# How do you brew your coffee ?



## Happyflowerlady (Dec 19, 2017)

Way back when, we used a percolator, either an electric one, or one that worked on the stovetop. I even had a special one that we only used for camping trips and coffee made over the campfire. (Campfire coffee on a chilly morning out camping is some of the best coffee in the world !)
Later, the drip coffee makers became popular, and we changed over and used one of those for many years, replacing it as needed.  The last one was a Hamilton Beach Brewstation, and it was kind of nice because it kept the coffee hot inside of the machine, and there was no glass carafe to worry about breaking, or just dripping as you poured your morning coffee. 
About a month ago, we got one of those single serve coffee makers that will use either the k-cups (like a Keurig) or you can use regular ground coffee in the little filter that comes along with it. This works really great for those time when you just want one cup of coffee and not a whole pot full. 
Bobby uses regular coffee, and I have my special flavored coffee that I enjoy. 

Now, I have been reading about brewing coffee,  and apparently, the old-fashioned percolator was the best way to make a pot of coffee, because the drip coffee makers do not get the coffee grounds hot enough to actually bring out the whole flavor of the coffee. 
I found a smaller percolator on Amazon that was on sale and just ordered it. Since Bobby won’t touch flavored coffee, the only way that I have been able to drink mine is to use one of those Melita-type coffee pour-over filters, or the single cup coffeemaker. 
Now, I can make my own little pot of flavored coffee in the morning, and I am looking forward to seeing if the coffee from the percolator is actually any better than the drip coffeemaker flavor. 
What kind of brewing system does everyone else use, and how/why do you like it ?


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## Marie5656 (Dec 19, 2017)

*I do not drink it, but hubby recently got himself one of those one cup K-cup brewers.  He got hooked as they have one at his work.  He bought me a box of Hot chocolate cups, and that is great too.*


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## Ruthanne (Dec 19, 2017)

I use a drip coffee maker.  I have been grinding my coffee, too.


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## SeaBreeze (Dec 19, 2017)

We've always used the inexpensive drip coffee makers, we only have a cup or two in the mornings and none the rest of the day.  Neither of us like flavored coffee, but I usually buy the beans and grind my own at home now.  Our favorite is Kona or Kona blend, also Jamaican Blue Mountain, Costco sells a Rainforest that's pretty good too.

I like the drip because it's easy and simple.  Growing up my mother only used instant coffee with milk, no sugar.  When we go camping we use the instant Folgers crystals and boil some water to make it.


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## CindyLouWho (Dec 19, 2017)

Mine is an inexpensive drip coffee maker, as well, I only drink about one cup in the morning.


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## Aunt Bea (Dec 19, 2017)

I use the basket and pot from an old Mr. Coffee that died several years ago.  I bring the water to a boil in a teakettle and pour it over the grounds in the basket, with a filter, sitting on top of the old glass pot.  It's sort of a Melita style make do.  Someday I will get a more mainstream coffee maker.


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## Camper6 (Dec 19, 2017)

I had coffee at a friends cabin made on one of those percolators that you put on the stove element. Best I had for a long time.

I found one in a camping department section. I bought it but was disappointed. I think the venue has something to do with it.

I experiment and have yet to come up with a repeatable good cup of coffee. Single cup Brewers? You can't regulate the strength. French press? Good but messy. So back to the good old drip coffee maker with real coffee cream.

And don't forget instant coffee either.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Dec 19, 2017)

We always used a Mr. Coffee maker. My Son bought me a French press which I had my doubts about, but he was right, I compared the two and the French press made a much better cup of coffee. The hubby still uses the Mr. Coffee because he wants to have a cup later in the morning and he keeps it hot on the warming tray. I make an extra cup in the press then heat it in the microwave later on in the morning. I still think it tastes better from the press even when reheated. It also has a permanent filter which I like.


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## RadishRose (Dec 19, 2017)

After many years of drip, I use a press or pour-over type drip either right into the mug or into a carafe.

I bought a percolator a year ago, it was terrible. Press is best, then drip, IMO.


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## Falcon (Dec 19, 2017)

We have a  $15  Mr. Coffee  coffee maker from Target and brew Yuban coffee in it.

I have a mug of coffee with sugar & milk in the morning while reading the newspaper and

that's IT  for the day.


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## IKE (Dec 19, 2017)

Nothing fancy or high dollar.......a $16.00 Mr. Coffee and $8.25 Maxwell House Bold.


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## debbie in seattle (Dec 20, 2017)

We bought a Keurig a few years ago, then were taken aback how expensive those k-cups are.   We each only drink 1cup of coffee a day, so I guess that’s a good thing.  Yes, there are cheaper k cups out there, but we like our Starbucks.


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## retiredtraveler (Dec 20, 2017)

Aunt Bea said:


> I use the basket and pot from an old Mr. Coffee that died several years ago.  I bring the water to a boil in a teakettle and pour it over the grounds in the basket, with a filter, sitting on top of the old glass pot.  It's sort of a Melita style make do.  Someday I will get a more mainstream coffee maker.



What you're doing is better. Don't go mainstream! The 'secret' to coffee is hot water. Most coffeemakers do not get the water hot enough. If you really want to do things the 'ideal' way, you check the temp of the water. Should be about 200 degrees. If you live at sea level, water boils around 212f. If higher, you may be at the ideal temperature already. If the temp is above 200, let it sit for a couple of minutes, then pour.


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## oldman (Dec 20, 2017)

Keurig!


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## RadishRose (Dec 20, 2017)

I had 2 Keurigs. Bought one, it broke after just over a year. I was gifted with the small one and it too, stopped working but by then I didn't care because I realized how difficult they to clean, get the insides dry, de-scale, etc.  I'm too lazy.


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## Camper6 (Dec 20, 2017)

When making coffee let us not forget the grind.

A finer grind releases more of the flavor according to what I read.

If you buy the beans at some grocery stores you can grind them right there to fit your coffee maker.

I've tried everything.

I still can't get the cup of coffee I want.  

Well wait.  I went to visit a friend who served me up one of those espresso small cups brewed on her stove top.

Powerful punch.  That will give you a jump start in the morning.


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## Aunt Bea (Dec 20, 2017)

If you are looking for a little jolt try using espresso style dark roast coffee in a regular drip coffee maker.  If it is too strong for you then try mixing it with your regular ground coffee to create a personal house blend of your own.

These are two of the inexpensive brands available in my area.


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## HiDesertHal (Dec 20, 2017)

post deleted


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## HiDesertHal (Dec 20, 2017)

_Brew_ your coffee?... What's dat?

I have 2 cups of coffee per week; on Saturdays and Sundays after breakfast.

My wife makes it by spooning some Folgers Decaf into a cup of hot water, and adding cream and sugar.

I've never been inside a Starbucks emporium...Pretty adventurous, huh?

Howl


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## NancyNGA (Dec 20, 2017)

HiDesertHal said:


> _Brew_ your coffee?... What's dat?
> 
> I have 2 cups of coffee per week; on Saturdays and Sundays after breakfast.
> 
> ...


Me too.  I drink *a lot* more than 2/day, even.   It's getting harder and harder to find Folger's instant decaf here, even if they have it.  I'm going to start hoarding it. layful:


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## TonyK (Dec 27, 2017)

Keurig. Starbucks Pike Place Roast k-cups. One cup a day keeps the blues away.


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## Pappy (Dec 28, 2017)

Keurig.....Maxwell House breakfast brew. Good to the last drop.


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## Smiling Jane (Dec 28, 2017)

I rarely drink coffee because I'm very sensitive to caffeine (wires me and gives me major tinnitus). Sometimes in the summer I like iced coffee which I make using decaf and a cold brew filter.


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## Roadwarrior (Dec 28, 2017)

French Press


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## Lethe200 (Dec 28, 2017)

A percolator 'cooks' coffee. It uses a coarse grind so needs to pump the hot water and re-pump it numerous times to extract the flavor. A French press soaks a slightly finer grind of beans, then uses a 'press top' to filter the grounds out.

If you use cream and sugar in your coffee, you want the lower-quality beans. They are sour and bitter drunk black, but mellow out with the dairy and sugar added. South & Central American beans are ideal; most are also high in acid so the coffee flavor can still be prominent despite the sugar/cream.

If you are looking to wake up in the morning, a medium roast coffee has more caffeine than a dark roast. Yes, espresso/dark-roasted beans actually have less caffeine than any type of medium-roasted beans, in equal measure.

The finest grind is Turkish, aka Powder. It can wear out a blade grinder really fast, and will eventually even burn out a burr grinder. Don't even try it with a manual hand-crank antique! 

Keurig is okay; weak for our tastes. But it's the best of the single-cup makers. However, the K-cups are ecological horrors so we try to avoid them.

We generally drink Peet's Organic French Roast. Peet's has gone severely downhill since being bought out but it is the most widely available (they started here) and easy to get. I used to grind it at home but can't be bothered any longer. I just have them do a #2 grind (one number up from the Turkish). It looks like powder but isn't as super-fine as the #1 grind. Then I store it in the freezer. 

We do a Chemex-style manual drip, using Chemex filters. The cone is a Chemex porcelain knock-off, but I always use Chemex filters. They are the best: they don't break like Melitta and produce better tasting coffee.

There's several roasteries we like better than Peet's but they're simply not convenient to reach. We love coffee, but also love good tea, so we drink both equally.


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## Paloma (Dec 29, 2017)

For years, I used a Melitta cone with the Melitta filter and poured very hot water over the coffee grounds and let it drip into a carafe that kept the coffee very hot.  Then quite a number of years ago, I was at a friend's house.  When she started serving coffee, she used a Keurig.  I was immediately converted.  Went home and ordered a Keurig (this was long before you could buy them in stores).  I have been an avid user of Keurig ever since then.


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## Smiling Jane (Dec 29, 2017)

Lethe200 said:


> We do a Chemex-style manual drip, using Chemex filters. The cone is a Chemex porcelain knock-off, but I always use Chemex filters. They are the best: they don't break like Melitta and produce better tasting coffee.



Thanks for this. I've been using Melitta filters for my iced tea and several of them have split. I have a supply of Chemex filters (from before my Chemex broke) so I'll start using them.


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## Camper6 (Dec 29, 2017)

Paloma said:


> For years, I used a Melitta cone with the Melitta filter and poured very hot water over the coffee grounds and let it drip into a carafe that kept the coffee very hot.  Then quite a number of years ago, I was at a friend's house.  When she started serving coffee, she used a Keurig.  I was immediately converted.  Went home and ordered a Keurig (this was long before you could buy them in stores).  I have been an avid user of Keurig ever since then.



I found the Keurig quite weak and you can't alter the brew by using less water.  What you see is what you get.

I am experimenting now with my drip coffee maker.  Making only one cup at a time.  

I pull the carafe.  The hot water sits in the filter basket with the coffee and soaks then I put the carafe in and it drips through.  There is a plunger on the basket.  If it is down no coffee come out.  That's a way to sneak a cup before it's finished dripping.


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## Paloma (Dec 29, 2017)

I found that I have to purchase strong coffee to get the intensity of flavor I want.  Right now, we are using Costco's Kirkland Pacific Bold.  I have also used Green Mountain's Coffee Dark Magic which is a bold brew which is a bit to strong for us.


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## Roadwarrior (Dec 30, 2017)

Here's another twist.  I knew that 'cowboy/sheepherder' coffee was healthy.  I've started cooking in a small amount of fresh with my oatmeal.



> Health benefits of used coffee grounds
> Wed, 05/13/2015 - 8:57am
> by American Chemical Society
> 
> ...


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## Pappy (Dec 30, 2017)

Just like this.....


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## Roadwarrior (Dec 30, 2017)

Have you ever stopped at a coffee kiosk, got your favorite brew & been asked if you want your beans?  We do all over the NW, they are chocolate covered coffee beans.  What is the difference of cooking ground coffee in your oatmeal, you have less of a chance to chip a tooth.


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## C'est Moi (Jan 3, 2018)

Keurig.   Peet's k-cups.


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## Happyflowerlady (Jan 9, 2018)

I have been using the new little percolator for several weeks now (got it shortly before Christmas), and I really like it and I am amazed at how fast it perks my coffee. The old style percolators like I had in years gone by would take 10-15 minutes to make a pot of coffee, and this one makes mine (4-5 cups) in under 5 minutes. It is almost as fast as using the k-cup coffeemaker. And I get 2 good sized mugs of coffee from it. 
The flavor seems richer, but not burned. It takes a little longer to clean it then the drip coffee maker; but even that does not take long, and I really like the smaller size coffee pot. 
Since I am the only one who drinks flavored coffee, I needed something that would make just enough for me in the mornings.


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