Brew the best coffee at home with these brewing tools
If you buy roasted coffee beans or coffee grounds, you will need to brew your coffee. Coffee brewing is a nuanced process that may feel daunting to newbies. But this article will help you grapple with it and guide you to a perfect cup of coffee.
Fundamentally, coffee making involves subjecting coffee grounds to high temperature and pressure in boiling water to release their flavor into it. Many choose to use gravity filters, while many others swear by a coffee brewing machine. Which one you choose depends on you.
There is no dearth of brewing equipment in the market. The readily available ones are described below:
French Press: A French press works on the principle of steeping coffee in boiling water and pressing out its flavor. It consists of a carafe and a perforated plunger. Add about 6 to 7 grams of coffee grounds into the carafe, pour 200 ml of boiling water over it, and shut the jar.
Let the coffee steep, this takes about 4-5 minutes. Then push down the plunger to filter out the spent grounds from the coffee. Enjoy it as is, or with cream.
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Pour over Filter:
It works on the principle of allowing gravity to pressurize the beans into spilling the flavor into your coffee. You will have to place a dedicated filter over your cup and pour a spoonful of coffee powder into it. Then, gently drip a cup of hot water over it and wait for it to trickle down as coffee.
The water’s temperature, the speed of pouring it, and the filter thickness, all make a difference to the coffee’s body and flavor. You will need to experiment regularly to get the hang of the technique that suits your palate.
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Metal Filter:
Also known as the South Indian Filter, it is a hassle-free gravity filter. It has two chambers, an upper one with a perforated floor, for the powder and a bottom compartment to collect the filtered coffee. Add two spoons of coffee powder into the upper chamber and lightly press it down with the perforated plunger that comes with your filter.
Pour half a cup of boiling water over it and shut the container. Let gravity work its magic for a few minutes after which you have pure coffee concentrate in the collection chamber. You may drink it as is, but it is best had with a cup of hot milk and sugar to taste.
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Moka Pot:
It is a stovetop espresso maker which forces rising steam through the beans to collect its flavor on the way up. The pot consists of three chambers the bottom is where you pour water, the middle layer is where you put the coffee powder. Then you place the entire pot over the stove for a few minutes.
Water in the lowermost chamber boils, and the steam rises and pushes its way through the coffee beans. The vapor finally condenses as coffee in the topmost section.
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Electric Percolator:
The electric percolator performs three functions: boils the water, drips it onto the coffee powder, and filters the coffee decoction into a collection pot underneath. It is not very expensive and gives a consistent taste every time you use it. These features make this coffee brewing machine an ideal choice if you are a novice to coffee making.
In summary
Coffee brewing is as much an art as it is a science. The choice of brewing equipment is a matter of personal preference, and there is no way of determining which method is superior. Have fun trying out all the methods till you find the one that suits you the best!
