Whether you love the outdoors and want to find a way to brew coffee in the great outdoors without modern brewing equipment or are just looking for an easy and inexpensive way to brew your energy shot in the morning, using a percolator can be a wise choice. Percolators are very easy to set up and use - although some machines today run on electricity, traditional percolators only use a heat source, such as a stove or flame, to produce coffee, making them a great choice for practical coffee lovers. To learn how to make coffee with a percolator, start with Step 1 below.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Stove Percolator
Step 1. Add water to it
As with other methods of brewing coffee (such as drip brewing methods), the first thing you should do is determine how much coffee you want to brew, then add the appropriate amount of water to the water reservoir portion of the percolator. Depending on how your percolator is set up, you may just need to open the lid and pour in the water, or you may need to remove the top basket (which will hold the coffee beans while brewing) to access the water container.
Most standard-sized percolators can hold 4-8 cups of water, although there are other variations. As a reference point, four cups of coffee are equivalent to approximately two standard-sized cups of coffee
Step 2. Enter the chamber and tuba section
Next, if you must first remove the basket or tubing to add water, place them back in the percolator. Although all percolators are different, the basic construction is almost identical - the coffee beans must be above the water in a basket or small space with small holes as well. A narrow tube will extend from this basket to the water below.
As the water heats up, it will naturally move up through the tube and into the coffee bean holder. As the water soaks in, it will absorb some of the aroma and taste of the coffee beans and return to the bottom. This cycle will repeat again
Step 3. Add the coffee beans to the basket
Next, put your coffee beans into a basket with small holes. You can use freshly ground coffee beans or coffee beans that are ready to use - it depends on your taste. Use about 1 tbsp for each cup of water if you want a strong coffee. For less intense coffee, use 1 tsp per cup of water. While you are taking a percolator, you may have to adjust the dosage to suit your taste.
As we'll discuss below, for most percolators, use a lightly tuned system with low acidity and a fairly coarse grind - coarser than you would use on a regular coffee machine
Step 4. Place the percolator on the stove over medium heat
You're all set now, you just have to heat the water at the bottom of the percolator and Physics will do the rest. Your goal is to heat the water to a high enough temperature, but not to boil. The hotter the water, the faster it will absorb the flavor from the coffee beans, which means boiling water will produce a coffee that is too strong. Use medium heat to almost bring your water to a boil, then reduce the temperature just to keep the water hot, without boiling or bubbling. If you see steam, it means your percolator is too hot and you should reduce the temperature (or carefully move your percolator to a cooler area).
- When it comes to setting the heat source, the stove provides the most complete control, but you can also use a campfire if you keep an eye on the progress of your coffee.
- Always run the percolator at medium temperature from below - do not use the oven or other exhaustive heat source, unless you run the risk of damaging your equipment and coffee.
Step 5. Watch the glass ball section to monitor your progress
Many percolators have a spherical portion of glass on top, which serves to monitor the development of the coffee as it brews. As the water begins to circulate in the percolator, you will notice any steam or air bubbles within the bulb. The faster the steam moves, the hotter and denser the water, which indicates that the coffee is getting ripe. Ideally, once you've reached the right moderate temperature, you should see bubbles form every few seconds. This state shows a good speed when brewing coffee using a percolator.
Don't use percolators with plastic balls - coffee enthusiasts claim that hot coffee can cause the plastic flavors to transfer, which can affect the taste of the coffee and make it worse
Step 6. Let the coffee brew for about ten minutes
Depending on the density of coffee you want and the heat of the water you use, your ideal brewing time may vary. Be aware that brewing for ten minutes at the recommended speed will produce stronger coffee than if you were using a regular coffee brewer. To get a coffee that is not too strong, brew a little longer. If you want it to be even thicker, brew it longer.
You can use a timer to follow the progress of your coffee, but don't set a timer and leave the coffee - if you do, you may overheat the coffee and make it bitter and lumpy
Step 7. Remove the percolator from the heat source
When the coffee is finished brewing, carefully remove it from the heat source (use a towel or a tweezer so you don't burn yourself). Immediately unscrew the percolator and remove the basket containing the soaked coffee beans. Do it carefully. Discard the coffee beans or reuse them. Don't let the coffee beans stay in the percolator - if you do, they could spill into your cup as you pour the coffee, and may continue to make your coffee taste stronger as the drips enter your water container.
After removing the coffee bean basket, your coffee is ready to be served. Enjoy your classic-style strong coffee
Part 2 of 3: Electrical Percolator
Step 1. Add normal amount of water and coffee
Electric percolators operate on the same physical principles as stove percolators, but require less effort and supervision. To start, add water and coffee as usual. Decide how much coffee you want, then add water as needed in the bottom space. Remove the basket from the top compartment and place the coffee beans in this basket.
The ratio of the number of coffee beans you should use for water here is the same as the ratio on a stovetop percolator - use 1 tbsp per cup of water for strong coffee and 1 tsp for weak coffee
Step 2. Close and turn on your percolator
Once the percolator is assembled and filled with coffee and water, your job is more or less done. Connect the percolator plug to the nearest power source. Most percolators will start heating up automatically, but if your percolator has an "on" switch, you may need to press it now. The internal heating element in your percolator activates and begins to heat the water in the lower chamber, causing the water to cycle in cycles through the tube, through the coffee beans, and back into place – just like in a regular percolator.
Step 3. Wait seven to ten minutes for the coffee to finish brewing
You just have to wait. Most electric percolators take as long as a stovetop percolator to complete brewing - usually about seven to ten minutes. Many electric percolators have a built-in sensor that prevents the coffee from heating to beyond its optimal temperature, but if your percolator isn't like this, you may want to pay attention to it while it's brewing coffee. Otherwise, if you don't have small children or pets who may have burns in your area, turn on the timer and let the percolator do its job.
Remember, if you see steam coming out of the percolator, it means the appliance is brewing too hot. If this happens, unplug it immediately and allow the percolator to cool for a minute or two before you plug it back in
Step 4. Immediately unplug the percolator and remove the coffee beans after the brewing process is complete
When your timer stops (or, if your percolator has an automatic timer and stops itself), unplug your percolator. Carefully open the lid and remove the basket containing the wet coffee beans. Discard the contents.
At this point, you are done! Serve your coffee and enjoy
Part 3 of 3: Technique
Step 1. Choose coffee beans that are smooth and low in acid
As described above, coffee brewed in a percolator will be quite thick, bitter, and "clumpy". This is because, unlike other brewing methods, the percolator circulates water through the coffee beans, instead of allowing them to absorb the coffee essence only once. However, with a few simple tricks, you can make coffee in a percolator less concentrated. For example, starting with light, finely ground coffee that is low in caffeine and not acidic can help reduce the bitterness of percolator brewed coffee. While a percolator will usually produce a more concentrated coffee, using it with "light" ingredients can help minimize this effect.
If you want a less intense coffee, try buying beans labeled "mild" or "smooth" from your favorite coffee brand (such as Torabika), or opt for a "dark" coffee grind - although these coffees can have a bitter taste, caffeine content and acidity. lower than light ground coffee. If you have the money, you can also try buying specialty light ground coffees, such as Oromo Yirgacheffe Ground Fair trade Coffee. Don't forget, too, that you can always brew decaffeinated coffee
Step 2. Use coarsely ground coffee beans
In general, the finer the coffee bean, the faster the taste will transfer to the water and the thicker the coffee produced. Therefore, when you use a percolator to make coffee, choose a coarse grinding method. Coarsely ground coffee beans will interact with water more slowly, so the end result is not as thick as if using regular ground coffee beans.
If you have your own coffee grinder, try using the "coarse" setting. Otherwise, if you're buying ready-to-eat coffee, look for one that says "coarse" on the package
Step 3. Keep the water temperature at 90, 6-93.3 degrees Celsius
When using a percolator, temperature is key - too cold, the water won't rise up the central tube, but too hot and your coffee will be overcooked and very concentrated. For optimal brewing, keep your water at 90.6-93.3 degrees Celsius throughout the brewing process. This temperature is just below the boiling point of water (100 degrees Celsius), but not so cold that the brewing process must be prolonged.
Try using a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the water while your coffee is brewing. For accurate results, do not touch the thermometer to the hot side of the appliance - carefully dip the thermometer in the coffee liquid
Step 4. Let the coffee continue to brew to get rid of any lumps
Coffee brewed with a percolator will sometimes clump. Fortunately, this is easy to fix. Let your coffee sit for a few minutes after the brewing process. This time will allow the particles and deposits to sink, so your coffee will be clearer.
Be aware that this can result in a build-up of sediment at the bottom of the cup when you finish drinking your coffee. You may not want to drink this precipitate, as some coffee lovers find it bitter and unsavory
Step 5. Keep the brewing time short
If coffee brewed using a percolator doesn't taste better than brewed by other methods, reduce the brewing time. As explained throughout this article, coffee brewed using a percolator can produce a very concentrated final product when compared to other methods, so reducing brewing time can solve this problem. While most brewing instructions say seven to ten minutes, you can brew for four to five minutes if you prefer the result.
If you're not sure how long it will take to brew coffee using a percolator, but are willing to experiment to find a brew that's right for you, you can try this strategy
Tips
- Always close the coffee bag again tightly. Oxygen will spoil the taste of coffee.
- For a low-calorie sweetener, use Equal®, Stevia®, or Tropicana Slim®.
- Since coffee is mostly made of water, you should brew it with good quality water. Chlorine can turn off the taste of coffee. Use water that has been filtered (at a minimum) through an activated carbon filter, to remove the chlorine taste and odor.
- You may have to adjust the amount of coffee beans or water to suit your taste.
- For a stronger coffee taste, always use freshly ground coffee beans.
- Coffee beans are best stored at room temperature, in a dark cupboard, in an airtight container. Storing coffee beans in the refrigerator or freezer destroys the essential oils, which make up the most important part of their aroma and taste.
Warning
- Do not turn on the percolator with hot water in it.
- Always be careful when working with hot liquids.
- A good coffee brewer will keep the coffee temperature in the range of 87.7-93.3 degrees Celsius during the percolator brewing process. Unfortunately, percolators tend to boil the coffee and mess up the taste.
- Brewing coffee with a percolator will start the process of absorbing the color and taste of the coffee beans in its first stage. This is the plus side of using a percolator. The percolator will continuously pass water through the coffee beans through the air bubbles, until the heating source is turned off.
