What’s In Your Cup? – A Look at 5 Brewing Methods

by Andreanne Hamel

If you’re a coffee connoisseur, then you likely already know how you like your morning coffee. Each morning you get up, turn on your favorite drip-style coffee pot, with your favorite pre-ground coffee, and wait five minutes for that perfect cup. Really, if this sounds like you, you may be missing out.

Simply sticking to a drip style machine may not always be the best choice, especially for those who really enjoy that morning cup.

In this article we will look at brewing methods, and we talk about the qualities that each one produces. We will also compare espresso machines to the more traditional brewing methods.

Drip Style Machines

A drip coffeemaker is the most common method for brewing coffee. With this type of machine water is heated until close to boiling and then poured over top of the grounds. The water then sits there and slowly drips out into the pot. Using this brewing method you get more caffeine in your cup, since the water soaks the grounds before dripping through. You also get less of the flavor and aroma from the coffee beans, than with any other brewing method. Much of the flavor actually gets trapped in the paper filter.

Percolator

The percolator used to be one of the more common methods in the 1950’s. With this type of coffee maker the water is boiled and pushed up through a spout. It then falls back through the grounds and into the pot. As a general rule this style of brewing makes a weaker cup of coffee with the same qualities as a drip-made cup. The percolators only real advantage over a drip style machine is the lack of a paper filter to trap all of the flavor.

French Press

One brewing method that does extract more of the flavor is the French press. With this style, the grounds are placed into a beaker style pot. Hot water is then poured over the grounds and allowed to steep. A French press has a plunger that is then used to force the grounds to the bottom of the pot and push the flavor and aroma into the water.

This method of brewing will make a rich, full-bodied cup of coffee, but it has one drawback; sometimes the smaller grounds escape into the coffee, which can be a turn-off to some.

Stovetop Espresso maker/Mocha Pot

Now we get to the espresso makers. The first type we are going to consider is a stovetop espresso maker, also known as a mocha pot. With this brewing method the water is heated on a stovetop (as the name suggests). Instead of percolating though, pressure from steam forces the water through the grounds.

This method produces a rich full bodied cup of coffee without the crema that many espresso lovers seek. Since pressure is used though, it is the flavor and aroma that get extracted from the beans, and less of the caffeine comes with it.

Espresso Machines

Finally we will talk about more traditional espresso making devices. To try this method you may want to buy a semi automatic espresso machine. They are much less expensive than espresso machines commercial, but still allow for controlled brewing.

An espresso machine uses pressure at the right temperature, and forces the water through the grounds under controlled conditions. The conditions may depend on the desired strength of the espresso, but one thing remains the same. Using an espresso machine allows for more of the flavor and aroma to be extracted from the beans. This method puts the flavor in your cup and leaves more of the caffeine behind.

If your morning routine includes only a drip coffeemaker, isn’t it time that you tried another brewing method? Sure it’s likely that your drip maker will stay with you, and still get a lot of use. For those times when that flavorful, aromatic cup of coffee is sought though, it may just be time to ask yourself: What’s in your cup?