Taming of the Brew

I am in the process of cobbling together a semi-comprehensive brew guide for my web site. (A preliminary version is now up.) As I am sure many of you have heard me say, my preferred brewing method is a manual pour-over. It is only slightly more work than using an auto-drip machine, but offers consistently superior results. However, that is not to say that this is the only method I use. I have used a number of methods including the Aeropress described below, which produced very good results during Erin's recent trip. I have also been using a French press a lot lately and a similar brewer known as an Eva Solo. In the not-so-distant past, I have experimented with a stove-top brewer known as either a vacuum pot or coffee siphon, which is finicky but can produce phenomenal results in experienced hands. There are several methods with which I am less familiar as well, such as the mokka pot, a stove-top device in which steam forces the hot water through fine grounds producing a very potent brew. Each of these techniques has its own advantages and disadvantages. Each also extracts a different flavor profile from the beans, which is one of the things that makes coffee so interesting and exciting. With more than 700 flavor constituents in a good-quality coffee, you can always find new ways to stimulate your taste buds. So the adventure continues.

From left to right: Aeropress, Eva Solo, French press, Vacuum pot.