There are many different methods of brewing your coffee. Each technique has different characteristics and pros and cons! Here are five brewing methods that are common!
1) Automatic Drip Coffee
Automatic drip coffee is the most common type of coffee maker. Typically, these machines come with many unique features to make for ease of use. Though it’s a slightly weaker brew, the filter in this type of machine keeps oily compounds that can be detrimental to one’s cholesterol levels from passing through into the coffee.
2) French Press
French press coffee takes just four minutes to brew. This is one of the most simple brewing methods where coffee grounds steep in hot water, then the press pushes the grounds out. Because the coffee beans don’t pass through a filter, this yields a strong cup of coffee in caffeine and flavor. As one of the cleanest brewing methods, a French press produces a rich, heady cup.
3) Pour Over
Pour over coffees are just that – hot (not boiling) water is poured over coffee grounds slowly to create what some deem as the perfect cup; strong, full-bodied, and high in caffeine. There are two very common pour-over coffee makers: Chemex and Hario, which both allow you to have control over the taste, strength, and temperature of the coffee.
4) Turkish
Turkish ground coffee is a low-temperature brew, which strengthens the flavor. In this process, finely ground beans are brewed in a brass pot and sugar and other spices are added to give it a signature sweetness. For Turkish ground coffee, you only need about ⅓ of the number of coffee grounds needed for other methods.
5) Percolator
Brewing with a percolator is simple – it includes boiling water through coffee grounds in a small chamber on the stovetop. Popular in the 1950s and 1970s, percolator brewers are the topic of much debate; some claiming it yields over-extracted, pour tasting coffee while others say it produces a rich cup. One of the main benefits is how many cups it yields – between 9 and 10 cups!
Tips:
- Rinse filters with hot water to remove chemicals from the paper.
- For pour-over, pour slow and steady.
- Use a narrow spouted pouring kettle for pour-over and pressed coffee.
- Start with cold, lightly filtered water.
- Optimal coffee brewing temperature is between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Measure your grounds by weight, not volume, before brewing.
- Use freshly roasted beans and grind right before use.
- Store coffee beans in an opaque, vacuum-sealed container.
- Rinse your coffee maker with hot water to keep the coffee hot longer.
- Compost your used coffee grinds and the filters!
