Brewing coffee

This is where it begins to get complicated. The first question is which brewing method are you going to choose? This ultimately depends on what type of flavour or drink you want to have.

Every brewing method will create a different taste and flavour in the cup so perhaps the best place to start is deciding what flavour/taste you are looking for. To structure this discussion we will go through methods by the degree of grind required. The different degree of grind is determined by the contact time of water with coffee. The faster the brewing time the finer the grind is the simplest way of approaching it. The brewing time ensures that the optimum flavour is able to be extracted in each method. The faster the brew time the more surface area of ground coffee is required to be able to extract the flavour. Whichever method you choose it is essential that you use the freshest possible coffee, ideally freshly ground and that you use cold, clean water to start the brewing process. Boiling water should never be applied to ground coffee as it will burn it and result in a burnt bitter taste. Turkish coffee however is a different thing all together.

Turkish Ibrik

This requires the finest coffee grind of all, Turkish grind more commonly known as pulverized. This is where the coffee is ground to the consistency of flour. There are different recipes for making this particular style of coffee, but the following is a common recipe. Equal quantities of coffee and sugar are added to the Ibrik and water is added to the to the top of the conical section of the pot. This is then boiled 3 times with the resulting “scum” being removed each time. The result of this process is a very much reduced shot of strong, intense and earthy tasting brew.

Espresso

Coffee for this process needs to be ground so there is a degree of “grit” when rubbed between the fingers. This is by far the most difficult grind to get correct as every coffee and machine will need a slightly different grind, the climate conditions on the day of grinding can also affect the brewing. The only way to ensure the correct grind is obtained is to brew a shot of espresso and time how long it takes to pour, check the colour of the crema and then, the best bit, taste it. The coffee should not be extracted for more than 30 seconds, any longer and you will get over extraction resulting in bitterness. Likewise coffee brewed too quickly, less than 25 seconds, will taste thin and weak.  

Correctly brewed espresso should be strong and full bodied without bitterness.

Filter

This brewing method requires coffee ground to the consistency of fine sand. In this method water is boiled and then syphoned onto the coffee which sits in a paper or metal filter. The process of syphoning allows the water to cool from boiling to 96 degrees C. The water then drains slowly through the coffee extracting the flavour, a process that usually takes around 5 minutes. The resultant brew is very close to the true original flavour of the chosen bean but because of the filtration has a very clean taste.

Cafetiere

With this method you need coffee that has particle size like demerara sugar. The coffee sits in the water to brew meaning less surface area is required to extract the flavour. In my opinion the cafetiere brewing method comes closest to producing the truest original flavour of a coffee because it is just water and coffee without the intervention of pressure or filtering.

Cold Brew

Coffee for this method needs to be slightly coarser than Demerera sugar. Water at room temperature is then added to the coffee and then left to brew for anywhere between 12 to 24 hours, sometimes the brew is refrigerated. The lack of heat results in the loss of many of the key flavour compounds being extracted with the resulting taste being unlike normal coffee but is typically full bodied and sweet.

Percolator

Coffee needs to be coarsely ground which is similar in appearance to granulated instant coffee. The coffee is placed in a filter-like chamber at the top of the vessel and water is added below. The maker is then switched on (they are usually electric) and the water boils up through the coffee and then drains back into the lower chamber once brewed. The trick with this method is to make sure you switch off the brewer as soon as the water has completed one cycle. The danger is that the coffee is left to circulate meaning it will be boiled which will result in a nasty bitter flavour.

Types of espresso makers explained

Espresso based drinks such as Latte, Cappuccino, Flat White etc either require a traditional espresso machine, a bean-to-cup machine or a stove top moka pot type brewer. Espresso machines can vary widely in price, ranging from under £100.00 to well over £2000.00 just for a domestic machine. Probably the best place to start is how much do you want to spend and how involved do you want to be in the brewing process?

For many people, a bean-to-cup machine offers the simplest brewing method. With these machines there is hardly any need for interaction from the user, other than adding more beans or milk, to get a very acceptable cup of coffee. These machines are fully automated and will grind the beans, compress them prior to brewing and then froth milk when making the drink. In order to get a decent quality drink, it is necessary to spend a considerable amount of money as reliability is key. These machines are expensive to fix when they go wrong. This type of machine needs to be able to produce 9 bar of water pressure from the boiler in order to gain the correct extraction when brewing a shot of espresso. Another function that I feel is important is having separate boilers for water and steam or at least the ability to switch between the two very quickly. Espresso coffee should be brewed at 96 degrees centigrade however you need boiling water (100 degree C) to achieve steam. Most machines achieve this variation by using a flash boiler system or thermos block which very quickly alters between the two temperatures. Cheaper machines can take some time to change temperature resulting in either cool coffee or milk whilst waiting for it to either heat up or cool down depending on what function you want to perform.

If you prefer a more hands on approach, then it is probably best to go for a traditional machine with an integral water boiler and then invest in a good quality grinder. These machines have one boiler that allows water to be drawn through a heat exchanger to brew the coffee at the correct temperature but also have boiling water to produce steam. There is a degree of learning required to froth/heat milk correctly and also setting the grinder up to gain correct extraction. However, with a little practice you will soon be producing coffee at barista quality. Again, it is vital that the machine is able to produce 9 bar water pressure in order to extract the shot of espresso. You will also need to invest in a superior quality conical burr espresso grinder. There are grinders on the market that will grind coffee from very fine to quite coarse, these are not suitable for use with an espresso machine as they don’t offer the minute adjustments required to get the perfect extraction.

If you just want to be able to brew a very acceptable espresso without spending a fortune then a traditional stove top Moka pot is by far the cheapest option. These work by putting water in the bottom chamber and espresso ground coffee in the middle filter chamber. The top is then screwed on and the pot placed on a suitable heat source. As the water begins to boil it is forced under low pressure through the ground coffee and the resulting brew appears in the top chamber. Once brewing has finished the vessel is removed from the heat and the coffee is ready for drinking.