Brew methods

Ways to brew coffee: espresso, pour-over, immersion and cold. Each method changes flavor, body and ritual.

32 terms

A–Z index

A

Aeropress Aeropress combines short immersion with pressing through paper or metal. Inverted recipes, concentrates and filter-like cups are all possible.

B

Batch brew Consistency and speed vs single pour-overs.

C

Chemex Invented in 1941, it uses thicker paper than a V60, retaining more oils for a bright, clean cup.

Clever Dripper Immersion like a press plus paper filter. Setting it on a cup opens the valve to drain.

Cold brew Coarse grounds steep in cold water for hours (typically 12–24 h), then filtered and served cold or diluted.

Cold drip Control drops per minute and medium grind. Clean concentrate, often brighter than immersion cold brew.

Cowboy coffee Coffee steeps or boils in a pot. No paper: solids settle by resting, chilling or a splash of cold water.

D

Drip coffee maker Quality needs stable temperature, even showering and fresh grind. Many cheap machines brew too cool.

E

Espresso Espresso pushes hot water at about 9 bar through finely ground coffee. You get a concentrated cup (typically 25–40 ml) with crema on top.

F

Filter coffee Contrasts with espresso and immersion. Great for tasting origin.

Flash brew Total water = hot pour + ice (ice is part of the ratio). Grind slightly finer than hot pour-over.

French press Coffee and water steep together; the plunger separates grounds. Cups are often oilier with more sediment than paper filter.

H

Hario Switch Hario Switch sits a V60 on a switch base. Close for full steep, open to drain through the filter.

I

Ibrik Ibrik (also cezve or briki) is the traditional Turkish coffee pot. It is the vessel, not a separate brew method.

K

Kalita Wave Kalita Wave uses a waved filter and flat bottom with three holes for more even saturation than a steep cone.

L

Lever espresso Instead of an electric pump, the barista generates pressure with a lever or piston. Includes classic lever groups and desktop devices (Flair, Cafelat Robot…).

M

Melitta Melitta is a conical dripper (often ribbed) that uses paper filters. Water flows through the bed by gravity—percolation, not immersion.

Moka Water heats in the base; steam pushes it through coffee into the upper chamber. Not espresso, but concentrated.

N

Neapolitan coffee maker The Napoletana has two chambers. Heat water, flip the pot, and gravity pulls water through the coffee into the serving side.

Nel drip It describes a brew method in specialty-coffee language. Its practical meaning depends on the lot, recipe and context.

Nitro cold brew Fine bubbles and silky feel; often served from a keg.

O

Origami dripper It describes a brew method in specialty-coffee language. Its practical meaning depends on the lot, recipe and context.

P

Percolator Water rises and re-passes the bed at high temperature. Historic for home/camping; not moka or modern drip.

Phin Phin sits on the cup: medium grind, light press with the insert, hot water, slow drip.

Pour-over You control flow, bloom and time. Clean aromatic cup with good technique.

S

Siphon Two glass chambers and heat create vacuum pressure; brew draws down when heat is removed.

SoftBrew It describes a brew method in specialty-coffee language. Its practical meaning depends on the lot, recipe and context.

South Indian filter A perforated upper cup sits on a decanter. Medium-fine coffee (sometimes with chicory in traditional styles) drips slowly down.

T

Toddy Toddy is a classic cold-brew system: coffee + cold water in a filtered bucket, long contact, then drain the concentrate.

Tricolate It describes a brew method in specialty-coffee language. Its practical meaning depends on the lot, recipe and context.

Turkish coffee Powder-fine coffee heated with water (sometimes sugar) in a narrow pot until foamy, unfiltered.

V

V60 The Hario V60 is a pour-over dripper with ridges and a 60° angle. It rewards pulse pouring and highlights acidity and aromatics.

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