5 Manual Brewing Methods To Bring Out The Best In Your Coffee

Many of us have gone through life drinking coffee that comes from some kind of automatic machine. Our morning routines have included walking over to the coffee machine, switching it on, and waiting for your morning pick me up. And while this has become an ingrained routine for many have you ever wondered if there was a better way to brew your coffee? Well, there is a whole world of manual brewing methods out there to help you bring out the best flavours in your morning cup of coffee. We take a look at some of the most popular.

1. Pour-over

One of the oldest and simplest manual brewing methods is the drip method which basically consists of a cone that has a paper filter inserted into it. The cone is then placed on top of the cup after which the coffee grounds are scooped into the filter and hot water is poured over them. The water then slowly seeps through the coffee grounds thanks to our old friend gravity and what you end up with is a cup of coffee that tends to be richer and have an intense flavour. While this might seem like a simple process there is quite a bit of technique involved if you want to extract the best flavours from the coffee grounds. How slowly you pour the water onto the grounds, how fine the grounds are and also the temperature of the water plays a crucial role when using this process. It might take a while to get your cup of coffee, but trust us, it is worth the wait.

2. French press

One of the more common brewing methods, the French press was invented in 1929 and is seen as one of the easiest manual brewing methods available especially if you are looking for a consistent cup of coffee. The titular French press works by letting the coffee grounds steep in the hot water extracting the coffee’s flavourful essential oils. When you are ready for your cup of coffee you push down the plunger/strainer which separates the coffee from the grounds and there you go, a flavourful and complex cup of coffee. The benefit of using the French press is that you are able to make a large pot of great-tasting coffee quickly and easily.

3. Moka Pot / Stove-top Espresso maker

For those who don’t want to buy an expensive espresso machine but are looking for the same espresso kick to wake them up in the mornings, the Moka pot might be the perfect fit. The Moka pot uses a three-chamber brew process, meaning that water is brought to a boil in the bottom chamber becoming steam which causes pressure that pushes the water up through the coffee grounds into the top chamber. The end result might not be exactly the same as an espresso shot from a high-end espresso machine, but it will still give you a bittersweet super strong shot of coffee that will get you through the day. It’s a quick and easy way to brew a good tasting shot of espresso but be warned it can be tricky to get the timing just right.

4. AeroPress

While the French press does make a fine cup of coffee it lacks one small aspect that many coffee enthusiasts feel is necessary in order to make a great cup of coffee and that is pressure. Now if you are looking for the simplicity of a French press but with a bit of extra oomph then the AeroPress might be for you. First released in 2005 the AeroPress is made out of plastic and comes in three parts. A filter sits in a coffee basket at the bottom of the brew chamber. The coffee grounds are placed in the brew chamber and hot water is added, allowing the coffee grounds to steep. When you want to extract the coffee, the plunger is pressed down, which creates pressure as the brewed coffee is forced through the filter. The result is a smooth, rich and fast cup of coffee sure to please even the biggest coffee critic.

5. Vacuum/ Siphon

As we’ve already mentioned there are quite a few ways to manually brew a quick cup of coffee but if you

find yourself wanting to impress your guests you might want to give the Siphon coffee maker a try. One of the more time-intensive and complicated methods of manually brewing coffee the Syphon coffee maker was invented in Germany in the 1840s and uses pressure created by heat to force the water up through the coffee grounds. The Siphon coffee maker consists of two vessels. As the water in the bottom vessel heats up it gets forced, though the magic of pressure, to the top vessel where the coffee grounds reside. The coffee grounds the steeps in the water and once the heat is removed gravity forces the brewed coffee back into the bottom vessel leaving the grounds at the top. This is definitely the method to use if you like to entertain your guests while making a good cup of coffee. The downside is that although you get a great-tasting cup of coffee (some might say it’s the best manual method) it does take quite a while for your guests to finally taste the result of your hard work.

These are just a few of the manual brewing methods available to those looking to try something new. The trick is to find one that suits your taste and works best for you, but the most important thing is to just have fun while experimenting. So why not try out these methods using some Diesel Coffee’s quality coffee and see how each method affects its taste. #likedieselcoffee