COFFEE & KNOW-HOW · ALTERNATIVE METHODS
AeroPress, V60, Chemex
Three methods, three radically different cups
Drip coffee is not ordinary coffee. It’s an exploration: each extraction method reveals different dimensions of the same bean. The AeroPress is direct and expressive. The V60 is precise and delicate. The Chemex is elegant and clean. Understanding these three methods means understanding that coffee is much more complex than a capsule.
Discover the methodsIn this article
AeroPress
The drip coffee explorer
Invented in 2005 by an American engineer, the AeroPress is the most versatile and playful drip coffee method.
The AeroPress works by pressure: hot water is poured over ground coffee in a plastic cylinder, you wait a few moments, then push a plunger to force the water through the coffee and a paper filter. The result is a concentrated, smooth, and bitterness-free cup, ready in under two minutes.
What makes the AeroPress unique is its tolerance for variations: water temperature, grind size, immersion time, usage angle (normal or inverted), filter type (paper or metal). Each variable significantly changes the result. There is even an annual world championship dedicated exclusively to the AeroPress, where baristas compete with creative recipes.
Concentrated, smooth, versatile cup
A standard AeroPress cup is more concentrated than a classic drip coffee, with little bitterness and a slightly thicker texture. It can be drunk as is, diluted with water for an americano, or used with milk for an improvised café au lait.
V60
Japanese precision
The Hario V60 dripper has become the symbol of the global specialty scene. Its conical shape with spiral grooves is instantly recognizable.
The V60 is a gravity drip method: hot water poured in a continuous stream over the ground coffee passes through the coffee bed and flows into the cup or carafe below. The conical shape forces the water to pass through all the coffee before draining, which maximizes extraction evenly.
The pouring technique is crucial with the V60. It starts with a 30-second "pre-infusion" using a little water to degas the fresh coffee, then you pour in regular concentric circles for two to three minutes. Every wrist movement influences the final cup.
Clear, floral, very aromatic cup
V60 produces the cleanest cup of the three methods: very little body, lots of aromas, bright acidity, and a long, clean aftertaste. It is the method that best reveals the floral and fruity notes of coffees from Ethiopia or Kenya.
Chemex
Elegance as a method
Designed in 1941 by a German chemist, Chemex is as much a design object as a coffee brewing tool. It is displayed at the MoMA in New York.
Chemex uses a thick paper filter, thicker than the V60’s, which retains more oils and sediments. The result is an exceptionally clean and smooth cup, with remarkable aromatic clarity but an even lighter body than the V60. Chemex is the method for lovers of very clean and delicate coffee.
Crystal-clear, delicate, elegant cup
Chemex produces the clearest cup of all filter methods: almost no body, with absolute aromatic clarity, and a long floral or fruity finish. For exceptional high-altitude beans, Chemex is often the preferred method of Q Graders during tasting.
Which to choose
According to your profile and preferences
Three methods, three philosophies. Here’s how to choose based on what you’re looking for in a cup.
You like to experiment: AeroPress
If you like to modify recipes, try different temperatures, and enjoy the process as much as the result, AeroPress is your method. It forgives mistakes while rewarding technical mastery. And it fits in a backpack.
You seek aromatic precision: V60
If you really want to understand what a bean can express, if you like identifying specific notes, and if you appreciate the ritual of slow pouring, the V60 is made for you. It is the method of passionate baristas and advanced enthusiasts.
You prefer elegance and smoothness: Chemex
If you like very clean coffees, slightly floral or fruity, and if the aesthetics of your equipment matter to you, Chemex is your method. It is also the best option for preparing several cups simultaneously with elegance.
Try all three with the same bean
The best way to understand these methods is to prepare the same coffee with all three methods on the same day. The differences will be striking and informative. This is an exercise our baristas regularly do to refine their understanding of extraction variables.
Come discover filter coffee at Carrera
Our menu offers carefully prepared filter coffees using the method best suited to the coffee bean of the day. Come taste the difference.
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