Written by Jasen Barrie
For many coffee drinkers, espresso is coffee. It is the purest distillation of the coffee bean. But before espresso, it could take up to five minutes for a cup of coffee to brew. So let’s pull out the plunger, slip on the stove top or just simply pour over the many different methods used to make our favourite brew.
The Pot
There is little evidence of innovation in brewing during the eighteenth century. Probably the most common method was to brew the coffee in a pot by pouring boiling water over the grounds – a method remained all over Europe for more than 200 years. Like everything coffee related the devil is in the detail. Particle size is critical in no matter what apparatus you acquire, along with water and preparation.
Take the Plunge (French Press)
Probably the most misunderstood method of making coffee but one that has been around since the eighteen hundreds. The Plunger has truly been one of the prominent coffee makers of all time. It has also been an inspiration in misscocoas the creation and upgrading of modern brewing equipment. For example the Aero Press. So simple yet the perfect way to drink and enhance your coffee experience.
Filter
How to really open Pandora’s box! The process of filter coffee is complex and yet the simplest way to savour your morning brew. You can pour over, you can Drip, simply paper filter or syphon it. You can put it on the stove by means of the Moka Pot, which still to this day is most commonly used in Europe or Latin America.
Espresso
What better way to wind up this edition than to use Italian Coffee King Illy’s definition of the authentic espresso. “A jet of hot water at 88-93(degrees c symbol) passes under a pressure of nine or more atmospheres through a seven- gram cake like layer of ground and tamped coffee. Done right, the result is a concentrate of not more than 30ml of pure sensorial pleasure’