Home Brew
Published 27 May, 2015From pour over to slow drip, there are so many ways to enjoy our favourite morning (or afternoon, or evening…) ritual.
Our obsession with coffee has led to cafes adopting new ways to deliver our coveted brew and now products are becoming available to recreate them at home. Here are our top 5 favourite at-home coffee devices, including old favourites and some new players on the market.
Pour over
Pour over, or filter coffee, is one of the gentlest ways to brew coffee and results in clarity of flavour and a well-rounded brew. To make a pour over coffee you will need paper filters and a ceramic or metal cone known as a dripper. Sit the dripper over your cup, or a glass jug, and then place a filter paper inside the cone. Add ground coffee to the cone, cover with a small amount of water and leave for up to a minute, this is called the bloom. Next, slowly pour hot water over the coffee over the period of about 2 ½ minutes.
Recommended: Hario V60 Japanese Dripper & Bee House Coffee Dripper
Chemex
The Chemex uses a similar method to a pour over, with an elegant hourglass shaped glass vessel that allows you to sit the filter paper in the top. The difference is that it uses a lab grade filter, which collects many of the oils and fines while brewing and allows for a very clean cup, which highlights the brighter, fruitier notes in coffee.
Recommended: Chemex Coffee Maker Classic Series
French Press
The French Press could not be more easy to use and is the perfect solution for those mornings when your brain hasn’t quite woken up yet. Simply place coarsely ground coffee into the press, insert the plunger and add hot water. Steep for around 4 minutes and then decant to ensure it doesn’t continue to brew. The result is a rich, aromatic cup. This method is also fantastic for making cold brew coffee.
Recommended: Bialetti French Press
Slow-Drip
Oh so trendy slow-drip coffee is made in a beautiful towering device that very, very slowly drips water from a glass chamber, over coffee grounds and then drop by drop into your cup. It uses room temperature or cold water to extract the coffee, uncovering a plethora of new flavours that you wouldn’t usually get from a pressurized hot brew.
Recommended: Yama Cold Drip Coffee Maker
AeroPress
Newcomer to the home brewing scene, the Aeropress is quickly becoming popular for producing a consistent balance of body and flavour with minimum fuss. To use, simply remove the plunger and cap from the device, place a filter inside the cap and twist back on. Stand the Aeropress over a mug, add ground coffee into the chamber and then slowly pour in hot water. Stir the water and coffee together for about ten seconds and then insert the plunger, gently pushing in downward until you have filled your cup.
Recommended: AeroPress