Let’s Talk About Coffee!

I’m not a coffee aficionado, but I do enjoy a good cup of coffee. I drink coffee just about every day. I only skip coffee on the days I take spin classes. I’m pretty wired after a spin class, so there’s no need for coffee.

For years I drank coffee brewed in an electric coffee maker. I’ve had several brands of electric coffee makers, and they all did just fine until they died. It’s been my experience that the coffee maker doesn’t change the flavor of the coffee, but the brewing method does. As such, I’ve experimented with various ways to make coffee, and currently, the AeroPress method is the method du jour.

Below are the various methods I’ve tried:

Electric Drip Coffee Maker

I like this method because it’s easy. Depending on the features of the coffee maker, one could set things up and set a timer to have the coffee brewing upon awakening. I prefer to grind the coffee beans every morning for a fresh cup.

With the electric coffee maker, it’s just a matter of inserting the coffee filter, coffee grinds, and water. Press the brew button and wait until it’s done. The coffee maker will keep the coffee warm for a pre-set number of hours. No worries about having a cold cup of coffee.

French Press

Making French-pressed coffee is a little more involved than the traditional electric coffee maker. The beans must be coarsely ground. What I like about French Press is there’s no coffee filter. Just put the grounds in the press, pour hot water over the beans, and wait about 4 minutes. At the four-minute mark, press the plunger, and you have coffee.

My French press is double-walled stainless steel, so the coffee remains hot. It’s good for 2 cups. Cleanup is easy. Just dump the grinds, clean the press, and you’re done.

The taste of French-pressed coffee is less acidic. It gives me a smoother taste. It is inconsistent, however. The first cup is always weaker than the second cup. The second cup had more time with the beans, so it’s darker and stronger.

Pour Over Coffee

With pour-over, the grounds are also coarse. I’ve learned through experience that finely ground beans take FOREVER to drip through the pour-over funnel. While the pour over coffee tastes smoother than the French press, the coffee temperature is also cooler. It takes a while for the coffee to drip, which cools the coffee’s temperature a bit. I like my coffee piping hot.

Espresso

What a nightmare. I tried using the Moka Pot to Espresso. First, I don’t like very strong-tasting coffee, that’s why I prefer light roasts. Second, I act like a wired fool when I’ve had too much caffeine. Third, I didn’t get the brewing method right, so I had chewable coffee at the bottom of the tiny little cup. As I said, it was a nightmare. Epic fail!

AeroPress

AeroPress is the current preferred method for making coffee. It’s not only a quick brew but also smooth, and the coffee is hot. It takes about a minute and a half of brew time, longer for a stronger cup. I grind the beans to a medium, almost fine consistency. Cleanup is also effortless.

This method only makes one cup of coffee at a time and I’m okay with that. I like my coffee fresh. You can also make espresso, traditional coffee, iced coffee, or latte with the AeroPress.

I won’t go into detail about brewing the coffee because a video will explain the process much better. If you’re interested, check it out:

Bottom line, every time I brew coffee using the AeroPress, the coffee is always smooth and delicious. Never bitter or acidic. Occasionally, I experiment with longer brew times, but I always come back to the 90-second brew time.

Actually, the water and the beans hang out together for 2 minutes. I pour the water over the ground beans and give it about 30 seconds. I then give the beans one or two stirs. After it’s stirred, I put the filter/strainer on and let it sit for 90 seconds (I use the upside-down method).

When the time is up, I pour the coffee into the mug that already has the appropriate amount of salt and sugar. I top it off with heavy cream and voila! Perfection!