Early images of coffee being brewed often involve the percolator. In a percolator, boiling water from the bottom of the vessel is forced up a small tube and out over a basket full of coffee grounds. The brew then mixes with the water below and continues to circulate until the user turns off the heat. All of the coffee was superheated by boiling which really didn’t make for a great cup of coffee to say the least.
In the 1990’s, espresso makers became very popular. To make espresso, high pressured hot water is forced through a fine ground, dark coffee. What comes out is a stout, dark brew with lots of aroma. By adding frothed milk to espresso, cappuccinos and lattes can be concocted.
Another way coffee is brewed is with the aid of a French Press. A French Press allows the ground coffee to steep in hot water to taste. When ready, the user pushes a plunger down in the press that traps the coffee grounds and allows the brewed coffee liquid to be poured off the top. The length of time the grounds are soaked in the water determines the darkness and strength of the resultant cup.
None of these coffee brewing methods is really new. Most can be traced back hundreds of years in some form. Each, however, produces its own distinct cup of coffee that can be as unique as the individual who crafted it.
