Build Your Coffee The Right Way
Bella Breakdown
Coffee is a ritual, a process, a tradition. Those who love to drink coffee often know what kind of coffee they prefer, exactly how to build it, and if they want to add anything to the final product or take it black.
If you are new to the coffee scene, you may be overwhelmed with the endless amount of coffee makers you can choose from. They all prepare coffee differently, take different amounts of time to fully steep or pressurize, and some work better with certain types of coffees. I suggest asking your friends and family to see what they use, sampling coffee from different machines, figure out which one you like best, and then learn how to use that one properly.
Here are four popular coffee makers for you to check out:
(Side note before we get started: If you really love coffee, buy a grinder and grind your coffee beans at home instead of buying them pre-ground. This will bring added flavor and freshness to your coffee.)
1. Automatic Drip
People like automatic drip because it is easy (some may say “automatic”) and you can pre-set the machine the night before to automatically make your coffee in the morning. All you have to do is load the filter with coffee grounds, fill the machine with water, set the time you want to to brew for, and boom! You have your coffee.
2. The French Press
The beauty of the French Press lies in the fact that the coffee lover has complete control over their coffee. You get to choose how much coffee you want and how long you want it to steep for. French presses generally make several cups of rich and heavy coffee.
After the coffee steeps for your desired time, you press down the filter and enjoy your fresh cup. You can even buy french presses that are insulated, so if you want to save some warm coffee for later it won’t get cold. Be sure to grind your beans a little less so that the grounds don’t sneak through the filter while you pour.
3. The Aeropress
The Aeropress is basically the French Press’ cool cousin. The Aeropress works similarly to the French press, except that it is a smaller, inverted version. Aeropresses are great if you only drink one cup of coffee in the morning, love espresso, and enjoy coffee that is crisp and flavorful.
To use it, add a filter to the bottom, then put in extremely fine coffee grounds, and add your hot water. You don’t need to wait more than a minute or so before you press the water through the filter and into your cup. The highly pressurized system makes the Aeropress fast and clean.
4. The Stovetop Coffee Maker
This coffee maker is a little more retro, not as common, and more complicated than other coffee makers. But, damn! Does it brew a nice cup of coffee. Essentially, the Stovetop Coffee Maker comes in three parts: the bottom (which holds the water), the middle funnel (which holds the grounds), and the top (which holds the finished coffee).
After filling the bottom with water and the middle with coffee grounds, you put this little puppy on the stove. As the water heats up, it rises and goes through the funnel. Then, after being pushed through the grounds it will end up on top as finished coffee. You can tell the brew is done when you hear bubbling and gurgling from the bottom.
