Coffee Brewing Methods Guide

The Hario V60 was born in Japan and became one of the symbols of contemporary specialty coffee. Hario, founded in Tokyo in 1921, first built its reputation with borosilicate glass for laboratories and homeware. In 2004, the company launched the V60 dripper, whose name describes the 60-degree angle of the conical filter walls.

The design combines spiral ridges, a large central hole, and a conical paper filter. That combination lets the barista control flow, turbulence, and contact time — decisive factors for extracting sweetness, acidity, and aroma from high-quality washed and natural coffees.

Interestingly, the V60 gained worldwide popularity after wins in barista and brewmaster championships. In specialty cafés, it is the reference method for showcasing terroir: fruity Ethiopians, floral Kenyans, or chocolaty Brazilians. At RPG&Coffee in Boa Viagem, Recife, the V60 is our go-to whenever we want to highlight clarity and sensory complexity.

For beginners, the V60 asks for attention to grind and pour rhythm. For those who already master it, it opens an almost endless field of recipes: different blooms, pulses, and temperatures. It is both accessible and deep — exactly the kind of method that turns filter coffee into a ritual.

The Chemex was invented in 1941 by German chemist Peter Schlumbohm in the United States. Made from a single piece of borosilicate glass with a wooden collar and leather tie, the brewer brought lab design into the home — and even entered the MoMA permanent collection in New York.

The Chemex’s sensory secret is its specially thick paper filter. It retains more oils and sediment than standard filters, resulting in a notably clean, bright, and elegant cup. That is why the method is celebrated by those seeking gentle sweetness and defined aromas without residual bitterness.

Over the decades, the Chemex spanned generations: from the 1940s to the third wave of coffee. Baristas use it for floral and fruity coffees, while enthusiasts choose it for its iconic presence on the table. In Boa Viagem, Recife, it fits RPG&Coffee’s goal of turning brewing into an experience.

Brewing Chemex calls for a slightly coarser grind and patience with your pours. The ritual is contemplative: water drips slowly, fragrance rises, and the transparent carafe reveals the golden color of the brew. It is a classic method that still feels modern.

The French press, also called a cafetière, has contested origins between France and Italy in the early twentieth century. The popularized design combines a glass or steel cylinder with a plunger and a metal mesh. In 1929, Italian Attilio Calimani registered an important patent for the immersion system with a metal filter.

Unlike paper-filtered methods, the press keeps the coffee’s natural oils in the cup. The result is a full body, velvety texture, and a sense of intensity — perfect for those who like more robust, chocolaty coffees or everyday blends.

The French press grew popular because it is accessible, affordable, and easy to use. At home, in the office, or while traveling, all you need is hot water, coarse coffee, and four minutes. In specialty coffee, the method is also used for improvised cupping and for exploring full immersion.

At RPG&Coffee, the French press reinforces the idea that specialty coffee does not have to be complicated. With a good grind and the right time, it delivers a generous cup — great for sharing during long conversations, board-game sessions, or reading in the bookstore.

The AeroPress was created in 2005 by American inventor Alan Adler, founder of Aerobie. The goal was a clean, fast cup without bitterness, using gentle manual pressure in a plastic cylinder with a filter. Within a few years, the device became a global phenomenon among travelers, baristas, and competition circuits.

The World AeroPress Championship, started in 2008, accelerated a culture of creative recipes: inverted method, metal filters, bold ratios, and lower temperatures. That community turned a simple tool into a portable experimentation lab.

Sensorially, the AeroPress is versatile. It can produce cups close to pour-over, diluted espresso, or a full-bodied sweet profile depending on grind, time, and pressure. It cleans easily, fits in a backpack, and brews one or two cups in under two minutes.

For RPG&Coffee, the AeroPress represents the playful and technical side of coffee: fast enough for a busy day, interesting enough for anyone who wants to play with variables. It is one of the best starting points for entering the world of manual methods.

The Hario Switch emerged as a practical evolution of the V60 ecosystem. Launched by Hario, the accessory adds a base with a valve that holds water in the dripper, turning the V60 into a hybrid of immersion and percolation. The idea is simple and powerful: choose when the brew starts to drip.

That freedom changed how recipes are written. Baristas use the Switch for a closed bloom, full immersion, and a final flow release, getting more sweetness and body without giving up the clarity of paper. It is especially friendly for anyone who found classic V60 too unstable.

In specialty coffee, the Switch earned space in competitions and in cafés that want consistency on the bar. It flattens the learning curve and still allows advanced recipes. In Recife, it fits well in a café serving different audiences throughout the day.

Anyone seeking control without complication finds an ally in the Hario Switch: less anxiety about continuous flow, more predictability in the cup, and the same V60 aesthetic. It is the perfect bridge between immersion and pour-over.

The Clever Dripper, developed in Taiwan, became popular in the 2000s as a practical answer to the desire to combine immersion and filtration in one tool. It looks like a regular dripper but has a valve at the base: while it sits on the table, water does not drain; when placed on a cup, the brew is released.

That mechanics makes the Clever extremely consistent. The barista controls contact time precisely and, at the end, the paper cleans the cup. The result usually has more body than a classic V60 and more clarity than a French press.

Because it is easy, the Clever is recommended for beginners and for anyone brewing moderate volumes without wanting to master advanced pouring technique. It is also useful in café settings when repeatability matters.

In practice, it delivers a friendly, sweet, versatile cup — ideal for Brazilian natural coffees and for anyone who wants specialty quality with little friction in the morning ritual.

The Origami Dripper is a Japanese porcelain dripper with wavy walls inspired by origami art. Launched by Origami, it gained international attention for combining craft beauty with technical performance. Its geometry allows conical paper filters or metal filters, radically changing the cup profile.

The wide ridges favor a stable flow and even saturation of the coffee bed. Baristas appreciate the predictability of the gear and the ability to switch between clarity (paper) and more body (metal). In competitions and specialty cafés, the Origami became a premium option alongside the V60.

Aesthetically, the porcelain colors and craft finish make the dripper a table piece. That reinforces the ritual dimension of filter coffee: brewing stops being only technique and becomes a complete sensory experience.

At RPG&Coffee, the Origami communicates the same care we bring to specialty coffees: precision, hospitality, and visual pleasure. It is an excellent method for highlighting vibrant acidity, sweetness, and complex aromas.

The Koar is a Brazilian dripper developed for the national specialty-coffee scene. Created with a focus on geometric precision and controlled flow, it represents the maturity of Brazil’s coffee culture — a country that not only produces beans but also designs high-level brewing tools.

Its conical design and internal guides help stabilize percolation, favoring even extractions and clean cups. Brazilian baristas adopted the Koar in competitions and in cafés that want local identity with performance comparable to Japanese icons.

Beyond technique, there is cultural meaning: brewing specialty coffee in a Brazilian dripper connects origin, place, and hospitality. In Recife, that resonates with RPG&Coffee’s focus on experience, community, and quality.

The Koar works especially well with Brazilian and African specialty coffees, highlighting sweetness, acidity, and aromatic complexity. It is an invitation to explore filter coffee with pride of origin.

The Italian moka pot was patented in 1933 by Alfonso Bialetti and popularized by Bialetti with the Moka Express. Made of aluminum (and later also steel), the pot uses steam and moderate pressure to force hot water through finely ground coffee, producing an intense, concentrated drink.

In the twentieth century, the moka became a symbol of Italian home life: the distinctive sound, the aroma filling the kitchen, and the subtle crema in the cup. Unlike professional espresso machines, it runs at much lower pressure, but still delivers marked body and presence.

Today the moka is still loved by anyone who wants intensity without expensive equipment. In specialty coffee, baristas revisit the method with better beans, filtered water, and careful heat control — avoiding the scorched taste of aggressive extractions brews.

At RPG&Coffee, the moka pot bridges European tradition and Brazilian curiosity. It is a nostalgic, powerful method — perfect for those who like full-bodied coffee with conversation, games, or a chocolate dessert.