Brewing Coffee
There are almost as many ways to brew coffee as there are to drink it. Here are some of the most common methods to brew your coffee.
Drip Brew – Paper Filter
This is by far the most common way to brew coffee. Drip coffeemakers are typically fairly inexpensive depending on whether you want any bells and whistles. The benefit of a drip coffee maker is the minimal amount of work to brew a pot. Add your water, insert a filter, fill the filter with the appropriate amount of coffee grounds, hit brew, and wait a few minutes. The drawback of a drip coffee maker is the weak flavor it typically imparts. The paper filter not only holds back the grounds from getting in your coffee, it can also filter out the flavorful oils.
Drip Brew – Permanent Filter
Like brewing with a paper filter, this method only changes out the paper filter for a fine mesh metal filter. You still have the same convenience and minimal amount of work. The benefit of the permanent filter is that more of the coffee flavor comes through to the coffee. You may see some fine sediment that comes through into the coffee, but it is typically an insignificant amount. You can find filters made from different metals. Gold tends to be the best with no metallic flavor or rusting.
Vacuum Brewer
Depending on which type vacuum brewer you are talking about, this method is not very common. To use one of these coffee makers, the water is put in the bottom vessel and coffee grounds in the top. When the water is heated it rises into the top vessel to mix with and be flavored by the coffee grounds. The brewer is then taken off the heat. As the bottom vessel cools it pulls the coffee down for serving.
If you are a fan of espresso, a stovetop vacuum espresso brewer may be a good choice. This is the most inexpensive way to make a proper espresso as typical espresso machines tend to be expensive.
Toddy Maker
With cold brew coffee making a huge splash these days, the toddy maker is the best brewer to use to get the smooth flavor from your high-quality gourmet beans that cold brew is known for. This process replaces heat with time, so instead of drenching coffee grounds with hot water for a couple of minutes, the grounds sit in cold water for up to 24 hours in your refrigerator. Once the brewing process is complete, you have a coffee concentrate you can use to make strong iced coffees or mix with hot water to taste for a delicious cup free from any bitterness. One of the benefits of cold brew is the low amount of acid that is transferred making this ideal for those who experience stomach issues when normally drinking coffee.
French Press
For a simple, inexpensive, and flavorful cup of coffee, try a French press. This method of brewing is deceptively easy—place the appropriate amount of coffee grounds into the carafe, add the correct amount of just-off-the-boil water, let steep for about four minutes, depress the plunger and pour the coffee. If there is any brewed coffee left in the carafe, it is recommended to pour it into a different container in order to separate the coffee from the grounds which stops the brewing process and safeguards from bitterness. Be sure to order a French press grind for the best flavor.
Bonus use: A French press is an ideal method of making cold brew as well!
Single Serve Pod Machines
The advent of the single-serve pod coffee makers has made making a single cup of coffee super simple. And with the new 2.0 versions of these machines, you can even make small pots or carafes of coffee as well. The biggest complaint with single-serve machines is the weakness of the coffee. It does appear that some manufacturers are addressing this with a “strength control” setting which allows for a stronger brew. You don’t have to limit yourself to the coffees in the pods since single-serve filters have been designed to fill with your own coffee. It is suggested to use a drip grind, however, sometimes the small grind can block the screen of the filter making a weaker brew. If you experience this, change to a French press grind and use a little extra coffee in your pod.
Percolator
If you prefer old-school, there are still percolator coffee makers being sold. You can choose either a typical corded style, a cordless style, or a stovetop style. Each works essentially the same way. Fill the reservoir with water, fill the filter basket with grounds, and either plug it in, turn it on, or turn the stovetop burner to medium-high. The electric versions of these pots stop the percolating process at a determined time. If you are using a stovetop percolator, stop the process between six and eight minutes. Longer brewing times could make the coffee bitter.
Pour Over
Again, another simple method for making your much-needed cup of coffee. Sometimes seen as pourover or called Melitta or Chemex, this filter system is very easy to use and makes a great cup, or pot, of coffee. The cone shape topper fits over a cup, a carafe, or a pot and can be fitted with either a paper filter or a metal reusable filter. The appropriate amount of coffee grounds is placed into the filter, the water is boiled, then the fun starts. Pour the just-off-the-boil water over the coffee grounds, taking two to four minutes to drench the grounds and letting the water drip through to the cup or other vessel. That’s it! So easy.
Tips and Tricks
There are a few tips and tricks you can follow to make sure your coffee is the best tasting you can get. First, start with freshly roasted gourmet coffee from GourmetCoffees.com. If possible, purchase whole bean coffee and grind it just prior to brewing. If you are not able to grind your own coffee, keep your ground coffee in an airtight container and keep it away from heat, preferably in a kitchen cabinet.
If you are able to grind your own coffee, a burr grinder is best. Set the coarseness of the grinder to the appropriate level for the brew method you will be using. If you are using a blade grinder, that’s okay, just grind by pulsing the grinder (short bursts of grinding) while shaking the grinder a little which moves the beans around and produces a slightly more even grind.
Next, make sure your water is free from any smell or discoloration. Tap water is best and if you need to filter it, that’s fine. You should not use distilled water, however. When boiling your water for methods like pour over and French press, the water temperature should be just off the boil or 195 deg F to 205 deg F. To achieve this, allow the water to boil, remove it from the heat, and allow it to sit for 30 seconds to one minute to get to the proper temperature. A quick read thermometer is handy for checking this.
Using the correct amount of coffee beans and water are necessary for a delicious cup of coffee. Use one to two tablespoons of coffee for every six ounces of water. If you prefer to weigh your coffee and water, use a kitchen scale and weigh your coffee beans out to 30 grams and your water to 250 grams. Of course, this is to taste, so experiment a little with less (or more!) grounds until you find your ideal flavor.
Drip Brew – Paper Filter
This is by far the most common way to brew coffee. Drip coffeemakers are typically fairly inexpensive depending on whether you want any bells and whistles. The benefit of a drip coffee maker is the minimal amount of work to brew a pot. Add your water, insert a filter, fill the filter with the appropriate amount of coffee grounds, hit brew, and wait a few minutes. The drawback of a drip coffee maker is the weak flavor it typically imparts. The paper filter not only holds back the grounds from getting in your coffee, it can also filter out the flavorful oils.
Drip Brew – Permanent Filter
Like brewing with a paper filter, this method only changes out the paper filter for a fine mesh metal filter. You still have the same convenience and minimal amount of work. The benefit of the permanent filter is that more of the coffee flavor comes through to the coffee. You may see some fine sediment that comes through into the coffee, but it is typically an insignificant amount. You can find filters made from different metals. Gold tends to be the best with no metallic flavor or rusting.
Vacuum Brewer
Depending on which type vacuum brewer you are talking about, this method is not very common. To use one of these coffee makers, the water is put in the bottom vessel and coffee grounds in the top. When the water is heated it rises into the top vessel to mix with and be flavored by the coffee grounds. The brewer is then taken off the heat. As the bottom vessel cools it pulls the coffee down for serving.
If you are a fan of espresso, a stovetop vacuum espresso brewer may be a good choice. This is the most inexpensive way to make a proper espresso as typical espresso machines tend to be expensive.
With cold brew coffee making a huge splash these days, the toddy maker is the best brewer to use to get the smooth flavor from your high-quality gourmet beans that cold brew is known for. This process replaces heat with time, so instead of drenching coffee grounds with hot water for a couple of minutes, the grounds sit in cold water for up to 24 hours in your refrigerator. Once the brewing process is complete, you have a coffee concentrate you can use to make strong iced coffees or mix with hot water to taste for a delicious cup free from any bitterness. One of the benefits of cold brew is the low amount of acid that is transferred making this ideal for those who experience stomach issues when normally drinking coffee.
French Press
For a simple, inexpensive, and flavorful cup of coffee, try a French press. This method of brewing is deceptively easy—place the appropriate amount of coffee grounds into the carafe, add the correct amount of just-off-the-boil water, let steep for about four minutes, depress the plunger and pour the coffee. If there is any brewed coffee left in the carafe, it is recommended to pour it into a different container in order to separate the coffee from the grounds which stops the brewing process and safeguards from bitterness. Be sure to order a French press grind for the best flavor.
Bonus use: A French press is an ideal method of making cold brew as well!
Single Serve Pod Machines
The advent of the single-serve pod coffee makers has made making a single cup of coffee super simple. And with the new 2.0 versions of these machines, you can even make small pots or carafes of coffee as well. The biggest complaint with single-serve machines is the weakness of the coffee. It does appear that some manufacturers are addressing this with a “strength control” setting which allows for a stronger brew. You don’t have to limit yourself to the coffees in the pods since single-serve filters have been designed to fill with your own coffee. It is suggested to use a drip grind, however, sometimes the small grind can block the screen of the filter making a weaker brew. If you experience this, change to a French press grind and use a little extra coffee in your pod.
Percolator
If you prefer old-school, there are still percolator coffee makers being sold. You can choose either a typical corded style, a cordless style, or a stovetop style. Each works essentially the same way. Fill the reservoir with water, fill the filter basket with grounds, and either plug it in, turn it on, or turn the stovetop burner to medium-high. The electric versions of these pots stop the percolating process at a determined time. If you are using a stovetop percolator, stop the process between six and eight minutes. Longer brewing times could make the coffee bitter.
Pour Over
Again, another simple method for making your much-needed cup of coffee. Sometimes seen as pourover or called Melitta or Chemex, this filter system is very easy to use and makes a great cup, or pot, of coffee. The cone shape topper fits over a cup, a carafe, or a pot and can be fitted with either a paper filter or a metal reusable filter. The appropriate amount of coffee grounds is placed into the filter, the water is boiled, then the fun starts. Pour the just-off-the-boil water over the coffee grounds, taking two to four minutes to drench the grounds and letting the water drip through to the cup or other vessel. That’s it! So easy.
Tips and Tricks
There are a few tips and tricks you can follow to make sure your coffee is the best tasting you can get. First, start with freshly roasted gourmet coffee from GourmetCoffees.com. If possible, purchase whole bean coffee and grind it just prior to brewing. If you are not able to grind your own coffee, keep your ground coffee in an airtight container and keep it away from heat, preferably in a kitchen cabinet.
If you are able to grind your own coffee, a burr grinder is best. Set the coarseness of the grinder to the appropriate level for the brew method you will be using. If you are using a blade grinder, that’s okay, just grind by pulsing the grinder (short bursts of grinding) while shaking the grinder a little which moves the beans around and produces a slightly more even grind.
Next, make sure your water is free from any smell or discoloration. Tap water is best and if you need to filter it, that’s fine. You should not use distilled water, however. When boiling your water for methods like pour over and French press, the water temperature should be just off the boil or 195 deg F to 205 deg F. To achieve this, allow the water to boil, remove it from the heat, and allow it to sit for 30 seconds to one minute to get to the proper temperature. A quick read thermometer is handy for checking this.
Using the correct amount of coffee beans and water are necessary for a delicious cup of coffee. Use one to two tablespoons of coffee for every six ounces of water. If you prefer to weigh your coffee and water, use a kitchen scale and weigh your coffee beans out to 30 grams and your water to 250 grams. Of course, this is to taste, so experiment a little with less (or more!) grounds until you find your ideal flavor.
