Different Ways of Brewing Coffee at Home
Updated: Nov 9, 2020
What is the best way of making good coffee at home? Which brewer should I buy? Is it worth having more than one option to prepare different strength beans?
These are the most common questions we receive and here you can find all the answers.
First and most important element of making good coffee at home is buying high quality beans and grinding them shortly before brewing. Why? More details here.
Second and a bit controversial subject: pairing different beans with specific brewers. Yes, the flavours and strength will vary depending on the method used. Here is a simple reference to help you out.
Mild to Medium: French press/Cafetiere, Pour-Over and Aeropress
Medium to Strong: Moka Pot/Percolator and Espresso Machine
Third point is about your personal taste, time and technique. If you are a hands-on type of coffee enthusiast, manual brewing methods can be your thing as they allow for more control and active participation during the whole process. However, if you rather hit the ‘brew’ button and have a coffee shop quality cup ready in seconds, investing in an espresso machine may be a winner.
Let's explore five growing trends for gourmet-type home brewing methods and help you choose the best buying options in each category:
French press/Cafetiere
Being one of the easiest to use and cheapest to buy and keep (no disposable filters required), it is not surprisingly a favourite.
The brewing process is not super quick, but not too slow either but the steps are very simple: coarse ground coffee, boiling water on top, give it a mix and let it steep for approximately four minutes and then press down the filter to separate the grounds from the water.
Result is a cup of distinctive pure and clean flavour, however, it'll be a little sediment-y, so good advice is avoid drinking the last few sips of each cup.
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Pour-over
Available in a variety of options, it's essentially a dripping method using a coffee cone and paper filter. One of the oldest and simplest ways of brewing.
Pour water over the ground coffee sitting on the paper filter and let gravity work, making the brewed coffee drips slowly and directly into a cup or pot. The cone shape and their filters will influence the flavours but overall, the result is a clean, clear and light bodied tasting coffee.
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Aeropress
Relatively new, it's made of plastic and comes in three parts: a coffee basket, a filter and a brew chamber. Putting it all together for your first brew may feel like a science project!
Add hot water on top of coffee ground in the brew chamber and give it a good mix, wait around two minutes then screw the filter bit, turn it upside down quickly resting on a mug and press down the plunger slowly. Because of its paper micro filter the result is a clean, full-flavoured experience.
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Moka Pot/Percolator
Also known as the "Italian way", it's a stove top pot style coffee maker with a three chambered brew process. Super-fast once you've heated up the water and do not require paper filter but, as you surely guessed by now, requires a cooking stove.
The brewing process happens when the water in the bottom chamber boils causing the steam pressure to push the water up through the coffee grounds into the top chamber. The result is espresso-shot-like-kick with a bittersweet and super-strong taste.
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Tip: If using a gas hob, you may also need a gas ring reducer.
Espresso Machine
Undoubtedly the best option for espresso lovers, produces that stunning coffee crema on top of a strong, sharp and full of flavour shot. Also, if you like froth milky brew, this is the way to go.
Brewing process as simple as pressing a button with guaranteed amazing results. Mastering the barista skills for the perfect level of milk frothiness for your taste is a whole different story. It may take a while and a lot of dedication but can become a rewarding hobby.
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