Last Updated on August 10, 2021 by YourBestCoffeeMachine
No two cups of coffee are ever the same. Read on to find out 10 great ways to brew coffee for a more satisfying coffee brewing and drinking experience! We look at these alternative ways to brew coffee, many of which are manual requiring no power:
- Filtered coffee brewing
- French press brewing
- Cold brew method
- Aeropress
- Moka pot
- Vacuum coffee pot
- Siphon coffee making
- Turkish coffee pot
- Pour over coffee pot
- Pour over coffee maker with porcelain dripper
Let’s start off with some traditional methods of coffee brewing, then we will talk about some modern ways to brew a coffee.
The Popular Drip of Filtered Brewing
This is the method you most likely are familiar with, as everyone nearly has this kind of basic coffeemaker.
Drip brewing or filtered coffee involves pouring water over ground, roasted coffee beans contained in a filter. The machine then heats the water and the hot water drips through the coffee grounds into a glass carafe (or decanter) to produce the brewed coffee.
The method is quite simple, swift, and the machine used is not really that expensive, and most would prefer this as the whole procedure is easy and does not require complicated skills on your part.
The Classic French Press Brewing
Another very popular way to make coffee is by using French press, which is also known as a plunger pot. Unlike that with the drip brew coffee filter, it would require some coarser grind of coffee since the finer grounds will percolate into the coffee through the press filter.
For the process: the coffee grounds are directly added to a pot of hot water. After they steep, a plunger is pressed down inside the pot to strain the grounds to the bottom of the pot.
It’s one more uncomplicated way to make coffee, and many people like the French press as it is more self-sufficient and handy compared to other coffee makers.
Cold Brew Method
The cold brew or cold press method is wittingly for people who discover that coffee distresses their stomachs. It refers to the process of steeping coffee grounds in room temperature or cold water for a relatively long period.
The procedure requires coarse ground coffee beans to soaked in water (normally kept at room temperature, but you can also use chilled water) for an extended period of time, which is usually 12 hours or more.
After they have been steeped the grounds must be filtered out of the water using either of the following: a paper filter, a French press, or a fine metal sieve.
This produces a concentrate that is not directly drinkable and is often diluted with milk or water, and can be served hot, iced or blended with ice and other flavours. The resulting coffee is naturally sweeter due to its lower acidity.
AeroPress – The Innovative Way to Brew Coffee
The AeroPress is a device for coffee brewing wherein, depending on the grind and chosen strength, the coffee is steeped for between 10-50 seconds and the forced through a filter by pressing the plunger through the tube.
The resulting coffee is described as having an espresso strength concentration, though it is more frequently used in the filter brew strength.
The fine-ground coffee is positioned in the bottom of the larger cylinder on top of a paper filter and hot water at approximately 75 to 85 degrees Celsius is then poured over the coffee; this combination is stirred for approximately 10 seconds before being forced through the filter by pushing the plunger downwards.
We have done a review on the AeroPress, you can see the article here.
Moka Pot – The Traditional Italian Espresso
Not really for making coffee, but more like espresso, a moka pot is a stove-top coffeemaker that makes coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee.
This pot has a bottom and top section, with a cup in between to hold the coffee grounds. The water is situated in the bottom, and then the filter cup and top section are then screwed on.
When placed on a stove or any heat source, the water boils and is forced up through the coffee grounds under pressure and the finished drink accumulates in the top chamber.
Vacuum Brewed Coffee Pot – The Scientific Way to Brew
This type of coffeemaker brews coffee using two chambers where vapour pressure and vacuum produce coffee.
A vacuum pot has 2 chambers (a lower one and upper one) attached together with a filter.
The water goes in the bottom chamber, and the coffee grounds in the top. When placed on a heat source, the water heats up and forced upwards to combine with the coffee grounds.
The cooling lower chamber then sucks all the brewed coffee back down through the filter when the pot is removed from heat (keeping the coffee grounds in the top), leaving the fresh coffee in the lower chamber.
Balancing Siphon Coffee Maker – Love the Novelty
This is a more exotic way of brewing coffee: it has 2 jars which are connected on an intricate, balanced stands where coffee grounds go in one of the jars while water on the other.
The water is heated up and flows over to the jar with the grounds, and as it continues to boil, the jar where the water is placed is unfilled. The stand then tips to the side and the now brewed coffee courses back to the water jar.
Ibrik – Authentic Turkish Coffee Pot
Like the balancing siphon, ibrik may not be that easy to find. It is a Turkish utensil for coffee making with a diminutive metal cup located on the end of a rather long handle.
An important feature of the pot is that it is narrower at the top than the bottom.
Water fills the cup, and a spoon of finely ground coffee is put on top. The powdered coffee “caps” the water and steeps through the grounds as the boiling water bubbles.
The water foams up 3 times and you know the coffee is done.
Pour Over Coffee Brewing
Pour over coffee brewing begins with (freshly) ground coffee, a filter, and a filter holder, oftentimes called a ‘pour over dripper’.
Basically, pour over brewing involves dispensing water over and through the grounds to extract the coffee flavours.
One way of doing the pour over coffee brewing method is by using cone-shaped drippers that use filters (like the V60). A nice technique begins with rinsing the filter thoroughly and placing it inside the cone.
After adding the ground coffee, the bed should be levelled and a small divot be made in the middle. Targeting this, you pour just enough water to wet all of the coffee. Rest for 30 seconds and continue pouring slowly, starting in the middle and moving in and out in concentric circles until the preferred volume is achieved.
The flowing water must be kept about ¼-inch away from the exposed walls of the dripper and a constant volume throughout the brewing process must be maintained.
Pour Over Coffee with Porcelain Drippers
Another way of doing the pour over coffee brewing method is by using porcelain drippers that do not require the use of extra filter anymore (like the Walkure).
Because of the thermal properties of porcelain, extensive preheating for brewing is necessary. You can run hot water through the entire device before you start.
Then, add the ground coffee to the brew chamber and level the bed. The brewer should then be assembled with the lid off and prepare for pre-infusion with near-boiling water.
Aiming for the centre of the plate and assuming a position that reduces the arc of the flowing water, add about 10% of the total water volume.
Make sure that the coffee has been soaked evenly and rest while the grounds bloom. Continue pouring gradually, keeping the water volume consistent all the way through.
Finally…choose your favorite way to brew coffee
So there we go, 10 great and tasty ways to brew coffee that you might not have tried before. My favorite one is probably the cold brew method because I just love having a glass of ice cold coffee in the summer. However, the siphon coffee maker and vacuum coffee pot are a close second and third just for the novelty factor!
Tell us which brewing methods you prefer the most by leaving a comment below. Also, share your other coffee brewing methods – we want to know!!
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