Immersion: (n.) the get-your-grounds-in-there brewing method.
Immersion brewing methods are those which involve coffee grounds steeping in water, usually for a longer period of time. The classic example of immersion brewing is the French press, where grounds are immersed in hot water, then pressed down and filtered out. Pourover brewing, in contrast, utilizes gravity to extract, with water flowing freely through the coffee. One of the most exciting trends we’ve seen in coffee making lately is the rise of hybrid brewers, or brewers that combine elements of both immersion and pourover. Two of our favorites, the Dragon and the Silverton, are forms of “polished immersion,” giving the full water contact of an immersion brewer but maintaining the nuance and control of a pourover brewer.