--- title: "Coffee brewing methods: an easy guide for beginners at home" description: "Coffee brewing methods explained step by step: French press, V60, Chemex, AeroPress and espresso. Book your table at General in Medellin." url: https://generalcafe.co/en/blog/coffee-brewing-methods/ --- Medellín Guide # Coffee brewing methods: a guide for beginners General Café · September 14, 2026 [Book a table](https://cafe-general.cluvi.co/bookings/18710) ## Respuesta rápida Every brewing method belongs to one of three families: **pour over, immersion and pressure**. They change the contact time and the grind size, and with that they change the cup: cleaner and more aromatic, denser and rounder, or more concentrated and intense. Want to try several methods without buying equipment? Book a [brunch in Medellín](https://generalcafe.co/en/) at General and order the same bean in two different preparations. The first time you look at a specialty coffee bar, the scene can be intimidating: ceramic cones, scales, long-necked kettles, presses, timers. It looks like a laboratory. But behind all that equipment there is one very simple idea: water meets ground coffee, dissolves what is inside it and comes out as a drink. The only thing that changes from one method to another is **how** that contact happens. In this guide we go through the three brewing families, which method suits what you are looking for and how to start at home without overspending. And if you would rather taste before you invest, at General you can try several preparations of the same bean while you stay for [brunch in Medellín](https://generalcafe.co/en/). **3 families** Pour over, immersion and pressure: every method falls into one **1:16** Starting ratio: 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water **92 to 96 °C** Water temperature range to extract without scorching ## What actually defines the flavor of a cup? Before the method there are four variables that rule everything. The **grind**: the finer it is, the more surface is exposed and the faster it extracts. The **ratio** of coffee to water, which decides how concentrated the drink turns out. The **temperature**: boiling water scorches and brings bitterness, lukewarm water leaves the cup watery. And the **contact time**, which is exactly what each method controls in its own way. Get those four right and almost any method gives you a good cup. Get them wrong and not even the best bean will save you. So it is worth learning to handle them first and choosing equipment second. ## What are the three families of methods? **Pour over (drip).** Water passes through the coffee and falls by gravity through a paper or metal filter. Paper holds back the oils, so the cup comes out clean, transparent and very aromatic. This is where the V60, the Chemex, the Kalita and the electric drip machine belong. **Immersion.** The coffee stays submerged in water for a set time and is then separated. Since all the coffee extracts evenly, the drink has more body and a rounder sweetness. This family includes the French press, the siphon and immersion cold brew. **Pressure.** A force pushes water through a compacted puck of coffee in very little time. The result is a concentrated, dense drink with crema. Here you find espresso, the stovetop moka pot and, at lower pressure, the AeroPress. ## How do the most common methods compare? This table helps you choose based on your pace and what you want in the cup: | Method | Family | Grind | Time | How it tastes | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | French press | Immersion | Coarse | 4 minutes | High body, sweet, with fine sediment | | V60 | Pour over | Medium fine | 2 to 3 minutes | Clean, aromatic, bright acidity | | Chemex | Pour over | Medium coarse | 4 to 5 minutes | Very clean and smooth, less body | | AeroPress | Pressure and immersion | Medium fine | 1 to 2 minutes | Versatile: from smooth to almost concentrated | | Moka pot | Pressure | Fine | 4 to 6 minutes | Intense, with roasted notes | | Espresso | Pressure | Very fine | 25 to 30 seconds | Concentrated, dense, with crema | | Cold brew | Immersion | Coarse | 12 to 18 hours | Very sweet, low acidity, refreshing | If you are starting out, the French press and the AeroPress are the most forgiving: they tolerate mistakes in grind size and timing. The V60 and the Chemex reward precision, and espresso demands equipment and practice. ## How do you brew your first pour over? With a V60, a scale and hot water you already have everything you need: 1. **Weigh the coffee and the water** Start with 20 grams of coffee and 320 of water (a 1:16 ratio). Writing the numbers down is what lets you repeat a success or correct a mistake. 2. **Grind right before brewing** Ground coffee loses aroma within minutes. Grind on the spot, with a texture close to coarse table salt for the V60. 3. **Rinse the filter** Pour hot water through the paper and discard that water. You remove the cardboard taste and preheat the carafe and the cone at the same time. 4. **Do the bloom** Wet the coffee with twice its weight in water (around 40 grams) and wait 30 seconds. The coffee releases gas and gets ready to extract evenly. 5. **Pour in circles and in stages** Add the rest of the water in two or three slow pours, spiralling out from the center. Avoid wetting the walls of the filter. 6. **Watch the total time** Between 2 and 3 minutes from first contact. If it takes too long, grind coarser; if it drains too fast, grind finer. **Change one variable at a time** The most common beginner mistake is changing everything at once: grind, ratio and temperature in the same brew. That way you never know what worked. Change one variable, taste, write it down and continue. Within three or four cups you will have your recipe. ## Which method suits your day? If you are in a rush in the morning and want something intense, go for the moka pot or espresso. If you prefer a large cup while you work, the French press and the Chemex yield several servings without asking for constant attention. If you travel, the AeroPress is the most practical: light, almost unbreakable and washed in seconds. And if you live in a warm city, cold brew solves the afternoon: you set it up the night before, it keeps for days in the fridge and it comes out sweet without needing sugar. ## How does the method show in specialty coffee? The same Colombian bean can taste of raw cane sugar and red fruit in a V60, and of dark chocolate in an espresso. It is not magic: pour over highlights acidity and the floral or fruity aromas, while pressure concentrates sugars and roasted notes. That is why at a specialty bar it makes sense to ask which method they recommend for the bean of the day. At General we work with Colombian specialty coffee and careful preparations, so you can try the same origin in two methods and find out which one you like before building your setup at home. ### Try the same bean in two methods Colombian specialty coffee, careful preparations and a brunch menu in El Poblado. Book your table at General and start with the cup. [Book your table](https://cafe-general.cluvi.co/bookings/18710) ## What should you buy first when building your setup? In order of impact: **a grinder** (burr, not blade), because an even grind improves any method; **a scale** with a timer, which costs little and removes the guesswork; and only then the brewer. A French press and a V60 together cost less than a decent grinder, and with both you cover immersion and pour over. Everything else (a gooseneck kettle, a thermometer, cloth filters) comes once you already know which cup you want to repeat. ## Frequently asked questions Which method is easiest for beginners? The French press. It needs no paper filter, it does not depend on your pouring technique and the recipe is almost always the same: coarse grind, four minutes of steeping and a slow press. The AeroPress is the second most forgiving and it is also very easy to clean. What coffee to water ratio should I use? Start at 1:16, meaning 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water (for example 20 grams of coffee and 320 of water). If the cup tastes watery, move to 1:15; if it tastes too intense, move to 1:17. Adjust one variable at a time and write down the result. Why does my coffee taste bitter or too sour? Bitterness usually comes from over-extraction: too fine a grind, water that is too hot or too much time. Sharp sourness or a watery taste come from the opposite, under-extraction. Fix the grind size first, since it is the variable with the biggest effect. Do I need a grinder to brew good coffee? It is the purchase that changes the cup the most. Coffee loses aroma within minutes of grinding, and a burr grinder gives an even particle size that keeps some grounds from over-extracting while others stay behind. If you do not have one yet, buy coffee ground on the spot and in small amounts. ## En resumen Brewing methods come down to three families (pour over, immersion and pressure) and four variables (grind, ratio, temperature and time). Master those and any brewer will do. At General you can taste Colombian specialty coffee in different preparations and stay for brunch in El Poblado. [Book your table](https://cafe-general.cluvi.co/bookings/18710) Share Contents - What actually defines the flavor of a cup? - What are the three families of methods? - How do the most common methods compare? - How do you brew your first pour over? - Which method suits your day? - How does the method show in specialty coffee? - What should you buy first when building your setup? - Frequently asked questions [Book a table](https://cafe-general.cluvi.co/bookings/18710) ## Related articles [![The best cafes in Medellín for breakfast and brunch](https://generalcafe.co/images/2025/02/desayuno.webp)The best cafes in Medellín for breakfast and brunchRead more »September 29, 2026](https://generalcafe.co/en/blog/best-cafes-medellin-breakfast-brunch/) [![Colombian coffee: culture, regions and why it is unique](https://generalcafe.co/images/2025/02/tienda.webp) Colombian coffee: culture, regions and why it is unique Read more » September 14, 2026](https://generalcafe.co/en/blog/colombian-coffee/) [![Breakfast or brunch: differences and when to choose each](https://generalcafe.co/images/2025/02/green-desayunos.webp) Breakfast or brunch: differences and when to choose each Read more » September 1, 2026](https://generalcafe.co/en/blog/breakfast-or-brunch/)