Coffee Brewing 101

So how do you brew the perfect specialty or craft coffee? Well that all comes down to your personal preference. There are several options available including Percolators, French Presses, Pour-Overs, Drip Filtration, & Siphons. 

We'll start with the old fashioned Percolator. Percolated Coffee is brewed within a kettle and the grinds sit on top. The coffee grounds are heated by the water underneath at the bottom of the kettle. When the water heats up, it then moves up the Percolator through the coffee grounds. This used to be a very popular brewing method until automatic drip coffee makers essentially replaced them. You can still find them today and can make a nice cup of coffee using this brewing method but you need to be extremely careful to not overheat and over extract the coffee grounds. If you are going to use a Percolator, be sure to grind the coffee beans to a coarse setting and time the brew to about three or four minutes maximum.

Next up is your standard drip filtration coffee maker. You can find these at most retailers. They are very easy to use and involve placing a paper filter into the top of the coffee maker along with the coffee grounds and heated water. While these are very simple to use and might be the quickest method to brewing coffee, it has several drawbacks. This brewing system doesn't allow the water to sit in the coffee grinds long enough to pull the delicious flavors out that we are all looking for. It really presents a water downed version of coffee. Additionally the paper filters that are made for these coffee makers are thick and prevent the lipids and fats from passing thru that really help build the flavor of the coffee. If you are going to use this method be sure to grind the coffee beans to a medium and fine grind to try and obtain the best flavors.

Siphon coffee brewing is extremely cutting edge and geared towards your adventurous coffee drinkers. It also presents the best way for coffee aromas to fill the house! The great thing about Siphon brewing is that it avoids boiling water which can burn the coffee and ruin its flavor. A siphon brewer is made with two chambers. Water is added to the bottom chamber and the coffee grinds go into the top chamber. After a few minutes of heating the bottom chamber, the water then begins to vaporize creating pressure. It makes its way up to the top chamber and brews the coffee grounds. After the heat source is removed the opposite effect then takes place and the brewed coffee drops to the bottom passing thru a filter and leaving the grounds behind. A medium grind should be used for the best results in a siphon brewer. This method produces some of the smoothest and purest coffee of all brewing methods. 

Now we'll get into my two personal favorites. I would also like to recommend at a minimum that these brewing methods be used for craft or specialty coffees. You will get more flavors from your coffee by using these brewing methods and can truly appreciate the flavors that they help bring out through their designs. 

The French Press is considered by some as the best and easiest method of brewing coffee. It's a great way to brew superior and consistent coffee. It also extracts more flavors then most other brewing methods because of it's simplicity in allowing the coffee to sit in the water, unfiltered and unbothered by any other elements. Simply add coffee grounds and hot water to the canister and allow it to sit for 5-7 minutes. Once that time has passed, you'll simply push the press down until it won't go down any further. Pour out the delicious coffee from there and enjoy :) The best grind for this method is coarse. It is by far one of my favorite brewing methods because of how natural the process is. 

The Chemex Pour-Over Brewer is one of your more popular brew methods amongst coffee connoisseurs. What makes the Chemex so great is that it's design and filter are specially designed to bring out the best flavors that coffee has to offer. Coffee brewed using this method typically provides a smoother, lighter, sweeter taste with less acidity and bitterness. The only small drawback is that it doesn't present that strong body taste that say a French Press could offer. This is a great brewing method for specialty coffees. Your coffee grinds should be coarse, almost the same as raw sugar to bring out the optimum flavors. 

 So what is your favorite brewing method? We'd love to hear your comments!