Brewing Coffee with Drip Brewers
Patrick Mundwiler
Last week, we read about the importance of using a scale when brewing coffee*. Equally important to this is the equipment being used to brew coffee.
"Do I need to go broke to get a decent coffee pot...?"
Most of my customers are brewing their coffee with drip machines, so this week that’s what we’ll be covering, specifically what makes a good machine. Down the road, we’ll take an in depth look at other brewing methods such as pour over, French press, etc., and what each one of those unique.
Just as there are several variables that go into making a good cup of coffee, there are also different factors that determine how well a coffee brewer performs, being: brew and drip time, water temperature, and extraction rate.
Coffee reacts to water differently at different temperatures. The ideal temperature for brewing coffee is 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to the temperature, a full brew cycle should take 4 minutes or less (8 minutes or less to finish dripping). Any more time and the coffee would be over-extracted. Meeting both criteria helps to ensure proper extraction.
Thankfully, there is an organization that exists that has done much of the work and research to find brewers that outperform others. The organization I’m referring to is the SCA (Specialty Coffee Association), and a list of SCA Certified Brewers (home brewers that meet the above mentioned criteria) can be found here: SCA Certified Home Brewers.
Don't throw out your coffee pot yet! This information is meant to be an opportunity to highlight the importance of a coffee machine, and to help you step back and assess how well (or not) yours is doing its job. After reading this, if you decide it's time for an upgrade, I hope this serves as a good starting point to find a new brewer and gives you the necessary tools to feel confident as you begin your quest to making better coffee!
Another great resource is Seattle Coffee Gear. In addition to their website/online store, they have a lot of video reviews that can be found on YouTube. Ultimately, $100-200 should get you a decent brewer that performs well, and should get you headed in the right direction.