Coffee Brewing Methods

Coffee Brewing Methods:

Paper Filter Brewing - The Easiest Brewing Method ----

Characteristics

The simplest way to brew coffee. The filter paper can be thrown away after one use, which makes it hygienic and easy to clean up. The amount of water and the pouring pattern can also be adjusted, and it can brew a single serving, making it ideal for small groups. The key points are much like the cloth filter method: choose beans with a longer roast profile, grind them, and extract the coffee within five minutes. If you prefer a milder cup, you can slightly increase the amount of coffee but grind coarser and shorten the brew time. Filter paper must be used with a dripper, usually made of plastic, though ceramic versions exist; to hold the heat of the boiling water, plastic is better because it conducts less than ceramic. Drippers and filter papers can be chosen in different sizes according to how much coffee you are brewing.

About Equipment

Drippers come in two-hole and three-hole varieties. Here we use the three-hole type, which costs about two to three hundred yuan. Then you need filter paper, available in supermarkets for just tens of yuan. The kettle for pouring boiling water should preferably have a narrow, pointed spout so water can be poured vertically onto the coffee grounds, which works better.

Key Points for Brewing

● About 10-12 grams of coffee powder per person with 120cc of boiling water.

● For those who prefer mild coffee, about 8 grams per person is enough.

● For those who prefer strong, bitter coffee, use about 12 grams per person, let it steam fully, then slowly pour in the boiling water.

● When using a pouring kettle, filling it to about 70-80% capacity makes it easier to control, and the amount of water should be prepared according to the number of people. You can measure with a beaker while dripping the required amount of coffee liquid.

● Don't let the filtered extract drip to the very last drop; stop while some liquid remains (if it all drips through, off-flavours or impurities may come with it).

● Warm the beaker without letting it boil, then pour into the coffee cup.

● As with the siphon method, technique matters a great deal here. At first your coffee may taste strongly acidic. Beyond poor control of the water flow, the reasons include the quality of the coffee itself (freshness and so on) and the coarseness of the grind.

Brewing Method

1. Fold the filter paper along the seam line and place it in the dripper.

2. Use a measuring spoon to add medium-ground coffee for the number of people (about 10-12g per person) into the dripper, then tap gently to level the surface.

3. After boiling water in a tea kettle, pour it into a narrow-spouted kettle. Starting from the centre, gently and steadily pour the boiling water (temperature about 95°C) in a slow spiral until the water penetrates and covers all the coffee. Be sure to pour slowly.

4. To extract the delicious components, let the expanded coffee powder steam for a while (about 20 seconds).

5. For the second pour, slowly pour from the surface of the coffee powder. The amount poured must match the amount of coffee extract dripping out, keeping the water level in the filter paper constant.

6. Stop when the extract reaches the desired amount for the number of people and discard while water still remains in the filter paper.

Flannel Filter Brewing - Unleashing Coffee's Ultimate Flavor ----

Characteristics

Coffee brewed with a flannel filter is mellow and delicious. The advantage is that you don't need to stir the coffee in the bag to make all of it contact the boiling water: the coffee expands, forms foam and gradually filters down. The key is determining the amount of coffee powder, which then determines how much boiling water is needed. When brewing, control the time the water stays in the filter at about five minutes, adding water slowly and carefully. Through the cloth, all the coffee's components are completely extracted. Cleaning and storing cloth filters require particular attention, otherwise the coffee flavour will deteriorate.

Preparation Before Brewing

● The coffee powder will expand after water is added, so choose a slightly larger filter.

● Use the fuzzy side of the filter as the outside, squeeze out the water thoroughly, and straighten the wrinkles before use.

About Flannel Filter Storage

With a new flannel filter, to remove any paste or flavours left on the cloth, scrub it with water and a brush (do not use soap or soap powder, as the flavours will not come out), then boil it with used coffee powder and water for five minutes, then wash with water.

Flannel Filter Storage Method

After use, wash the filter cloth thoroughly with water. To prevent oxidation, store it in water in the refrigerator, and change the water daily, otherwise scale will form and clog the cloth's pores. When using, rinse with warm water, then squeeze it dry thoroughly before use.

Brewing Method

1. With the cloth pores facing inward, put about 10-12g of coffee powder per person into the filter cloth, then level it.

2. For light roast coffee, the water temperature should be about 95°C, while for dark roast it should be lower. Initially pour in a thin stream, controlling the flow while pouring in circular motions. After the coffee foams, let it steam for about 20 seconds during this pause. For later pours, pour equal amounts of boiling water in a vortex pattern, from centre to outside and back to centre.

3. Don't let all the water drip through completely; stop once you have poured the right amount for the number of people, and remove the filter while water still remains in the cloth.

4. When extraction is complete and the coffee liquid has cooled, warm it without letting it boil. Shake gently before pouring into cups.

Cold Drip Coffee Maker - Take Time to Enjoy the Pleasure of Brewing Coffee ----

Characteristics

A method that uses cold water and takes time to extract. Prepare it the night before and you can enjoy fragrant morning coffee the next day. When drinking hot coffee, be careful not to let it boil.

Preparation Before Brewing

To keep the dripping speed constant during extraction, loosen the stopcock part. It is better to use dark roast, finely ground coffee beans.

Brewing Method

1. Put the calculated amount of coffee powder for the number of people into the dripper and press gently, then add a small amount of water to wet everything.

2. Place the dripper on the beaker and pour the water needed for the number of people into the upper tank (about 300-350cc for three people).

3. Cover with the lid. With this equipment, it takes about 3-4 hours to make coffee.

4. When you want to drink, remove the lid, tank and dripper, pour into the beaker and heat without letting it boil, then pour into cups.

Steam Pressure Coffee Maker - Italian Style ----

Characteristics

The characteristic of a steam pressure coffee maker is that it uses steam pressure to extract coffee liquid instantly. Strong, bitter steam coffee is the foundation of many coffee styles and has become more popular over the years.

Preparation Before Brewing

● To improve extraction, press the coffee powder firmly into the basket, and make sure the upper kettle's steam doesn't leak — cover it properly.

● Use it according to the number of people, and always choose equipment with a larger capacity than the number of people. If the steam pressure is weak, the extracted coffee will taste flat.

Brewing Method

1. Pour the required amount of boiling water for the number of people into the lower chamber, then put in the basket with dark roast, finely ground coffee — about 6-8 grams per person — and press gently from above.

2. Combine the upper kettle and basket with the lower kettle. Be sure to fasten the upper kettle tightly.

3. After assembling, when the water in the lower kettle boils, the water tube will rise. Once it is empty, remove from heat (hot water sprays up through the coffee powder into the upper kettle, extracting the coffee liquid).

4. The equipment is very hot, so be careful not to get burned, then pour into pre-warmed cups.

Ibrik - Traditional Turkish Coffee ----

Characteristics

Turkish coffee, elegantly called Ibrik after the long-handled coffee utensil used to make it.

Key Points for Extraction

● Brew three times, removing from heat before boiling and adding a small amount of water each time.

Brewing Method

1. Prepare dark roast coffee beans (about 5 grams per person) and grind them into powder in a mortar (or grinder).

2. Add the appropriate amount of boiling water to the coffee powder for the number of people needed. Add spices at this time as well.

3. Then set over low heat. When foam forms and just before boiling, remove from heat and add a little water. Once the boiling stops, return to heat. Repeat this process three times.

4. When the coffee powder in the ibrik settles, carefully pour into cups.

Siphon Coffee Brewer - Enjoy the Atmosphere ----

Characteristics

The main principle is the ideal gas equation PV=nRT. With volume fixed, heating creates steam pressure from boiling water, forcing the water through a glass tube into the upper chamber to brew coffee. Then, as it cools, a vacuum-like state forms in the lower chamber and draws the brewed coffee down from above, filtering the grounds with filter paper in the middle. Unlike regular filters, the key point of a siphon is that to make coffee and boiling water combine completely, you must use a bamboo spoon to stir the coffee powder in the water. You can enjoy watching the extraction while savouring the coffee — that is the charm of the siphon, and it doubles as decoration. It is, however, slightly more complex to operate than drip brewing.

About Equipment

Managing it is somewhat troublesome, but you get used to it. Being glassware, be careful not to break it. After use, the filter spout must be cleaned thoroughly and soaked in clean water, then stored in the refrigerator.

Preparation Before Brewing

● After the water in the bottom chamber is completely boiling, insert the upper chamber. Inserting it too early will prevent proper extraction.

● Stir the boiling water and coffee powder appropriately within a short time. Taking too long will make the coffee cloudy and cause loss of aroma.

Brewing Method

Add hot water to the coffee cups, and put a bit more than N cups of hot water in the lower pot.

1. First heat the lower pot until boiling.

2. Then insert the upper pot (water will start rising at this point).

3. When the water stops rising, move away from heat and stir the upper pot to infuse the coffee powder evenly in the water.

4. Stir about five times, move back to heat and start timing.

5. After about 30 seconds, move away from heat, stir about five times again, then move back to heat (timing continues).

6. When the total time reaches about one minute (stop timing), move away from heat and wipe the lower pot with a damp cloth (the water will immediately descend).

7. Wait for the water to descend completely, remove the upper pot, then move the lower pot back to heat.

8. When you hear three bubble sounds, move away from heat and turn off the flame.

9. Empty the originally hot water from the cups, and pour coffee until 80% full.

10. Add seasonings according to personal preference.

PS: Blue Mountain's total time is about 50 seconds, others about one minute. Beyond one and a half minutes there will be a bitter, burnt taste.

The more you stir, the stronger and more acidic it becomes. One stir takes about one second.

PS: Step six forces the water away from the coffee powder, preventing over-extraction and off-flavours.

PS: For those who want to save effort, step eight can be skipped.

Electric Coffee Maker Brewing - Simple Brewing ----

Characteristics

After assembling all components such as filter paper and filter cup, the electric coffee maker brews the coffee automatically. The secret to a good cup lies in time control: hold 83°C during the three-minute brewing period, with slightly lower temperatures for the rest. Follow each product's instructions and you will get good results. Note, however, that with an electric coffee maker the beans should not be ground too finely, as very fine powder can clog the filter gaps and spoil the flavour.

Percolator Coffee Maker Brewing - Easy Brewing ----

Characteristics

With filter or steam methods, coffee powder and boiling water contact only once. With a percolator, the boiling water can contact the coffee powder multiple times, creating a more aromatic flavour. To use a percolator, first place a metal filter cup in the pot, then pour boiling water into the pot and coffee powder into the filter cup. Heat the bottom of the pot. When the boiling water rises through the single exit metal tube and meets the lid on top, the coffee liquid in the filter cup descends and circulates, brewing the coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee: http://www.gafei.com

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Since the method you choose shapes the cup, it helps to pick beans that suit it. For drip and pour-over, FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon is medium roasted and gives cream peanut, chocolate, toasted bread and sugarcane sweetness — mellow and easy to control. If you want more fruit and less bitterness, FrontStreet Coffee's Strawberry Candy Blend, combining Costa Rican honey processing with Panamanian Geisha, brings orange-blossom honey and rounded sweetness, and works for cold brew and espresso too. For the syphon's richer extraction, FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 delivers chocolate, roasted nuts, cream and caramel with the balance the method rewards.