What Are Filtration Coffee Makers?
Hello Sippers,
Here we are continuing our journey in the Comprehensive guide to Coffee Makers!
If you’re looking for a recap, the different varieties are
Pressurized Coffee Brewers, Filtration Coffee Makers, Steep Brewers, Boil-Based Coffee Makers, and lastly, Combo-Coffee Makers.
In this edition, we’re exploring Filtration Coffee Makers (Drip Brewers).
Filtration is straightforward in the sense you pour hot water over some freshly ground coffee sitting over some sort of a filter.
Next, the gravity takes care of everything and the result is clear, clean and light bodied tasting fresh cuppa coffee.
Now let's see what the world of Filtration has to offer. Beware there are many many drip makers out there. And we can't possibly cover them all here. So, we've divided them into a few commonly available and popular, few, a notch advanced in nature and a few whacky ones to put it all in the mix.
1. Auto Drip Brewer
This one heats the water and then the pump accentuates the water above to the grind. The hot plate on which the pot sits further keeps the coffee hot.
The advantage of these brewers are that they can make as much as 12 cups of coffee no problem. Remember you wanted to invite all your friends for a little Afternoon Tea Themed party. Replace tea with coffee and you are so good to go.
What you'll need - The machine of course, read their manual or check them on youtube -- the function is a tad bit different from one brand to the other, a medium fine grind should be good enough but take sometime to understand your beast, within 3 to 4 minutes you should be able to have that cup in your hand and kickstart your day.
2. Single Serve Coffee Makers
Now these ones are no rocket-science and there's barely anything that you need to do. They come in single serve cups and even discs.
But just a word of caution, would you expect a beautiful and healthy Sandwich popping off a vending machine? You know where we are going? You do? Please don't go there.
What you'll need - Machine, single servers and some form of denial to keep you going back to it everyday.
3. Manual Drip Brewer (Chemex Style)
Chemex not only Inspires you to make a good coffee but also to admire just how beautiful it looks and if that's something that you like treating your senses to every morning -- welcome to the world of Chemex
It does look a bit daunting in the beginning and it does demand you to practice and practice but wouldn't you now, for a good cuppa every morning?
Another glorious advantage of this bad boy is that it can make as much as 3 to 4 cups of good strong brew.
Also, an added tip, chemex filters are 30% thicker than regular filters, that means richer, thicker tasting coffee. Think French Press minus all those sediments.
What you'll need - Lots and lots of patience and perseverance, coffee grinds are open to experimentation but a good playing field is somewhere between medium to coarse, a good 3 to 4 minutes after setting up is a good estimate.
4. Vietnamese Coffee Maker (Phin)
This single server is as easy as they come. You don't need to master the art of pouring the water or put on a lab coat and breakdown all those water temperatures and air pressure.
All you need is to put some coffee, pour some water, put some wait, wait a little more and tadaaa!
Also, they make some of the best ice coffees. Pro tip - once the coffee is ready, pour it in a bed of condensed milk sitting patiently in a glass and top it all off with some ice. Is your mind blown yet?
What you'll need - Fairly coarse grind, 4 to 5 minutes for it do its thing, some add-ons if you like but by itself it's wonderful too. And remember to tell us how you like it. Because this one has a special place in our heart.
5. Percolator
This isn't very different from your regular drip brewer. Water sits on the bottom portion of the pot. Ground beans above it. Water is heated and pumped over the coffee which then percolates and produces coffee.
Few percolators can produce as much as 100 cups of coffee which isn't too bad for a party.
But many purists say that the process of brewing the coffee over and over again leading to over extraction and a bitter mess.
But that being said it does save time and a lot of mess behind to clean up after.
What you'll need - Sounds brutal but we are trying to be honest here, keel your expectations in check. It does tell you to go for as much as 10 minutes but we would recommend somewhere in the range of 4 to 6 minutes. And your coffee, grind them coarse.
6. Cold drip
Cold brew speaks in time and not in heat. What we mean is, dripping cold water over freshly ground coffee for as long as 10 hours if you'd like.
But why not dump hot coffee in the fridge and have it cold. Hear a big 'Reject' sound as you think of this. Because when you cold brew you don't only have the coffee cold but you can taste the real origins of those coffee beans. It is strong, intense, unique with almost little to no acidity.
What you'll need - Try a book? Netflix marathon? Oh wait you must work.. so, sleep over it, leave it be in the evening and start your day with a tall glass of cold brew, won't you now?
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Whoa! That was a lot to take in. To continue on and discover the next category in the journey of Coffee-Makers, click here!
And of course, if you’re looking for some fantastic coffee to put your new-found knowledge to use - you know where to find it!
