What Are the Common Coffee Extraction Methods? Espresso, Immersion, Drip, and Siphon!

FrontStreet Coffee often says that coffee is like cuisine - it has various "cooking methods"! Even the same beans can present completely different experiences under different extraction methods! Today, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce some common extraction methods in coffee making.

Drip Brewing

Extraction Method: This is the most common extraction method we use when making single-origin coffee! As the name suggests, "drip brewing" refers to continuously pouring hot/ice water over the coffee grounds under normal pressure, extracting aromatic substances, and filtering them into the pot below.

Extraction Characteristics: Due to its excellent filtering performance, coffee extracted this way is typically very clean! It's particularly suitable for light to medium-roasted coffee beans with floral and fruity notes! Additionally, it can be combined with immersion methods to extract coffee with a fuller, richer texture!

Applicable Methods: Pour-over coffee, cold drip coffee, American drip coffee machines, and coffee filter bags.

Immersion Brewing

Extraction Method: "Immersion brewing" involves soaking coffee grounds in a relatively large amount of water for a certain period, which can be long or short. Compared to drip brewing, it's less affected by human factors and more likely to present the coffee's inherent flavor! Therefore, coffee bean evaluations typically use immersion-based cupping!

Extraction Characteristics: As mentioned in the introduction, this is the extraction method least affected by human factors! Coffee extracted using immersion methods has higher body, more uniform flavor, and can present the coffee's flavor more completely.

Applicable Methods: Clever dripper, cold brew coffee, French press, AeroPress, and some pour-over coffee methods.

Pressure Brewing

Extraction Method: During the brewing process, not only are coffee grounds and water used, but pressure is also applied for extraction. This causes substances in the coffee grounds to dissolve quickly due to the pressure. Besides flavor compounds, carbon dioxide hidden in the coffee beans is "forced out" by the immense pressure, forming a layer of golden foam (often mistakenly translated as "oil") that floats on the coffee surface!

Extraction Characteristics: The extraction process is very rapid, resulting in very rich coffee with golden crema and an extremely mellow texture! It can serve as a base for making many different types of coffee!

Applicable Methods: Moka pot, espresso machine.

Siphon Brewing

Extraction Method: This extraction method is only used with siphon brewers! It uses steam generated from heated water to create pressure, pushing hot water from the lower chamber to the upper chamber to extract the coffee grounds. When the lower chamber cools, the pressure dissipates, and the hot water from the upper chamber returns to the lower chamber with the coffee's flavor compounds!

Extraction Characteristics: Coffee extracted with a siphon brewer has a mellow texture (with some immersion effect) and clean flavor! Additionally, because siphon brewers have a steam-filled design, they offer excellent visual appeal beyond the coffee drinking experience!

Applicable Methods: Siphon brewer.

Boiling Method

Extraction Method: This one is simple! Grind coffee beans, add them to a container, and boil with water. After boiling, it can be poured and enjoyed. However, because this method is more troublesome and the flavor is inferior to other extraction methods, it's rarely seen on the market.

Extraction Characteristics: Can extract all flavor compounds from the coffee!

Applicable Methods: Turkish coffee, Ethiopian coffee pot.

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FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee)
No. 10, Bao'an Qianjie, Yandun Road, Dongshankou, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province

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