Coffee Brewing Methods Compared: V60, Chemex, Aeropress, and Espresso

The choice of brewing method decisively influences the flavor, body and clarity of your cup. Pour-over devices like the V60 and the Chemex use paper filters of different thickness; the V60 has a 60 degrees angle and a single large opening, allowing you to adjust the flow by modifying the grind size and pour rate. For a V60 at 2000 m above sea level, use 15 g of coffee per 250 g of water at 93 °C, with a medium‑fine grind (~700 μm) and a total brew time of 2:45 minutes. The conical shape promotes even extraction and a bright and clean profile.
The Chemex, with thicker walls and a three‑layer paper filter, requires a slightly coarser grind (~800 μm) and a brew time of 4 minutes; this produces a lighter body and delicate notes due to the slower filtration. Start with 30 g of coffee per 500 g of water at 92 °C and pulse pours.
The Aeropress combines immersion and pressure; it produces a concentrated beverage with medium body. For an inverted Aeropress use 17 g of coffee and 250 g of water at 85 °C, a fine grind (500 μm) and a total time of 1:30 minutes, including 45 seconds of immersion before pressing. By varying the pressure and agitation you can control extraction; mass transfer studies indicate that applying a constant pressure of about 0.7 bar increases extraction yield by up to 20 %.
Finally, espresso uses 9 bar of pressure and very short extraction times. A standard recipe for high‑elevation specialty coffees uses 18 g in the portafilter and produces 36 g of espresso in 28 seconds at a water temperature of 94 °C. The grind is very fine (~300 μm) and the 1:2 ratio yields a balance between sweetness and acidity; at 2000 m above sea level it is recommended to adjust pump pressure to 8.5 bar due to lower atmospheric pressure.