Coffee Brewing Methods

Old and New Coffee Brewing Methods ...

Once upon a long time ago coffee brewing methods were limited to the lowly percolator. Pretty coiffed housewives would sit staring lovingly as water was heated until pressure forced it up a small tube and over a basket full of coffee grounds.

Well, with hindsight it was amusing to watch, even if the coffee couldn't possibly be very good by today's standards. Boiling coffee and running the liquid over grounds more than once, just can't produce a quality coffee brew.

Then in the 1970s, as with so many things, life changed forever. The drip method, inexpensive, quick and with a minimal improvement in taste, came to dominate the home coffee brewing scene. Simply throw a cup of coffee grounds in a plastic container, over piece of filter paper, add a few minutes of nearly boiling water dripping over the result and voila... freshly brewed coffee in a glass pot.

Even later came pre-packaged coffee pods filled with your favorite blend. Changes in materials and with all sorts of controls to adjust the coffee brew and internal spouts that spread the water evenly over the coffee grounds. Whether cone or flat and always near 200F (93C).

In the '90s, espresso coffee makers were all the rage, with the importation of European culture and the application of American ingenuity to reduce costs, without ruining the flavor. Hot water was forced under pressure through finely ground dark roasts and in a few minutes out pours a delicious, aromatic cup of coffee.

Add steamed, frothy milk and you have a cappuccino or latte, depending on the ratio of milk to coffee. A definite improvement and the wide variety of espresso coffee makers also produced delightful experiments in coffee chemistry.

Next came The French plunger, or Cafetiere, another ingenius device to help the dinner party hostess spread European coffee brewing methods and culture anywhere open-minded coffee drinkers were seeking new tastes and style. A simple metal rod extends through the center of a glass cylinder, where it is topped with a handle. At the other end is a metal coffee filter, which fits snugly inside the container.

Put coffee grounds into the container and pour nearly boiling hot water in. Unlike the drip method, the grounds steep until the plunger is pressed. The result is a dark, full-bodied coffee brew served straight from the brewing device.

One of the more esoteric coffee brewing methods uses the vacuum brewer: consisting of two glass or metal bowls, one atop the other. Heat causes hot water to rise into the upper bowl, similar to the percolator principle.

Remove the heat and as the liquid cools slightly a partial vacuum is created, drawing the hot water through the coffee grounds and into the lower chamber.

The process is a pleasant show at a dinner party and a produces a wonderfully fresh cup of coffee, as it can be carried out right at the dinner table.

Vacuum coffee brewers came in various shapes and sizes, They were made from glass or metal and were used extensively during the 1930s, '40s and '50s. Silex was the first to market the stovetop brewer in the mid '20s

But done properly any of the above coffee brewing methods, old or new, will produce a delicious cup of coffee. They all bring out distinctive tastes and aspects of the coffee ground you use.

Try them all and use our coffee tasting tips to find the blend and method you prefer. You never know, you may find that a modern coffee history lesson can also be a delectable taste tour.