Coffee is a universal drink; across every continent, people can be seen starting their days with this heavenly caffeinated beverage. With the widespread popularity of the drink, many different styles of coffee have sprung up, but we all tend to forget that there are different brewing methods. Brewing methods can improve the taste, smell and experience of drinking coffee, and many of them are simple to try within the comfort of your own home. While supporting your local shops and trying professionally-made coffees is a fun treat, it can quickly get expensive, so here are some of the best ways to brew at-home coffee.
Drip
Drip coffee makers are the most widespread and well-known method, they set the standard for brewing among caffeine-enjoyers. If you’ve tried coffee before, you have probably had drip coffee. The process is relatively simple: the machine contains a tank that heats up the water, building up pressure to send the water up to a shower head that pours it down through the coffee. The coffee sits in a compartment with a paper filter, which keeps grounds from getting in the coffee itself. Using a filter tends to trap some of the oils that would be present in coffee brewed through other methods. Drip coffee is widespread, cheap to make and easy to brew. It is, hands-down, one of the best at-home coffee brewing methods.
Pour-Over
This method is somewhat similar to drip coffee as it also involves the use of a filter. Pour-over coffee works by placing the coffee in a filter — paper or metal — over a mug or carafe and then manually pouring hot water over it in a slow, circular pattern. The style of brewing, similar to drip, is an infusion method. By slowly adding a fresh supply of water to the coffee grounds, more soluble flavors and oils can be extracted from the coffee, and if you use a metal filter — or none at all — more of the oils will be present. Pour-over makers are a great, cheap method of brewing coffee, allowing for great-tasting coffee with minimal know-how or effort involved. It is a solid alternative to drip and gives you the opportunity to get more involved with artisanal coffee-making.
Moka Pot
Espresso is one of the most popular forms of coffee. The small shots of coffee are packed with great flavor and tons of caffeine. However, attempting to make it at home can be expensive and difficult. Specialty espresso makers can cost hundreds of dollars, so making this style of coffee can be pretty burdensome. Luckily, we have the moka pot. This brewer was invented by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933, and quickly became a staple of Italian culture. To brew using a moka pot, start by filling the bottom chamber with water. Add your coffee to the brewing compartment and place it into the moka pot, then place the pot on the stove on medium-low to medium heat. As the water evaporates into steam, the pressure pushes it up through the coffee and into the compartment that holds the final product. Once the pot starts gurgling, take it off the heat and enjoy. Moka pots are a cheap and delicious way to brew some Italian at-home coffee.
French Press
Here we have another classic method of brewing from overseas: the French press. This is one of those brewing methods you hear about all the time, and its popularity is well-earned. The French press is an immersion method of brewing, you steep the coffee grounds like you’d steep tea. Start by adding grounds to the French press, then boil some water and then pour it over the top. Place the top — also known as the plunger — back on the press to keep the heat in. After steeping for around 4 to 5 minutes, push the plunger down slowly to separate the liquid from the grounds. Enjoy your freshly-brewed coffee.
Aeropress
This method is an incredibly new, but also incredibly rewarding form of at-home coffee brewing. To brew, place your grounds into the Aeropress, pour water over top and stir for around half a minute. Once the time is up, place the plunger overtop and gently push to strain your coffee into your chosen mug. The Aeropress is a great, modern method of brewing coffee. The Aeropress is definitely a decent option for cheap, portable and efficient at-home — or on-the-go — coffee brewing.
Coffee Siphon
The coffee siphon is a flashy and fun brewing method. Invented in the 1800s to unsuccessfully compete with coffee percolators, the coffee siphon is a fairly niche method, but it certainly deserves some shine. This method works by separating the water and coffee in separate upper and lower chambers, respectively. As you heat the water, it will work its way up into the grounds where it will brew via immersion. Afterward, it will then head back down to the lower chamber where any grounds left behind will be strained out with a filter. This makes coffee that tastes similar to drip coffee — nothing bad but nothing exceptional. The fun of this method comes from its theatrics. This is a brewer you use as a statement piece for a special occasion or when having a guest over, but who knows, maybe you will love the taste of this coffee more than anything else.
The choice is yours. Coffee is such a widespread and celebrated beverage; with so many great methods of at-home coffee brewing, which will you choose?
