Coffee Guide: Methods for Brewing Coffee

Coffee machine

Brewing coffee using this method occurs very quickly and requires minimal human involvement. The process is almost completely automated; you just need to fill the device with ingredients and press a button. The coffee machine itself grinds the beans, doses them in accordance with the selected program and passes boiling water under pressure through the resulting powder. The main method of preparing most machines is espresso, although some modern models can prepare cappuccino, Americano, latte and others, depending on their functionality and set of programs. But still, the number of recipes is limited and there is not much room for experimentation. Also, the disadvantages of these devices include cost, size and the fact that they are not particularly easy to clean. The rest is nothing but positives. The closest relative of a coffee machine is a coffee maker, a coffee maker that only performs the brewing function, and the process itself needs to be controlled. Some manufacturers deliberately call their coffee makers coffee machines to increase their price, so be careful when choosing.

Live coffee

The Living Coffee brand offers a specially developed blend for making a drink in a cup. This is a premium blend of Arabica beans from Peru, Brazil and Papua New Guinea. The beans are roasted and medium ground. Due to fast packaging, the product does not lose its saturation for 1 year.

How to brew coffee? The development is similar with one exception. After brewing for 1 minute, the brand’s scientists advise adding 1 tsp to the cup. cool water. This will allow it to quickly fall to the bottom. A person will not feel particles of grains in his mouth.

Correctly brewed and well-chosen coffee for a cup is more delicious and fragrant than that prepared in a professional coffee machine. In just a couple of minutes, without any harsh manipulations, you can get a good drink in your favorite cup, which you can later simply wash in a few seconds. Many people resort to this method - this is a significant time saving without harm to the property.

How to prepare ground coffee in a Turk, cup or coffee machine. Manufacturing nuances and the best recipes.

Some people do not see the difference between instant coffee and an invigorating drink made from ground beans. They simply pour a couple of spoons of freeze-dried granules into a cup and pour boiling water over them. But true coffee lovers know a lot about making a fragrant and invigorating drink. To do this, they use ground coffee, which is obtained from previously roasted beans. But the methods for making the drink may differ. Everything depends on what devices for this are at hand at that moment. In our article we will tell you how to prepare ground coffee using a Turk, coffee maker, microwave, saucepan or the most ordinary cup. Let's look at these and other methods in more detail.

Drip coffee maker

Quite a convenient way to make a large amount of coffee for the whole family or office. It is easy to use and prepare, and has a high consumption of ground coffee. Cold water is poured into a specially designated container, then it is heated and rises through the tube to the filter, seeping through a layer of ground coffee and dripping into a glass coffee pot, which, as a rule, is located on a heated platform, so the drink remains hot for a long time. The coffee turns out to be less strong than espresso, with a less pronounced aroma, but richer in caffeine, which will help you cheer up in the morning. Over time, drip coffee makers have more and more additional functions for ease of preparation, including even a built-in coffee grinder, but the main task remains the preparation of filter coffee.

Grinding coffee beans

To prepare a tasty and fragrant drink in a cup, you need to choose the right coffee, grind it and approach the process well. Ground coffee for brewing in a cup can be purchased ready-to-use, or you can purchase roasted beans and grind them yourself. Which product should I choose?

If you take Robusta, the drink will be bitter and very strong. Some manufacturers combine Arabica with a small percentage of Robusta to cover some sourness and even out the taste.

Coffee for brewing in a cup can be finely ground or medium. Everything depends on the recipe. So, for Polish coffee they use superfine grind, which is also called dust. What is the difference? The finer the grains are ground, the smaller the particles and the better they impart their own taste and smell to the water. The brewing process occurs faster, and the drink comes out more saturated. But there is one drawback. The thick substance, similar to dust, will be actively felt in the mouth, many people do not like it.

If you use medium-ground grains, their particles will settle to the bottom and will not interfere with enjoying the taste of the drink, but it may turn out to be the least fragrant, strong and tasty. The time that has passed after grinding the grains is also of fundamental importance. Less is better. Freshly ground coffee is the most delicious and fragrant.

If the grains are crushed at home, it is important to ensure that the particles come out of a similar size, in other words, the grinding of the grains is uniform. The taste of the upcoming drink directly depends on this. This is very difficult to achieve at home. It is better to grind coffee in special shops where they sell it. They are equipped with good coffee grinders, and the merchant has suitable knowledge and abilities.

Another option is to purchase natural ground coffee in filters specifically for brewing in a cup. They will free a person from the feeling of thickness in the mouth and give the drink a rich taste and smell. But to really enjoy a good invigorating drink, you need to properly boil the coffee.

Take this test and find out which drink is best for you.

Chemex

It is a vessel similar to a laboratory flask tightly connected to a glass funnel. This design not only looks quite stylish, but also provides a sweet taste and perfectly reveals the aroma. Brewing coffee in a Chemex is quite simple. To do this, the flask is heated by wetting it with hot water. A special paper filter for Chemex is placed in the funnel, which is also wetted so that the edges can stick to the glass, thereby creating a barrier to air. Next, add medium or coarse coffee and add hot water (88-94 °C). First, a little to allow the grains to open themselves, after the water has drained, the rest of the volume is added. This is done slowly from the edges to the center of the funnel. This way the coffee is extracted best and brews evenly. To get the perfect Chemex coffee, you will need to experiment with grinding, water temperature, bean to water ratio, brewing time, and choose the type of coffee to suit your taste. But once you get the hang of it, you can repeat the characteristics of the cup you like over and over again.

Significant Details

Before figuring out how to brew coffee in a cup, prepare “improvised” means - a thick-walled cup, freshly ground roasted coffee beans and water.

• It is better to use a porcelain cup (or mug) - this material warms up quickly, but slowly produces heat. If it is not available, dishes made of glass or clay are completely suitable. In a previously heated container, the coffee comes out more intense - a hot cup holds the heat and aroma better. Before using, heat it in the microwave or pour boiling water over it.
• The coffee should be roasted less than a month ago; it is better that it is premium Arabica, finely ground, it gives a more pure, rich aroma.
• Steep boiling water “kills” the taste of coffee, so boil the water for brewing in advance and cool to 93-96C.

The most common recipe for making coffee in a mug is to pour 1-2 tsp into it. ground powder 100-150 ml of water and leave for 3-4 minutes. To make the drink richer and not get cold, after adding water, cover the mug with a saucer. After the time has passed, strain the sediment that has settled on the day through a cardboard filter. The final step is adding spices, sugar, chocolate or other “sweeteners” - at your discretion.

Due to its simplicity, this brewing method is one of the most popular in the world. But each country has aspects of formulation and manufacturing. We invite you on a small “coffee” journey, the goal of which is the world’s best recipes.

Siphon (gabet)

Making coffee in a vacuum coffee maker is probably the most spectacular way. As with the Chemex, it's more like a chemical experience than a regular brew. It is more suitable for true coffee connoisseurs, since this method requires a lot of experience and effort. Making coffee this way every day is not an easy task, but to please guests or friends at a party with an excellent drink, it will do just fine, and even serve as a full-fledged show. The device consists of two flasks, a stand and an alcohol burner. When heated, water from the lower flask enters the upper flask, gradually wetting the filter with coffee. Then, under the influence of a vacuum, which is formed as the vessel with water is emptied, the finished drink begins to be drawn from the upper flask to the lower one. With this method, the coffee turns out rich and pure, as if it came from a chemical laboratory. According to many experts, this is one of the brightest, most delicious cooking options, if, of course, everything is done correctly, which, again, is quite difficult.

The effect of ground coffee on the human body, positive and negative aspects

An instant drink has a chemical composition that is far from a natural product, while ground coffee, which is not boiled, retains maximum natural properties that have an effect on the human body.

In addition to the caffeine itself, which is part of coffee, ground beans contain numerous natural oils and fats (lipids), organic acids, minerals and tannins, vitamins E, B and PP, as well as proteins and carbohydrates, which are beneficial for our health.

This composition has a positive effect on the body, which consists of the following points:

• increased vigor and body tone;
• dulling the feeling of hunger (therefore the drink is often used for weight loss);
• breakdown of fat cells;
• improved concentration and brain activity;
• the risk of some diseases is significantly reduced, for example, prostate cancer by 25%;
• slowing down cellular aging of the body;
• Improved mood and overall positive outlook on life due to stimulation of brain hormones.

With significant abuse of ground coffee, there may be negative consequences:

• development of insomnia;
• increased vascular pressure;
• risk of heart attack;
• migraine;
• problems with conceiving and bearing a child;
• leaching of calcium from the body;
• decreased hearing level.

We can say that the worst negative consequence is death from taking a lethal dose of caffeine, which is 10-15 grams. However, this amount of the substance is contained in 80-120 cups, so in practice it is almost impossible to die from your favorite drink, although it is clearly not worth abusing it.

Be sure to read: What you need to brew delicious coffee with foam in a Turk, recipes

Coffee in a cup

If you don’t have any special equipment for brewing coffee at hand, you can do it directly in the cup. Ground bean coffee is definitely better than instant coffee, which contains only 15% coffee itself, and the rest is chemicals. There are many interpretations of this method, but most of them boil down to pouring freshly ground coffee into a cup, adding water and letting it brew. The water can be either hot or cold, it all depends on the recipe. It is better to take a cup with thick walls. You can place the coffee in a cotton bag, as is done in South American countries. There are a lot of options and they all work! But this, of course, is not a great method; it is still better to use more advanced methods to please yourself with a cup of delicious, aromatic, balanced coffee every day.

YouTube tutorial videos and our coffee patrols.

How to boil coffee in a cup

An insoluble product can simply be brewed as instant or tea by pouring it into a cup and pouring boiling water over it. According to the taste, the product will be of suitable quality. The main thing is that the cup is made of ceramic and has thick walls. This will allow the drink to remain hot for a long time.

The brewing process is as follows:

1. Take a cup and pour boiling water into it to warm up the walls. Leave for 2 minutes.

2. Drain the boiling water and add 1 - 2 tablespoons of ground grains and sugar to taste.
3. Pour 100 – 150 ml. boiling water and cover with a clay saucer on top. This will help keep the temperature longer and allow the drink to settle.
4. After 5 - 7 minutes, remove the saucer and stir the sugar; if desired, you can add milk or cinnamon.
5. The drink is ready and you can drink it.

A good solution would be to use a mug with a strainer or boil the coffee in a French press. This will minimize the ingress of coffee grounds into the finished drink.