Brew Coffee

Which of the many available ways do you use to brew coffee? The purpose of brewing is to dissolve the soluble flavor elements in the roasted coffee beans, and there are many techniques for doing that. They range from simply boiling the coffee grounds in an open pot and then straining the coffee to the most elaborate of espresso machines, in all their opulent glory.

About 70 percent of all coffee brewed in America is made in automatic drip coffeemakers. The original Mr. Coffee took the country by storm, even though it had problems with wetting the grounds thoroughly. That problem has been solved, and today's drip coffeemakers offer many options. The most common, and perhaps most widely appreciated, is the model with a timer that allows you to brew coffee at a predetermined time, so that you can wake up and have it waiting for you. High-end models even grind the beans just before brewing.

Using a French press to brew coffee results in a cup with superior body. The grounds are placed in a mesh basket that is then inserted into a cylinder full of hot water. The basket fits so tightly into the cylinder that when it is plunged down, the water is forced through the grounds.

Espresso Machines to Brew Coffee at Home

The ever-growing popularity of espresso and the drinks that are made from it has led to the development of home espresso machines. Too often, however, they proved to be more trouble than they were worth, and the expensive piece of equipment languished unused. A new type of home espresso machine, however, uses pre-measured "pods" that are always correctly ground and tamped. These new machines produce an excellent cup of full-bodied coffee, topped with a layer of crema, the brown foam that is the hallmark of good espresso.