How do you brew your coffee ?

Happyflowerlady

Happyflowerlady

Vagabond Flowerchild
Location
Northern Alabama
Way back when, we used a percolator, either an electric one, or one that worked on the stovetop. I even had a special one that we only used for camping trips and coffee made over the campfire. (Campfire coffee on a chilly morning out camping is some of the best coffee in the world !)
Later, the drip coffee makers became popular, and we changed over and used one of those for many years, replacing it as needed. The last one was a Hamilton Beach Brewstation, and it was kind of nice because it kept the coffee hot inside of the machine, and there was no glass carafe to worry about breaking, or just dripping as you poured your morning coffee.
About a month ago, we got one of those single serve coffee makers that will use either the k-cups (like a Keurig) or you can use regular ground coffee in the little filter that comes along with it. This works really great for those time when you just want one cup of coffee and not a whole pot full.
Bobby uses regular coffee, and I have my special flavored coffee that I enjoy.

Now, I have been reading about brewing coffee, and apparently, the old-fashioned percolator was the best way to make a pot of coffee, because the drip coffee makers do not get the coffee grounds hot enough to actually bring out the whole flavor of the coffee.
I found a smaller percolator on Amazon that was on sale and just ordered it. Since Bobby won’t touch flavored coffee, the only way that I have been able to drink mine is to use one of those Melita-type coffee pour-over filters, or the single cup coffeemaker.
Now, I can make my own little pot of flavored coffee in the morning, and I am looking forward to seeing if the coffee from the percolator is actually any better than the drip coffeemaker flavor.
What kind of brewing system does everyone else use, and how/why do you like it ?
 

I do not drink it, but hubby recently got himself one of those one cup K-cup brewers. He got hooked as they have one at his work. He bought me a box of Hot chocolate cups, and that is great too.
 
We've always used the inexpensive drip coffee makers, we only have a cup or two in the mornings and none the rest of the day. Neither of us like flavored coffee, but I usually buy the beans and grind my own at home now. Our favorite is Kona or Kona blend, also Jamaican Blue Mountain, Costco sells a Rainforest that's pretty good too.

I like the drip because it's easy and simple. Growing up my mother only used instant coffee with milk, no sugar. When we go camping we use the instant Folgers crystals and boil some water to make it.
 
I use the basket and pot from an old Mr. Coffee that died several years ago. I bring the water to a boil in a teakettle and pour it over the grounds in the basket, with a filter, sitting on top of the old glass pot. It's sort of a Melita style make do. Someday I will get a more mainstream coffee maker.
 
I had coffee at a friends cabin made on one of those percolators that you put on the stove element. Best I had for a long time.

I found one in a camping department section. I bought it but was disappointed. I think the venue has something to do with it.

I experiment and have yet to come up with a repeatable good cup of coffee. Single cup Brewers? You can't regulate the strength. French press? Good but messy. So back to the good old drip coffee maker with real coffee cream.

And don't forget instant coffee either.
 
We always used a Mr. Coffee maker. My Son bought me a French press which I had my doubts about, but he was right, I compared the two and the French press made a much better cup of coffee. The hubby still uses the Mr. Coffee because he wants to have a cup later in the morning and he keeps it hot on the warming tray. I make an extra cup in the press then heat it in the microwave later on in the morning. I still think it tastes better from the press even when reheated. It also has a permanent filter which I like.
 
After many years of drip, I use a press or pour-over type drip either right into the mug or into a carafe.

I bought a percolator a year ago, it was terrible. Press is best, then drip, IMO.
 
We have a $15 Mr. Coffee coffee maker from Target and brew Yuban coffee in it.

I have a mug of coffee with sugar & milk in the morning while reading the newspaper and

that's IT for the day.
 
We bought a Keurig a few years ago, then were taken aback how expensive those k-cups are. We each only drink 1cup of coffee a day, so I guess that’s a good thing. Yes, there are cheaper k cups out there, but we like our Starbucks.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I use the basket and pot from an old Mr. Coffee that died several years ago. I bring the water to a boil in a teakettle and pour it over the grounds in the basket, with a filter, sitting on top of the old glass pot. It's sort of a Melita style make do. Someday I will get a more mainstream coffee maker.
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What you're doing is better. Don't go mainstream! The 'secret' to coffee is hot water. Most coffeemakers do not get the water hot enough. If you really want to do things the 'ideal' way, you check the temp of the water. Should be about 200 degrees. If you live at sea level, water boils around 212f. If higher, you may be at the ideal temperature already. If the temp is above 200, let it sit for a couple of minutes, then pour.
 
I had 2 Keurigs. Bought one, it broke after just over a year. I was gifted with the small one and it too, stopped working but by then I didn't care because I realized how difficult they to clean, get the insides dry, de-scale, etc. I'm too lazy.
 
When making coffee let us not forget the grind.

A finer grind releases more of the flavor according to what I read.

If you buy the beans at some grocery stores you can grind them right there to fit your coffee maker.

I've tried everything.

I still can't get the cup of coffee I want.

Well wait. I went to visit a friend who served me up one of those espresso small cups brewed on her stove top.

Powerful punch. That will give you a jump start in the morning.
 
If you are looking for a little jolt try using espresso style dark roast coffee in a regular drip coffee maker. If it is too strong for you then try mixing it with your regular ground coffee to create a personal house blend of your own.

These are two of the inexpensive brands available in my area.
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Brew your coffee?... What's dat?

I have 2 cups of coffee per week; on Saturdays and Sundays after breakfast.

My wife makes it by spooning some Folgers Decaf into a cup of hot water, and adding cream and sugar.

I've never been inside a Starbucks emporium...Pretty adventurous, huh?

Howl
 
HiDesertHal said:
Brew your coffee?... What's dat?

I have 2 cups of coffee per week; on Saturdays and Sundays after breakfast.

My wife makes it by spooning some Folgers Decaf into a cup of hot water, and adding cream and sugar.

I've never been inside a Starbucks emporium...Pretty adventurous, huh?

Howl
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Me too. I drink a lot more than 2/day, even. It's getting harder and harder to find Folger's instant decaf here, even if they have it. I'm going to start hoarding it. :playful:
 
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I rarely drink coffee because I'm very sensitive to caffeine (wires me and gives me major tinnitus). Sometimes in the summer I like iced coffee which I make using decaf and a cold brew filter.
 
A percolator 'cooks' coffee. It uses a coarse grind so needs to pump the hot water and re-pump it numerous times to extract the flavor. A French press soaks a slightly finer grind of beans, then uses a 'press top' to filter the grounds out.

If you use cream and sugar in your coffee, you want the lower-quality beans. They are sour and bitter drunk black, but mellow out with the dairy and sugar added. South & Central American beans are ideal; most are also high in acid so the coffee flavor can still be prominent despite the sugar/cream.

If you are looking to wake up in the morning, a medium roast coffee has more caffeine than a dark roast. Yes, espresso/dark-roasted beans actually have less caffeine than any type of medium-roasted beans, in equal measure.

The finest grind is Turkish, aka Powder. It can wear out a blade grinder really fast, and will eventually even burn out a burr grinder. Don't even try it with a manual hand-crank antique!

Keurig is okay; weak for our tastes. But it's the best of the single-cup makers. However, the K-cups are ecological horrors so we try to avoid them.

We generally drink Peet's Organic French Roast. Peet's has gone severely downhill since being bought out but it is the most widely available (they started here) and easy to get. I used to grind it at home but can't be bothered any longer. I just have them do a #2 grind (one number up from the Turkish). It looks like powder but isn't as super-fine as the #1 grind. Then I store it in the freezer.

We do a Chemex-style manual drip, using Chemex filters. The cone is a Chemex porcelain knock-off, but I always use Chemex filters. They are the best: they don't break like Melitta and produce better tasting coffee.

There's several roasteries we like better than Peet's but they're simply not convenient to reach. We love coffee, but also love good tea, so we drink both equally.
 


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