Thirty-Six Ways to Brew Coffee: Differences Between Cold Drip, Pour-Over, and Siphon Brewing Methods

Coffee appreciation emphasizes not only the ambiance of the environment but also the joy of shared experience rather than solitary enjoyment. It transcends hasty consumption. The constant stream of customers in coffeehouses, the tacit understanding between owners and regulars—all these elements have laid a solid foundation for China's coffee culture. Every coffeehouse continuously seeks its unique craftsmanship, while every patron lingers in familiar old establishments, where unchanged seats, familiar faces, and well-trodden paths connect not just the passion for a cup of coffee, but become an integral part of life itself.

Coffee culture boasts a long history, with numerous coffee varieties and diverse, sophisticated preparation methods. Classified by different coffee brewing techniques, let us guide you through Beijing's coffeehouses to witness the diversity of coffee extraction methods, the refinement of techniques, and the purity of flavors.

Nine Flavors Coffee & Pour-Over Method

The characteristic of pour-over coffee brewing lies in its uniqueness—each person, each brewing session yields a different flavor, allowing one to experience the surprise brought by subtle taste variations. Hands-on operation and exclusive brewing not only carry the brewer's sincerity but also represent a form of spiritual enjoyment.

Main Equipment:

Pour-over kettle, V60, filter paper, sharing pot

Recommended Coffee Beans: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

Bean Processing Method:

FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Yirgacheffe uses washed processing, characterized by lighter flavor, better acidity, richer fruit aromas, and a clean, crisp mouthfeel.

Judging Coffee Freshness:

The freshness of coffee grounds determines the quality of the brewed coffee. When pour-over coffee receives a small amount of high-flow water injection, if the coffee grounds puff up like a mushroom cloud, it indicates freshness; if the shape remains flat, the coffee is not fresh.

Water to Coffee Ratio:

To make 300g of coffee, 20g of coffee grounds is recommended, with a ratio of 1:15.

Water Temperature Requirements:

The optimal water temperature for brewing FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe should be controlled between 89°C-91°C. Too high a temperature leads to over-extraction; too low results in under-extraction.

Pouring Technique During Brewing:

The water flow injected into the coffee grounds should be firm at the base and lighter at the top, with circular pouring motions being ideal.

How to Pour-Over Dark Roast Coffee?

Dark roast coffee grounds require longer brewing time, otherwise it will result in excessive bitterness.

Optimal Drinking Time for Coffee Beans:

Freshly roasted coffee beans taste best 2-3 days after roasting. It's recommended to consume within 14 days. After 14 days, the delicate aromas and layered complexity begin to diminish, and after one month, they are no longer suitable for consumption.

COFFEEHOLIC & Siphon Method

Coffee oil is the part that best reflects coffee's sweetness. Using a siphon pot to brew FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica coffee brings out the sweetness to its fullest extent. After experiencing the magnificent brewing process and enjoyable observational experience, don't forget that the coffee temperature is quite high when completed. Let it rest for 6 minutes until the temperature drops to around 70°C before tasting.

Main Equipment: Siphon Pot

Recommended Coffee Beans: FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica Coffee Beans

Bean Processing Method:

FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica coffee beans use honey processing, characterized by flavors close to cocoa and cream, with noticeable sweetness and a wine-like aftertaste.

Coffee Grind Size:

FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica coffee beans should be ground to medium-fine consistency to reduce extraction time.

Operation Techniques:

When the temperature continuously rises and continuous bubbles form in the water, you can insert the upper pot into the lower pot and wait for the water level to slowly rise.

Extraction Water Temperature:

When the water temperature rises to around 90°C, it's the optimal brewing temperature. If too high, stir appropriately to lower the temperature. Once stable, coffee extraction can begin.

Extraction Time:

The longer the extraction time, the richer the coffee flavor, but to ensure the integrity of coffee flavors, extraction time should not be too long—recommended to keep around 1 minute.

Stirring Technique:

Pour coffee grounds into water and stir evenly for 15 circles—neither too fast nor too slow. The optimal state after stirring is the appearance of a thick brown-yellow oil layer at the top. After stirring, let it rest for 45 seconds for blooming, then use even cross-pressure stirring for a second mix. The best result is when the remaining coffee foam forms a small hill shape.

Optimal Final State:

Because this brewing method preserves the flavors in coffee very well, the final coffee state should be pulpy, appearing cloudy when placed under light.

Siphon Method vs. Pour-Over Method

Impact on Flavor:

Siphon pot extraction preserves coffee integrity better than pour-over methods. Since filter paper removes oils from coffee, the siphon's filter cloth has larger gaps, retaining more coffee oils and other flavors.

Impact on Mouthfeel:

The siphon pot preserves coffee's flavor and layered complexity well, while hand-poured coffee's characteristic is relatively higher purity of mouthfeel.

Yue Coffee & Cold Drip Extraction

The collision of ice's coldness and coffee's heat creates instantly refreshing cold drip coffee. Drop by drop, like coffee flowing through time, it brings infinite joy to appreciators. What one sees is the passage of time; what one drinks is full sincerity.

Main Equipment: Cold drip coffee pot, ice cubes

Recommended Coffee Beans: FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling

Coffee Bean Selection Tips:

FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling is a full-bodied coffee bean. Using cold drip extraction makes the coffee more fully extracted. In contrast, thinner-tasting beans with stronger fruit aromas are not suitable for cold drip methods, as their characteristics would disappear.

Caffeine Content:

Cold drip coffee extraction results in lower caffeine content, making it recommended for those concerned about coffee-induced insomnia.

Black Beer-Flavored Coffee:

When coconut syrup and carbonated water are added to cold drip coffee, the taste rivals delicious dark beer and once created a sell-out history.

Water to Coffee Ratio:

For cold drip coffee, a water to coffee ratio of 1:17 is recommended for better richness effect.

Extraction Technique:

During cold drip coffee making, use two filter papers placed above and below the coffee grounds to help ensure even extraction. During this process, it's recommended to rinse the filter papers with hot water to remove pulp taste, then cool before use.

Extraction Time:

Generally, cold drip coffee extraction takes about 10 hours, yielding 550ml, approximately 3 small cups. The extracted coffee should be refrigerated overnight to allow the flavors to transform into a more mellow richness.

Kava Town & Semi-Automatic Coffee Machine

AFFOGATO, the name of this coffee, comes from Italian meaning "drowned." Affogato fully satisfies those with greedy palates, achieving both coffee and ice cream in one. With vanilla ice cream added to coffee base, it's both coffee and dessert. The mouthfeel transitions appropriately from bitter, sour, astringent, and aromatic to the smooth sweetness of ice cream. To experience an impactful taste sensation, remember to drink quickly, otherwise the two will merge and lose their distinct flavors.

Main Equipment: Semi-automatic coffee machine

Recommended Coffee Beans: Akoro coffee beans

Coffee Bean Recommendation Reason:

With over twenty years of history in Beijing, they possess mature roasting equipment that can control the time from roasting to sales within two weeks, ensuring optimal coffee taste and layered complexity.

Optimal Drinking Method:

Under normal circumstances, it's recommended to drink the coffee first, then eat the ice cream scoop. The prepared coffee must be presented to the guest within one minute. Drink quickly, otherwise it will affect the espresso taste and cause the ice cream scoop to melt, impacting the flavor.

Preparation Technique:

The preparation method is: first place the ice cream scoop in the cup, then add double espresso. Importantly, the coffee base must not submerge the ice cream scoop. Finally, sprinkle with coffee powder or cocoa powder for garnish.

Source: Liangcan Wang

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473