Espresso, filter coffee, french press - how to brew the best coffee?
There are a number of different methods of brewing coffee. Regardless of the brewing method, it is about water extracting flavor, aroma and color from the ground coffee beans. Some people swear by one particular way of brewing coffee, while others vary the form of brewing depending on the type of coffee you want. Some of the main brewing forms, their characteristics and uses are described in the table below.
| Illustration | Brewing method | Characteristics |
 | Filter coffee: Probably one of the most common brewing methods. Ground coffee is placed in a paper, fabric or metal filter and near-boiling hot water is added slowly. When the water seeps through the coffee and the filter, it extracts flavors and ends up in a flask under the filter. |
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 | French press: Coarsely ground coffee is placed in a flask and near-boiling water is poured directly into the coffee. The water draws out flavors while mixed with coffee, and after 4 minutes, a plunger with a filter is forced through the water. Thus the coffee beans are caught in the bottom of the flask and the brewing ceases. |
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 | Espresso: Common term for coffee brewing, where near-boiling water is pressed under pressure through finely ground and mashed coffee. Espresso gives a more concentrated coffee, ie. the water content is significantly less than other brewing forms. |
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