How to Make the Perfect Coffee
To create delicious, flavourful and aromatic coffees to suit our own personal tastes, it’s important to not only choose the ideal, freshly roasted beans, but to also choose our preferred brewing method. With a selection of methods to choose from, and a wide range of quality equipment available to buy, we are presented with a great opportunity to make the perfect coffee every time.
Once of the most popular brewing methods is with a bean-to-cup machine, which provides users with an automated process and delicious coffees at the simple press of a button, but there are many more great brewing methods used to create wonderful coffees.
Espresso Maker
Perhaps the most popular method of brewing coffee, and certainly one of the oldest. Creating a pure, powerful shot of espresso using an espresso maker is a daily process adored by coffee lovers around the world, who favour this method for its time-honoured tradition and, of course, the resulting beautiful cup of coffee.
To brew using an espresso maker, ground coffee is placed into a basket, which contains tiny holes that allow the hot liquid to pass through, but prevents any pieces of ground coffee from making it into the cup (other than the tiniest particles). The handle containing the basket is locked into the espresso machine and the pump is activated, which sends near-boiling water through the ground coffee. The liquid then drips into the waiting cup below, often with a natural head of foam, known as the crema.
Cafetiere
A cafetiere, or French Press, is an infusion brewer that consists of three main components - a carafe/pot, plunger and lid. Unlike filter brewers or Moka pots (where water passes through the grounds), cafetiere coffee is created by allowing the coffee grounds and the water to steep together in the pot. The plunger then drives a mesh filter through the brewing water, pushing small insoluble particles to the bottom of the pot.
There are lots of benefits of opting for cafetiere brews: steeping coffee helps produce a more uniform extraction, and the process allows a little oil and small particles to flow through, creating a vibrant body and texture; you have a higher level of control over how strong or weak you prepare your coffee; in terms of ease and affordability, there is no need for additional equipment, such as paper filters or cloths.
Filter Machine
Filter coffee is produced by pouring boiled water over ground coffee beans, then passing the liquid through a membrane (often paper) to filter out the larger grounds, leaving the brewed coffee to collect.
Preparing good filter coffee is somewhat of an art. From blooming to extraction, attention must be paid at each stage of the coffee-making process to create a great-tasting brew, but the results are well worth your time and effort!
Aeropress
An Aeropress is an inexpensive and easy to use device for making a perfectly brewed, clean cup of coffee. It first made an appearance in 2005, and is a lightweight, compact and portable piece of equipment, making it ideal for travelling, overnight stays and camping trips. It's also simple to clean and eco-friendly.
The components of an Aeropress consist of two durable polypropylene cylinders, one with an airtight seal, that form a brewing chamber with a plunger, and a filter cap to fit on one end. A coffee scoop, funnel and stirring paddle are also included when purchased. The filters used are disposable, biodegradable paper ones, but a reusable disc-shaped metal filter can also be bought separately if preferred.