Coffee Brewing

There are many methods of brewing coffee and I will describe the most popular and best methods here, but first, if you want a great cup of coffee, you need to start with high quality, freshly roasted coffee beans. Last month I talked about buying whole bean coffee in small amounts and the proper storage to maintain freshness. The next step is to grind the coffee as close to when you will brew it as possible.

Burr grinders (see pic at right) are the best because they give a consistent product and can be adjusted for the type of brewer you use. The more common blade grinder merely crushes the beans and there is no consistency in the size. If your coffee is bitter, it has probably been over-extracted and the grind is too fine. If it tastes flat, it is probably under-extracted and the grind is too course. Adjust your grinder to fit your taste. (Or invest in a good Burr grinder!)

The rule of thumb for brewing coffee is to use approximately 2 tablespoons of coffee per 6 ounces of water. Make sure that the water is free from taste or chemicals. The best water is either spring water or filtered water. Always make sure that your brewer is clean and free of any residue.

Percolator: This is the method used by your mother or grandmother. Coffee is put into a basket and water is placed in the bottom of the pot where it is boiled and forced up a tube and pours over the coffee. This is also known as “Bad Coffee”.  We have all had this in the basement of the church because you can make it in large quantities for big groups. It is also economical because people rarely come back for a second cup.

Auto Drip : This is probably the most popular method of brewing coffee. You place medium ground coffee in a filtered basket and cold filtered water in a reservoir where it is heated. The hot water is dripped over the coffee where the extraction takes place. Restaurants use this method and the results can be fairly good.

If this is your preferred method, make sure that you get a quality brewer that controls the temperature of the water.

The best brewing occurs at 195-205 F.

A gold filter to replace the paper filters gives better results. If there is a hot plate under the carafe, remove it after the brewing process is over to prevent scorching the coffee. If it gets cold, make a new pot – don’t reheat the coffee.

Manual Drip: This is simply a cone that holds a filter and placed over a carafe or individual cup. Medium ground coffee is place in the cone and hot water is poured into the cone. The nice thing about this is that you can make an individual cup and always have it fresh.

French Press: This is possibly the best way to brew coffee at home. A French press is merely a glass jar with a plunger. The French press allows you to control the time and temperature of the brewing process.

To make coffee in a French press, remove the plunger and add freshly ground (coarse) coffee to the glass jar (2 tablespoons per 6 ounces of water). Add the proper amount of almost boiling water (195-205 F) and stir.

Wait 4-5 minutes and push the plunger down to separate the grounds from the extracted coffee. The French press is one of the least expensive coffee makers and allows the most control of the process. The drawbacks include a bit more time to clean the press and, since the container is glass, it will lose heat faster. There are electric and insulated French presses. You can also get a French press that is a single cup serving and can be great for traveling!

Until next month, enjoy each cup!