Coffee can be brewed in five primary ways. Each method has brewing variables: water introduction, brewing temperature, and separating the brewed liquor from the coffee grounds. These five methods are Turkish brewing, concentrate, percolating, drip, and French Press brewing.
Turkish or Greek Coffee
Turkish coffee, or kahve, is the traditional name. It is made in small containers directly on the flame with water, and finely ground kahve comes to a boil. Often, it is brewed with sugar that has already been introduced. In some traditions, they will pour off a little into each cup and then bring it to a second boil, pouring the rest into each cup, ensuring an even distribution of grounds. In some regions, they serve the kahve with added spice, usually cardamom. The coffee is not filtered from the liquor, causing a thick, intense, and muddy brew. The mud settles to the bottom of the tiny demitasse cups serving the coffee. In many countries, they read the coffee mud after you have drunk your coffee and tell you about your future.
Concentrate Brewing
Concentrate brewing is very popular in Latin America and other parts of the world. It is beginning to make a comeback in the U.S.. Concentrate brewing takes large amounts of coffee with small amounts of water to brew a concentrate. Mix some of the concentrate with hot water to make a cup of coffee. The concentrate is brewed either hot or cold. You must let the coffee sit for at least a day when it is brewed cold. This method creates a mild, light-bodied coffee with little aroma, acidity, and a muted flavor.
Percolating
This procedure involves continuously brewing the coffee grounds using boiling water, which then turns to boiling coffee liquor brewing over the grounds. This method is practical but an insult to the coffee bean. Brewing with boiling water is bad enough; boiling the liquor is asking for a thin, bitter, and tarry coffee.
Though this produces an awful cup of coffee, many people still prefer percolation. If it's for you, then more power to you!
Auto drip
This is the most popular way to brew coffee in the U.S.A. Pouring hot water over the grounds in a filter and letting the brew drip out the bottom is simple. Drip brewing can produce an excellent cup of coffee if the proper equipment is used. One of the most significant issues with auto drip machines is they don't brew at the right temperature. Bunn is one of the few companies which calibrate their machines to the proper temperature. If you have a good auto drip brewing machine, the filter is the next hurdle to tackle. Paper filters can deposit a flavor in the coffee and do not allow many of the coffee oils and organic compounds through. A gold-plated reusable filter is the perfect option for drip brewing. It will not deposit a taste in the coffee and doesn't trap as much of its essence as paper filters do.
French Press or Press Pot
French Pres brewing gives you complete control. It is more labor-intensive than auto drip, and the brewing variables can be better controlled. Coarsely ground coffee is placed in a glass carafe. The hot water is then poured over the grounds. When the brewing is complete, the top is put on, and a metal mesh plate plunger is pressed down, pushing the ground to the bottom. The coffee liquor is on top ready to be poured off. The mesh filter allows the oils and fine coffee particles through without a problem. Also, a longer brewing time is required because a coarser grind is required. A general rule of thumb is four minutes for a French press. This direct contact of the grounds to water allows a more complete, controllable, and even extraction. Even with the coarse grind, a coarse grind will still produce some fine particles. A cup of French-pressed coffee will be fuller and have more body and flavor. It will also have sediment on the bottom of the cup.
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