strain through a paper filter or fine mesh strainer to remove grounds. Concentrate keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks in a sealed container.
Flavor profile
Smooth, sweet, and low in acidity. Cold water extracts fewer acidic compounds, producing a mellow, chocolatey character. Works particularly well with natural-process coffees.
You'll need
A container, a fine mesh strainer or paper filter, coarsely ground coffee, and patience.
What Is Moka Pot?
Invented in Italy in 1933, the Moka Pot brews strong coffee by passing steam-pressurized water through grounds. Often called stovetop espresso, though the pressure is much lower, and there's no espresso-like crema.
How we make it
Fill the bottom chamber with preheated water (just off boil) up to the safety valve, and not above it. Using preheated water is important: cold water means the grounds sit over rising heat for longer, which scorches them before extraction even begins and is the most common cause of harsh, bitter moka pot coffee.
Add a medium-fine grind to the filter basket, roughly the texture of table salt, and level it off. Do not tamp. The moka pot is not an espresso machine. Tamping restricts water flow, builds excessive pressure, and over-extracts. Just level and move on.
Assemble the pot and place it on the stove over medium-low heat. High heat causes pressure to build too fast, pushing toward burnt and bitter. When you see coffee beginning to flow into the upper chamber in a steady stream, watch closely. The moment it starts sputtering or gurgling, remove from heat immediately. Residual heat will finish the extraction. Before pouring, give the coffee in the upper chamber a quick stir to even out the layers.
A note on roast level
The moka pot works best with medium to dark roasts. Lighter roasts can be tricky to extract evenly under the moka pot's heat and pressure, often producing a sour or unbalanced cup. If you're brewing our coffees in a moka pot, expect a bit of experimentation, and consider a slightly finer grind and lower heat than you might otherwise use. We've found it bit tougher to get our coffees to work on a moka pot, although not impossible!
Flavor profile
Strong, bold, and rich. More concentrated than drip, less syrupy than espresso. Great on its own or as the base for a simple milk drink.
You'll need
A moka pot and a heat source. No filters required. Rinse with water only after use as soap strips the seasoning.
