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Coffee Brewing Methods: Is your coffee brewer just a drip?
For most of us, brewing up our morning cup of coffee is more
than just a necessity, it is a matter of convenience. Each
night, millions of us coffee lovers pile heaping tablespoons of
our favorite gourmet coffees into those paper filters, fill the
tank of our coffee makers with water and set the timer so that
our coffee is ready and waiting first thing in the morning.
But why would anyone spend good money on the finest gourmet
coffee beans or fresh ground gourmet coffees and use just any
home coffee maker.
So if you are like me and you enjoy the finest gourmet and
specialty coffees available, then you must also believe that
they deserve the best and most reliable coffee brewing equipment
available.
Here is a quick list of the most popular coffee brewing methods
& equipment starting from the best:
French Press The French press coffee maker (or press pot)
is universally recognized as the best brewing method, allowing
for the truest coffee taste and aroma. This method actually
brews the coffee in the hot water (as opposed to drip machines
which only pass the water through the coffee and a filter).
After a few minutes of brewing, a metal filter is pressed
through the brew catching the coffee grinds and then trapping
them at the bottom of the carafe. What is left over is
full-bodied coffee with all its aroma and essences.
One of the main advantages to using a French press, other than
great coffee taste, is the amount of control you have. You can
control the water temperature (which incidentally should be
around 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that drip
makers do not achieve), you can control the amount of coffee you
want to add, and you can control the brew time. Four minutes of
brew time and 30 seconds of "plunging" time is considered best.
Another great feature about the French press is that it is
extremely portable and only requires hot water. You can take it
camping or use it in places with limited kitchen space, like a
boat or an RV. Some press pots can also be used to brew loose
leaf teas in the same manner.
As an aside, you shouldn't leave your brewed coffee in the
press-pot with the grounds after you brew it! Either consume it
or transfer it to a carafe, preferably a thermal carafe.
Vacuum Brewer Vacuum brewers aren't very common, but they
make coffee just about as well as a French press since the
coffee and water are brewing together. A vacuum brewer has an
upper and a lower chamber connected by a tube with a small
filter inside. Coffee grounds are placed in the upper chamber,
and water is placed in the lower chamber. As the lower chamber
is heated, the water rises up to meet the coffee in the upper
chamber where the brewing begins. After brewing, the water (now
coffee) cools and seeps back down into the lower chamber leaving
the used coffee grinds behind in the upper chamber. Ideally, the
upper chamber is removed and the lower chamber is used as a
decanter for the finished coffee. Vacuum brewers can be
electric,
stovetop, or even used over a sterno can for dramatic
tabletop brewing!
The Toddy Maker The toddy maker or Cold-Brew Coffee Maker
uses an unusual cold-brewing method that creates a coffee
concentrate. This concentrate is then mixed with hot water to
make coffee. The concentrate can be stored in a refrigerator and
used to make one cup at a time if you so desire. This method
produces a low-acid coffee, which is doctor recommended for
coffee drinkers with stomach conditions.
Although this method of coffee brewing is sounds a bit odd, the
result in taste is pleasantly surprising. One drawback is the
amount of time it takes to brew. A good idea is to brew the
coffee overnight. Once brewed, the concentrate can produce more
than just one pot of coffee, so it's not a nightly event for a
great cup of morning coffee!
Drip Grind Coffee Makers Drip Grind coffee makers are the
most common and usual coffee brewing method that we are familiar
with. In this method, water is dripped over and passes through
the coffee grinds and a filter and is caught by the coffee pot
below. Despite being the most common brew method it also happens
to be the one which produces a coffee brew with the least amount
of flavor and aroma.
There are generally 2 filter options for the drip grind coffee
makers. Permanent filters: are just what they say,
permanent. They are usually gold-plated so they don't add any
unwanted metallic taste to your coffee, resistant to corrosion
so they are dishwasher safe and economical because they don't
need replacing. Permanent filters are preferred because they
allow for better coffee taste as opposed to the second filter
option, paper filters.
Paper filters are the most common filter choice
for the drip grind coffee makers. Unfortunately, paper filters
can filter out more than just coffee grinds. Flavorful oils can
be left behind in the filter and not make it to the finished
coffee brew resulting in less coffee flavor and aroma. Since
permanent filters allow for more liquid to pass through, the end
result is a more flavorful cup.
As you can see, the most common brew method happens to be the
one which produces the least amount of coffee flavor and aroma.
Since, mornings usually need to be made quick and simple, most
people have never had their coffee brewed any other way. If you
are one of these people, don't just splurge on gourmet coffee's,
get a small French press maker, start experimenting and
experience the truest coffee flavor & aroma in each cup.
About the author:
Dr. Vince is a coffee lover, who like you, continues his quest
to find & prepare the ultimate cup of java. His search for a
quality coffee distributor led to the development of
www.WeBeJava.com. We Be Java is not only the distributor but
they are affiliated directly with the roastery! Why is this so
important? By dealing directly with the roastery, your coffee
order is roasted in small batches right before it is shipped.
Your coffee order i
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