The Best Ways to Make Coffee

The distinct and incredible aroma of coffee is one of the many reasons to get out of bed a couple minutes earlier. Those that really love it know that there are several best ways to make coffee an excellent drink anytime of the day.

With that in mind, it seemed appropriate to remind you that there are several ways in creating a great coffee cup. Keep in mind your perfect cup of coffee will depend on a multitude of techniques, available time, and most importantly your personal taste.

In this article, we will go through some of the best ways to make a perfect cup of coffee.

Drip Coffee

Drip coffee is made using an electric machine pouring hot water directly over ground coffee beans. A filter is placed between the coffee beans and the machine itself so that only liquid can pass through.

This method of coffee brewing is most popular because it is simple and straightforward. It is great for a group of people and to those that drink 2 to 3 cups each day.

Start by considering the coffee type you enjoy the most. As much as possible, you would want to have the freshest cup of coffee, which means you need to preserve its incredible aroma and flavor. As you may or may not know, you can’t directly put coffee beans in a drip machine. You need to grind it first before putting it in the drip machine. If you need a coffee grinder, check out our personal favorite here.

If you want to be lazy and just buy ground coffee that’s OK too… I guess..

Different Filters for Drip Machine

When grinding coffee beans, don’t worry about getting the perfect grind since drip coffee isn’t as demanding as other methods that will be covered.

One of the key factors in drip coffee is the type of filter used. If you plan to use a paper filter, your coffee has to be medium grind to allow most of the flavor and thickness to pass through. Alternatively, you can opt for mesh filter which is ideal when grabbing the perfect coffee cup. The downside in using a mesh filter is that it requires a more uniform grind.

Filtered water is highly recommended for a good cup of drip coffee as it will provide the ideal amount of minerals. If no filtered water is available, bottled water will definitely suffice. Keep in mind that the water used is by no means an irrelevant factor. Water is one of the main components that will make the difference in the end result.

French Press

The French Press method was derived from the plunger pot that was invented in France in the mid-1800s. It is prepared in a cylindrical pot with a plunger and a built-in filter. Hot water is pressed through ground coffee, delivering a rich, strong taste.

The type of grind makes all the difference in the end result. You’re aiming at delivering a medium grind, which is expected to deliver enough consistency and therefore, a great coffee cup.

A very thin mixture will increase the likelihood of coffee grinds passing through the filter. Opting for a coarse grind will risk clogging the machine altogether.

How to Prepare

On a flat surface, add a couple decent tablespoons of coffee that you have just prepared.
Pour hot but not boiling water – as boiling water tends to ruin coffee, its oils, and aroma – and stir gently.
Reinsert the plunger into the pot stopping just above the water and the ground coffee.
Let it stand for 3-4 minutes.
Press the plunger down slowly with steady pressure.

French press is one of the easiest and least time-consuming methods when preparing yourself a great cup of coffee. It has an advantage over most single serve methods, as you can brew for more than one person at once.

If you’re looking for that extra strong flavor of coffee, then the french press method is the way to go.

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Pour Over Coffee

The pour over coffee dripper has grown in popularity due to its established ease of use, consuming little time to prepare a decent cup of coffee. They are cheap in price and will deliver good results with minimum effort. Just as with drip coffee, filter and water quality are essential, along with great coffee beans.

The pour-over method has the advantage of being simple and cheap. Experts claim its similar process – the drip coffee method – won’t deliver as much rich coffee cup unless you’re willing to invest heavily in a good drip brewer. Regular drip brewers will get the job done but ultimately, the result may fall short in comparison with the pour-over method.

Since you have total control of your brewing style by letting hot water – remember, not boiling – through a filter filled with ground coffee, you are more capable in delivering the exact pressure and quantity.

Aeropress Coffee

The Aeropress is a rather odd-looking gadget if you’ve never set eyes on it. It’s also rather a more recent method compared to the other methods mentioned here.

The simple design allows you to press hot water through coffee and deliver an immediate, rich cup whilst still using a manual method.

The aeropress relies on a simple paper filter that allows for a clean cup of coffee. In most cases, the end result is still a very strong and concentrated coffee that still makes for a fast and easy way to get your coffee in the morning.

You need no particular technique to make your own coffee and it’s a very affordable device to own. Cleanup and maintenance of the device couldn’t be easier. You only need to open it, press the compressed grounds out, and rinse well, making it ready to reuse.

The only negative side would be that its compact size only allows to make one to two cups of coffee per usage, which makes not ideal for larger groups of people. However, given the ease of use, low price and portability of the gadget, any coffee lover should try it at least once.

Cold Brew Coffee

As the name suggests, cold brew coffee is cold coffee. We know what you might be thinking. If you’re a coffee lover and never have tried this method, you might be lifting your eyebrow at this point.

Cold brew coffee differs from iced coffee. The second is brewed hot and later served cold, usually with the use of ice or refrigeration.

With this in mind, iced coffee will sit and lose its magical properties, taste, and aroma over the time it takes to cool down. Cold brew coffee promises to solve that equation, delivering a great and rich coffee cup that has the particularity of being served cold.

Cold Brew coffee is made with room-temperature water for a period that will go from six to twelve hours, creating a concentrated and rich coffee mixture.

It takes time to prepare cold brew coffee, but the end result is a delicious, refreshing and rich beverage. The taste tends to be smooth and very easy to drink – even for those that aren’t coffee fans. This is ideal for those that find regular hot coffee too bitter or too strong.

To make your cold brew coffee at home, you should plan ahead and start steeping your ground coffee the night before.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the method of preparing coffee depends on your preference. All these methods are great ways to prepare and serve a lovely cup of coffee.

We can most likely agree that all methods rely on the importance of using good coffee, the correct grind, and water that is well-balanced in minerals and free from chemicals.

While some methods will deliver a fast and great cup of coffee, others are more time-consuming. Even if you prefer a particular method over another, you need to realize that some methods can only deliver one to two cups of coffee. Unless you plan ahead and have enough time to go through it, better choose a method that can accommodate a large group.

The whole dedication in making your own cup of coffee feels rewarding. In the end, it’s really up to you which coffee method you prefer.

Now, it’s your turn! Which brewing method do you prefer? Leave us a comment below!

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