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Just as coffee production and harvesting techniques have evolved over time, so have the methods of preparing it for final consumption.
Until a couple of years ago, the most commercial, and therefore most consumed, coffees were espresso and Americano. While it's hard to overcome years of tradition and culture, the truth is that The coffee industry has transcended and today there are various methods of preparing coffee.
With Colombian specialty coffee, we can use different methods. Each preparation method is used according to the moment or the desired sensorial experience, and in this article, we want you to join us in compiling them.
Drip filtration methods
The drip filtration method, also known as Pour Over , It is the process by which a layer of coffee is placed on a paper, cloth or mesh strainer attached to a cup or container, and hot water is poured to dilute it.
There are different ways to apply this method, depending on the type of technique or instruments used. The most popular are:
1. Melitta
Melitta is the name given to the classic paper coffee filter we're all familiar with. It was patented in June 1908 by Amalie Auguste Melitta Bentz (hence the origin of its name): a German woman who was dissatisfied with the brewing methods of the time and, unwittingly, changed the way we drink coffee forever.
The Melita method was a pioneer in the drip coffee extraction using a cone surface over a cup or carafe.
2. Chemex
The Chemex is a type of brew that uses a cup resembling a laboratory flask, which is not surprising because it was invented by a German chemist named Peter J. Schlumbohm.
The Chemex method provides a clean, high-quality cup of coffee , as A heavy paper filter is used, about 30% thicker than that used in other drip methods. . So more of the grinding challenges are retained, thus obtaining purer results.
3. Hario V60 Dripper
The Hario V60 Dipper is the name given to the device used for this type of drip brewing. It's named for its V-shape and 60-degree angle.
It is shaped like a funnel, on which the paper filter is placed, the coffee is added and the water is poured. We recommend using a gooseneck teapot so that the coffee drips slowly into the container underneath.
The preparation time will depend on the grind: when it is coarse the process is quicker, while when it is finer the preparation takes longer.
4. Kalita Wave
The Kalita Wave is a filter coffee maker created by the Japanese company of the same name, which has been producing and marketing coffee equipment since 1950. It is available in a variety of materials, including stainless steel, glass, ceramic, and copper.
Its conical shape and filter remind us of the V60, but unlike this, The Kalita has a flat bottom, a wavy filter that reduces contact points with hot water, and three holes through which the coffee comes out.
5. The White Guadalupe
Guadalupe Blanco is an artisanal coffee brewing method created in 2016 by O-Lab, a Mexican company specializing in ceramics.
It consists of a bamboo filter that is inside a ceramic cone. , placed on a wooden base and extracted directly into the cup.
6. Origami Dripper
The Origami Dripper is a cone inspired by the famous Japanese art of paper folding. It's made of Mino Ware, a 400-year-old Japanese porcelain.
It has 20 zigzag folds that simulate origami creases and regulate the speed of coffee preparation. Extraction speed and provide complete control over the preparation.
Its operation is similar to the Hario V60 or the Kalita Wave, since It consists of pouring hot water over the ground coffee placed on the filter, so that it subsequently falls into a container.
7. Peeler
The “Pelador” is a drip filtration method in which the water flow is slower to obtain a concentrated and full-bodied cup of coffee. It is a foldable metal piece in which a paper filter is placed, through which the water passes to extract the coffee.
Infusion methods
The methods for preparing coffee by infusion consist of mix the coffee with water for a certain time It is the oldest known method for extracting the "essence" of crops such as flowers, leaves, fruits, seeds, spices, and in this case, coffee. The most famous method of this type is the French press.
8. French press
The French press is a type of plunger or piston coffee maker whose origin is disputed between the French and Italians. History tells us that early versions of this coffee maker already existed in some French homes by 1850. They use the same brewing method as tea: The water must have sufficient contact with the coffee to extract its aromas and flavors. It is recommended to use a coarse grind, because if there is almost no contact surface, only bitter flavors are obtained.
9. Clever Dipper
The Clever Dripper is an immersion brewing method that combines the features of a French press and drip coffee. For this reason, it's praised in the specialty coffee community, and some consider it the best of both worlds.
It is considered a combination of methods because it is a vessel with a shut-off valve through which the coffee is immersed in water and then, when this process is finished, the valve is opened so that the coffee can filter into a container , resulting in a clean cup.
10. Vietnamese Coffee Maker
The Vietnamese coffee maker, also known as the phin coffee maker or cà phê phin, offers a coffee preparation process similar to that of the French press and shares its origin: it was brought by French and Dutch settlers to Vietnam during the 18th century.
This coffee maker consists of four parts: container, filter, plunger, lid and heat-insulating handle (all made of stainless steel). Due to its size, it is used to prepare a single cup of coffee, implementing an infusion method.
The coffee is placed at the bottom and the filter on top. Boiling water is added and the lid is covered until the coffee flows to the surface.
Pressurized infusion methods
The pressurized infusion method It consists of extracting coffee using air pressure in just a few minutes. Due to the characteristics of this process, the result is a concentrated and intense beverage. We'll tell you about the most popular variations (although you're probably already familiar with some).
11. Espresso machine
The espresso machine is an Italian invention from the late 17th century, created with the aim of speeding up the coffee-making process and thus its commercialization.
The result is the famous espresso coffee, which is characterized by being a creamy, concentrated-flavored drink of approximately 25 or 35 ml (thanks to the pressure exerted). The aroma and bitter taste of coffee is greater compared to other types of preparation.
We also recommend reading: History of espresso and Americano coffee
12. Italian Moka
Also known as a Moka Pot, Grega, or Macchinetta, it is one of the most economical and fastest coffee preparation methods available, with a concentrated and tasty result.
It is probably the most commonly used coffee-making instrument in Latin American homes and is composed of three cavities or chambers: the first, the lower one, where the water is located; the second, where the coffee is housed; and the last, or upper, cavity where the ground coffee is added.
When water boils, the steam creates pressure that pushes the water upwards, passing through the coffee grounds. In the end we can have a strong and slightly bittersweet cup of coffee.
13. Aeropress
The AeroPress coffee maker is a portable system invented in 2005 by American Alan Adler that resembles the espresso machine process, but the pressure is applied manually.
It has an important prestige in the specialty coffee culture because it produces a clean, rich, simple and aromatic cup.
Physically, It consists of a large syringe in which the coffee is infused with hot water. The result is distilled under pressure through a paper filter, which is incorporated at one end, thus preventing solids from passing into the cup.
Vacuum filtration method
It is a process through which The coffee is infused with water vapor. The best known method is the Siphon method.
14. Japanese siphon
The siphon method seems like something out of a chemistry lab, but the truth is that its coffee-making process is governed by several chemical principles, including the principle of expansion and contraction of gases.
It was not created in Japan, but in Germany by Loeff of Berlin in 1830, however, the credit goes to the Frenchwoman Marie Fanny Amelne Massot, better known as Madame Vassieux, who patented it 11 years later.
The siphon coffee maker has two glass containers that are connected to each other by a central tube that allows both spaces to be vacuum-sealed. Add ground coffee to the top, followed by the filter. Add water to the bottom.
The water is heated through a burner at the bottom, creating a vacuum that draws the coffee into the upper container. After the flame goes out, the air in the lower container begins to cool, creating another vacuum, forcing the coffee to settle to the bottom of the pot.
15. Belgian or scale siphon
If the Japanese siphon is governed by chemical principles, the Belgian one by physical ones. The latter It is characterized by having two containers located one next to the other: the coffee is placed in the first, which is made of glass, and the water is placed in the second, which is made of metal.
The metal container is attached to a weighted arm that acts as a scale and receives the heat. As the water boils, the gas escapes through the tube connecting the two containers, and the coffee infuses in the glass chamber.
When all the water has evaporated and is transferred to the glass container, the metal container loses weight, rises, and covers the burner to extinguish the fire. Because it no longer receives heat, the coffee in the glass container returns to the metal container and descends again. Pure physics, eh!
Cooking method
As the name suggests, this method It consists of mixing coffee with water and heating it until it reaches boiling point after a certain time.
16. The Turkish or Coffee Pot method
This method is prepared with a tool known as a cezve or ibrik that simulates a small pot. Water must be simmered several times to prepare coffee.
The result is a strong, creamy drink with a very thick layer of foam. It's recommended to use a fine coffee grind because there's no filtering process, so the cup isn't clean.
17. Percolation method
You're probably already familiar with this method because it's the one used in classic office coffee makers, and it's actually ideal for preparing several cups of coffee. It's mixed with boiling water, i.e., boiling it repeatedly in a glass chamber. It's recommended to use coarsely ground coffee for preparation.
Alternative methods
18. Cold Brew
Cold brew is a novel coffee extraction method. It involves preparing cold brewed coffee without requiring an increase in temperature to brew the coffee.
We're not making hot coffee in the traditional way and then cooling it down. We're talking about making cold coffee, from start to finish.
The process consists of infusing ground coffee with water at room temperature for about 15, 20, or even 24 hours. It's a very slow process, but the benefits it offers make it worth the wait.
Cold brew coffee offers a light yet full-bodied coffee, full of nuances and intense flavors, precisely because of the special characteristics of this brewing method. Cold brew coffee preserves all its nutrients and, above all, is the perfect solution for gourmets to enjoy a refreshing cup of coffee.
19. Minipresso by Wacaco
It's a portable, manual espresso machine that works with Nespresso or compatible capsules. It's designed to be your travel companion if you're a coffee lover who doesn't want to miss your morning routine.
It works through a control that regulates the injection of water (previously boiled) into the coffee capsules. It also serves to lock or unlock the coffee maker so it doesn't start accidentally. It doesn't require a plug, filters, or compressed air.
20. Instant Coffee
Last but not least, we have the famous instant method that It consists of adding a quantity of ground coffee to a cup of hot or room temperature water to dissolve the coffee. , which can come already sweetened and mixed with other ingredients such as fruit essences, cinnamon, cocoa, among others.