Four alternatives: four unconventional ways to brew coffee
What is the problem? While anyone can put coffee into a machine or moka pot, some people struggle with strange funnels, glass hourglasses and equipment that looks straight out of a laboratory. So today, a few words about brewing coffee in “those strange glasses of yours”: drippers, Chemex brewers and other alternative coffee-making devices...
Drip — drop by drop through the coffee
A dripper, a cone-shaped funnel with a small hole, is one of the simplest coffee brewers. We love it because it is light, easy to clean and can go anywhere with you. In the coffee world, a dripper is practically the definition of “user-friendly”!
The principle is simple: the brewed coffee drips into a vessel below, releasing all its aromas along the way. Follow the basic rules — use coffee that is not ground too finely, pour the water in stages and keep extraction to no more than three minutes — and you will get a light, tasty cup that is a lovely way to begin the day.
And how does a good pour-over taste, made in an iconic classic such as the Hario V60? Delicious! For us, it is the best way to survive Monday because you can drink it almost endlessly. It is smooth and delicate, with a relatively light body, and brewing beautifully releases sweet nutty and caramel notes. That makes it a great choice for an afternoon classic: Brazil Santos.
Chemex — an alternative classic
The Chemex is a perfect example of science and beauty working together in the service of coffee. Invented by Peter Schlumbohm — chemist, compulsive inventor and accomplished designer — it has been synonymous with elegance since the early 1940s. Its simple hourglass-shaped flask and distinctive wooden collar let you brew and serve coffee without changing vessels.
Coffee from a Chemex is light, with a relatively small body that makes fruity and floral notes easy to pick out. If you enjoy a balanced yet delicate brew, a Chemex is a good choice. Its design also lets you make a little extra: the glass vessel can hold between three and eleven cups. Its appearance is another bonus. After all, it is one of the few pieces of kitchen equipment to have earned a permanent place in New York's famous MoMA...
French press — coffee at full strength
Strong, full-bodied and packed with the goodness of aromatic oils that bring fruity, chocolate and spice notes to life: that is coffee from the popular French press. This simple, handy device resembles a large glass with a lid and a movable metal filter. It is the favourite toy of anyone who likes coffee as thick as lava flowing from an Icelandic volcano. Some consider it a method for lovers of simplicity, because it does not require the elaborate wrist movements associated with pour-over methods. Still, using a French press is not simply a matter of putting coffee in a container, adding water and waiting for the aromas to appear by themselves.
What should you pay attention to? First, grind size: the particles should be decidedly larger than for the methods above. Next, brewing time. Some say the standard extraction time is five minutes, while others leave the coffee in the vessel for twice as long! Finally, the defining part of the method: using the plunger and mesh filter. Despite the word “press”, there is no need to force the grounds all the way to the bottom. Quite the opposite: gently lowering the filter to the level of the brewed coffee helps produce a more balanced cup.
Siphon — coffee from the laboratory
Now that we know the most conventional alternative brewing methods, a few words about the more alternative alternatives. One device that has recently caused quite a stir among baristas is the siphon: a spectacular-looking, multi-chamber brewer that makes coffee preparation a real show. The elements play the leading roles: fire heats the water, water travels between the lower and upper chambers, and air influences the alternating movement of liquid and coffee. But why try to describe it? You simply have to see a siphon in action...
There is a wide choice of alternative brewing methods, with new innovations appearing every day. We hope this taste of what drippers, Chemex brewers and their cousins can do will help your loved ones get comfortable with the laboratory equipment in your kitchen — and make their morning coffee without fear! :D