Different Methods of Brewing Coffee

September 12, 2018

How’d you like your coffee? Black, with milk, with sugar? Maybe, you prefer espressos, lattes or cappuccinos? Espressos and drip coffee are just two of the many ways that man has curated to brew coffee, and each method suits different types and roasts of bean.

Not that we are going to become master baristas and begin being finicky about how we brew our coffee, but we are interested in the scope that different technologies and inventions have to offer. With that in mind, we thought we’d share with you want we’ve been researching over the past few days. Here’s a quick rundown of some quirky brewing method and what benefits they offer.

AeroPress

This device sounds like it would be found on Starship Enterprise and it somewhat looks the part too! Invented in 2005 this device uses beans that are ground just a little bit finer than your standard filter coffee grind. It claims to be able to produce coffee with roughly the same concentration as an espresso, making for a very potent brew! It is also said to have a higher pH, therefore being less acidic, than regular drip coffee.

A paper microfilter is placed at the bottom of the tube and the device is then stood atop the cup. The coffee is placed in followed by the hot water, between 79ºC - 85ºC (dosage amounts are also important here), then it is all stirred for 10 seconds. Afterward, the plunger is inserted and, just in the way a syringe works, the coffee is forced through the microfilter and into the cup beneath.

You have a lot of variation with this brewing method, as far as water/coffee ratios, the level of the grind and the ability to alter the contact duration between the coffee and the water. If you really want to experiment with what flavours you can get from a particular type of bean this is the device to use!

Moka Pot

This classic brewing method was invented in Italy and then patented in 1933. It has become an iconic design and can often be seen in modern design museums. It is available in different sizes and therefore can brew either individual servings, 50ml, or multiple servings.

A small funnel in the centre of the device is filled with ground coffee, the bottom half is filled with water and the top half is screwed on tight. The Moka Pot is then placed on an electric or gas stove and left to brew. Pressure builds up in the bottom half of the pot eventually forcing almost boiling water -at about 90ºC- up through the coffee and into the top section. When the bottom half is almost empty the steam will start to be forced through the coffee and is characterised by a gurgling noise. As soon as this starts the pot should be taken off the boil as this stage brings undesirable flavours to the beverage.

Although the coffee produced is said to be of a similar strength to that of an espresso it is produced under a lower pressure and therefore has different flavours in it. It can, with some beans and grinds produce a crema similar to that found atop an espresso.

Chemex

The hourglass figure and heatproof wooden collar of the Chemex Coffeemaker probably make this the most stylish coffeemaker we’re ever seen. it was invented in 1941 and, like all the other brew methods on this list it does something slightly different to your coffee.

It works almost like your standard drip brewer; almost. First, a paper filter is inserted into the top and filled with coffee, next a small portion of hot water is poured over the coffee to moisten it; a technique called “blooming” in the coffee world. Finally, after boiling your water in a different vessel, pour enough water for the desired amount of coffee over the beans, wait and watch it percolate.

The paper filters used for a Chemex are a little thicker (bonded paper) than those used for regular drip coffee and it is said that these remove most of the oils from the coffee, giving it a very different flavour to coffee you would usually get from coffee brewed “drip style”. Some also say that these filters remove cafestol, a cholesterol-elevating compound found in coffee oils.

Hario V60

This is a Japanese invention and involves a cup looking device (with a hole in the bottom) sitting atop of either a coffee pot or coffee cup. it looks a little out of place when set up; we must say. Inside it is placed a coffee filter and the coffee you want to brew with.

The same method of “blooming” the beans that is used with the Chemex Coffeemaker is used, however, from here it differs. After blooming one must pour about 180ml of hot water over the coffee (in a circular motion), wait a short moment and then pour over the next third of your water. After another 10-15 seconds you can finish by dispensing the last of your water (still in a circular motion) over the coffee.

The benefits of such a system allow you to really experiment with and fine-tune the final product. It allows you to finely adjust the quantity of water, the quantity of coffee and the grind of your coffee to bring the best out of your selected bean and really allow the characteristics of that bean to shine through.

Image Credits: pixabay.com