Different Ways to Brew Coffee at Home

There are lots of different ways to enjoy your coffee at home, and we wanted to explore some of these. The type of equipment used to brew coffee will significantly impact how the coffee tastes. The shape and size of the brewer, the volume of coffee used, and the technique by which the coffee is brewed are all impacting factors. Knowing what you want to get out of a particular coffee and understanding what each method has to offer will help you brew better coffee at home.

Below are some of our favourite brewing methods and how they can be used to brew your favourtie coffee at home.

French Press / Cafetiere

• Taste in Cup: Full-bodied, rich, textured, creamy.
• Recommended coffee: Medium to medium-dark roast blends with chocolate and bold flavours.
• Staff Pick: Mexico Mixteca
• Filter type: Mesh
• Grind size: Coarse
• Brew type: Full immersion
• Ease of use: Beginner
• Great for brewing: 2-3 cups

 Pros: 

• Easy to use & clean
• Makes multiple cups
• Rich & full-bodied profile
• It doesn’t require any fancy kettles or techniques

Cons: 

• It takes over 5 minutes to brew
• It isn’t ideal if you enjoy a clean and sediment-free cup of coffee
• Full immersion brewing is not as efficient at extracting flavours

The French Press or Cafetiere makes a great cup of coffee. It’s the easiest method to brew delicious coffee and the most challenging method to mess up. It also has great versatility in volume of coffee you'd like to brew. You can scale your volumes up or down depending on whether you are making just one or even 6 cups of coffee.

Filter Pour Over Methods (Chemex, Hario v60, and Stagg X-XF)

• Taste in Cup: Clean, bright, crisp, less body, smooth texture
• Recommended coffee: Light to medium roast single origins with citrus and fruity flavours
• Staff Pick: Rwanda Coko
• Filter type: Paper
• Grind type: Medium-fine to Medium-coarse
• Brew type: Drip
• Ease of use: Intermediate 
• Great for brewing: 1-3 cups

Pros: 

• Equipment needed is less expensive than other methods
• Great flavour clarity

Cons: 

• Difficult to perfect extraction
• Depending on type of brewer, will depend on volumes you can brew with it

Filter pour-over coffee produces an enjoyable brew that showcases the natural features of a coffee best. Whether using the v60, a Chemex, or a Fellow Stagg X-XF, you’ll pour hot water over your coffee and allow the brew to drip through the grounds, letting gravity do its thing. The pour-over is ideal to use anytime you want to taste coffee for what it is, without trying to increase or decrease body, mouthfeel, or acidity. A filter pour-over is excellent for anyone looking for a clean, crisp, lively, or complex cup of coffee. 

 

Drip Coffee Maker 

• Taste in Cup: Similar to pour-over methods, balanced taste profile, rounded body, and acidity
• Roast Level: Medium to dark roast blends with chocolate and roasty flavors
• Staff Pick: Navigator Blend
• Filter type: Paper
• Grind type: Medium
• Brew type: Percolation (drip)
• Ease of use: Beginner
• Great for brewing: 3-12 cups

Pros: 

• Convenient & easy to use
• Makes a balanced cup of coffee
• Makes multiple cups of coffee at one time
• It doesn’t require any fancy technique or extra equipment

Cons: 

• Many drip machines don’t reach ideal temperatures for brewing and extracting coffee flavors.
• Not ideal for brewing a single cup of coffee
• Filter expenses

Drip machines or filter machines can and do make great coffee. They are also the most convenient and easiest way to make multiple cups with just the push of a button. 

 

Espresso 

• Taste in Cup: Full-bodied, rich, textured, creamy. When combined with milk will enhance chocolate/nutty taste notes
• Roast Level: Any coffee on the roast spectrum can be used for espresso 
• Staff pick: Marching In Single Origin Espresso
• Filter: Metal portafilter basket (various sizes)
• Grind size: Fine
• Brew type: Espresso 
• Ease of use: Beginner to advanced 

Pros:

• Machine setup can be modified depending on the user's experience level 
• Is the only way to brew at home that will make coffee like your local cafe/better than your local cafe
• Equipment is upgradable for if your morning coffee becomes more than a hobby

Cons: 

• The most expensive way to brew coffee at home
• It has a larger learning curve than other brew methods 

Making espresso at home will be the pinnacle of coffee brewing for most. The first time you make a cappuccino or flat white for a friend on your espresso machine, and see the enjoyment that coffee brings—there isn’t anything better in the world. Espresso making is a craft of its own. And is enjoyed in every major city in the world.

Deciding how you want to brew your coffee at home will come down to different factors for each individual. We hope this helps guide you on your coffee journey.