Brewing Coffee

• Coffee Basics
• French Press
• Filter Coffee
• Espresso
• Instant



 

Filter coffee

On July 8, 1908, the first paper coffee filter was created by Melitta Bentz from Dresden, Germany. Desperately searching for a way to brew the ideal cup of coffee without the bitterness that can result from over brewing. She set about inventing a way to make filtered coffee by pouring boiling water over ground coffee.

Following numerous attempts with a range of materials she eventually found that the blotting paper her son used for school was best. She cut a round piece of blotting paper and placed it in a metal cup. In June of 1908 the coffee filter and filter paper were patented and soon Melitta and her husband started the Melitta Bentz Company.

Paper filters are commonly used for drip brew all over the world. One benefit of paper filters is that the used grounds and the filter may be disposed of together, without a need to clean the filter. However, metal filters are also common, especially in India. These are made of thin perforated metal sheets that restrain the grounds but allow the coffee to pass, thus eliminating the need to have to purchase separate filters. Additionally, many machines now use permanent plastic filters, which are made of a fine mesh. These of course add to the maintenance of the machine, but reduce overall cost and are more eco-friendly.

There is much to be said about the ritual of preparing a good cup of coffee, and yet so much is clouded by superstitious claptrap that really doesn't have any effect on what the final cup tastes like. What counts is simple math and physics, and as long as you understand the chemistry of coffee you can produce a perfect cup every time

There's no big secret to making good coffee with a drip coffee maker. It's simple and straightforward but there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Invest in a coffee grinder.

It's amazing what a difference that one single thing makes. When you grind coffee, you increase the surface area of the coffee bean that is exposed to air, hastening the release of the oils that give coffee its rich flavour. If possible, grind coffee right before you use it. If you don't have a coffee grinder, buy at a store that sells whole beans that you can grind yourself. Buy just enough for a few days at a time, and store it in an airtight container at home.
How coarse you grind the coffee plays a huge part to the final cup of coffee. Grinding too fine will create an over extracted bitter brew, too coarse will be under extracted and weak.
The terms can be open to interpretation (just how fine is extra fine?) These comparisons might help you gauge your grind a little better:

Coarse - Very distinct particles of coffee. Like heavy-grained kosher salt. Downright chunky.
Medium - Gritty, like coarse sand.
Fine - Smoother to the touch, a little finer than granular sugar or table salt.
Extra fine - Finer than sugar, but not quite powdered.
Turkish - Powdered, like flour. Most inexpensive (blade) grinders can't grind this finely.

Coarse grind should be used in Caffetierres
Medium grind is for flat-bottomed filter machines.
Fine grind suits cone filter machines.
Extra-fine is used in espresso makers.

2. Buy good coffee.

The better the coffee you start with, the better the coffee you'll end up with. Of course, good coffee is a subjective thing.

3. Keep your drip coffee maker and coffee pot clean.

Coffee oils cling to everything, and once they're deposited they start growing rancid. Wash out your pot and filter basket every time you make a fresh pot, and clean your coffee maker once a week. Descale it once a month. And do remember to clean the shower heads up under where the filter basket goes. That's an area most people never think to clean.

4. Use a paper filter.

You've probably seen ads for permanent coffee filters in gold or nylon. They sound like a great idea, but coffee residues tend to collect in hard to clean places on them. It's better and easier to buy good quality paper coffee filters and have a fresh one for every brew.

5. Use enough coffee.

The biggest mistake that people make when making coffee in a drip coffee maker is using too little coffee. You should use two tablespoons (10g) of ground coffee for each 6 ounces of water. Measure it out the first few times and you'll be surprised how much coffee that actually is.

6. Use fresh, cold water.

I've heard people recommend using distilled water with all the minerals and impurities removed. Frankly, distilled water is good for your machine, but it makes flat tasting coffee. If your tap water is good for drinking, it will make good coffee. If it's not, use a water filter or use spring water.

7. Avoid the temptation to use the brew pause.

The first cup or so of coffee will carry most of the coffee flavour. If you pour that off and return the pot to fill the rest of the way, the first cup of coffee will be very strong, and the rest of the pot very weak. Practice patience, grasshopper.

8. Take the coffee off the warming plate when it's done brewing.

Coffee left on the warmer plate will continue to cook. Instead, pour any coffee that's left over into a thermal pot, preferably one with a vacuum seal. Better still get a coffee machine with a thermal pot instead of a hot plate.

That's all there is to it. Follow that advice and perfect coffee will be achieved every time.