Our Favorite Home Brewing Methods
V60 Pourover
Why?
(Z): V60 offers the most balanced cup and retains the most complexity in flavor.
(C): Pour-overs expose how well great coffee has been roasted. I also prefer the volume. I tend to sip slow and savor and forget about my cup in the busyness of the morning. With shallow pours that stay hot in an insulated carafe, pour-overs last through several activities with the children without having to revisit the kitchen.
How?
(Z): 24 grams of coffee, 380 grams of 195-205 degree water, wet the grounds with approximately 50 grams of water. Wait 45 seconds. This is called a “bloom”. Then pour remaining water over the grounds in a circular motion over approximately 45 seconds to a minute.
(C): Start a kettle of water over a flame. Grab a fist full of beans. Manually grind beans through Rok. Wet V60 filter. Add ground beans. Slowly saturate beans in hot water in circular motion until carafe is nearly full.
What goes best with it?
(Z): I enjoy my V60 by itself.
(C): Studying or writing.
French Press
Why?
(Z): It’s kind of romantic. It’s an immersion brew so it tends to be a little more extracted which holds up well to a hearty breakfast on the weekend of pancakes or French toast.
(C): I appreciate the tone it sets. It’s lovely for sharing with Zach at a noisy breakfast table on Saturday morning. Its deep flavor and seemingly bottomless nature announces, “the weekend is here so refill your cup and stay awhile”!
How?
(Z):50 grams of coffee to 800 grams of brew water. Pour the water into the vessel over the grounds. After a couple minutes, gently stir grounds left on the surface of the water so they settle. Wait about ten minutes before serving.
(C): See V60 method but maybe 2-3 fistfuls of coffee and no filter this time.
What do you enjoy it with?
(Z): A big family breakfast.
(C): Buttery croissants with jam.
Chemex
Why?
(Z): It makes enough for two. It also retains more of the brightness and subtly than the French Press.
(C): It’s the best weekender coffee method to share with guests at the kitchen table.
How?
(Z): I essentially double the V60 so 24 grams coffee to 760 grams of water.
(C): At this point, you know I can’t be trusted with method.
What do you enjoy it with?
(Z): It pairs well with a good novel, think Dostoevsky.
(C): Friends and pastries.
Espresso
Why?
(Z):Espresso is too much work in the morning but it works nicely for an afternoon pick-me-up.
(C): My first sip over the rim of a tiny ceramic espresso cup was in Bassano, Italy. Whenever I have an espresso I am reminded of that afternoon with my husband.
How?
(Z): I recently got a Flair 58. It’s a manual espresso maker. I use 18 grams of coffee to about 20 grams of water. I am still working with the shot curve. I’ll get back to you once I have a solid shot down.
(C): * crickets chirping *
What do you enjoy it with?
(Z): By itself or mixed into a latte.
(C): What he said.
