Have you ever thought about the freedom you enjoy when it comes to brewing coffee?

Jul 5, 2011|

Freedom.  It is a word that many of us heard yesterday as we celebrated Independence Day.  But, did you ever think about the freedom you have when it comes to brewing coffee? There are so many different ways to brew coffee and you have the right to choose how you brew your coffee based of your preferences and needs! 

Here is a little rundown of some of the common ways to brew coffee.

1. Manual Drip Method (Hand Pour)
Manual drip brewing involves a ceramic filter basket, cone filter paper and requires some source for obtaining hot water (~200F).  First the paper filter is placed into the brewing cone.  Hot water is then poured over the filter and cone to pre-heat the brewing cone.  Ground coffee is added and then the hot water is slowly and carefully poured over the grounds to evenly saturate them.  To keep from overflowing the basket the water needs to be added in stages.

2. Automatic Drip Method
Automatic drip brewers, like BUNN home brewers, manage the variables behind brewing great coffee.  Automatic drip brewers help control the water temperature, the water to coffee contact time and the turbulence of the grounds to insure the proper extraction of the coffee.  The result is a coffee that is consistently flavorful.

3. French Press Method
The French press method works by completely immersing the ground coffee in hot water.  The grind size is generally coarser and requires a longer contact time for full extraction.  Like the manual drip method, a French press requires a source for hot water. First the ground coffee is placed into the bottom of the French press pot and then the hot water is added all at once over the grounds.  Most people will then stir the coffee and water mixture to aid in extraction at this point.  Variations in amount and time of stirring will change the flavor of the finished beverage.  The lid and plunger are then placed over the coffee/water mixture and allowed to rest for 3 to 5 minutes, after which the strainer is Pressed down to trap the coffee grounds on the bottom of the pot and the brewed beverage is poured out and served.

4. Vacuum Brewer Method
The vacuum method involves forcing hot water up through ground coffee.  The vacuum pot has two chambers.  The bottom chamber holds cold water while the top chamber holds the ground coffee.  A filtering device is placed between the two chambers.  When heat is applied the vacuum pot, the water in the lower chamber boils and is pushed up through the filter into the top chamber mixing with the ground coffee.  After the heat is removed, the brewed coffee flows back through the filter into the bottom chamber.  The chambers are separated, coffee grounds are disposed of and the coffee served.

5. Percolator Method
Similar to the vacuum method, water is placed into the bottom of a chamber.  Ground coffee is placed in a filter screen that is suspended above the water.  The water is brought to a boil, forcing it through a tube running through the center of the coffee filter screen.  The hot water showers over the coffee grounds and falls back through to the water below.  This circulation of water/coffee flowing over the coffee grounds for several minutes.

6. Turkish Method
The Turkish Method simply works by boiling fine grind coffee and water together in a vessel called an Ibrik.  The coffee is not filtered prior to serving. The resultant brew contains very fine particles of ground coffee.

7. Open Pot Method
The open pot method consists of having coffee grounds added to boiling water.  The filter is usually made of a cloth material.  Insert the ground coffee into the filter and immerse it directly in the boiling water.  Remove the pan from the heat source and allow the coffee to soak in the hot water.  After the brew has reached its desired strength, the coffee filter is removed and the brewed beverage served.   

With so many choices you really do have the freedom to brew!



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