Brewing Homemade Coffee
Coffee has become synonymous with young adult life. Studying late for a test? Coffee. Long day at work? Coffee. Trendy meeting place with a friend? Coffee.
It seems like we all go through a narrative arc with coffee. At first, we cannot fathom how anyone could enjoy that bitter monstrosity. Then, work begins piling on and we begin drinking coffee with a generous helping of cream and milk which drowns out the bitterness. Eventually, coffee becomes so ingrained in our daily lives, we will drink it however it is presented to us.
According to a study done by the NCA, 64% of Americans are daily coffee drinkers. With coffee’s steady rise in popularity, more and more coffee shops have begun sprouting up everywhere around us. Yet, a recent study claims the average price for a cup of store bought coffee is $2.99, so that means those who buy coffee each day are spending roughly $1095 dollars a year! But, if we make our cup of coffee at home, it costs a grand total of 18 cents, so the rest of this article is devoted to teaching you ways to brew quality coffee from the comfort of your home. Here are three methods for making your morning cup of joe: machine drip, pour over, and french press.
First up, the classic drip coffee machine. While it might not taste like a store bought coffee, it sure is fast (and cheap). The drip coffee machine has become a staple of American households with its easy use and quick brewing. Simply put your coffee grounds in a filter, and click the on button - boom, fresh coffee.
Who is this for? The person with busy mornings, and will drink any type of coffee
How fast is this method? 2-3 minutes, and some machines even allow you to set a time to begin brewing, so when you wake up the coffee is ready
Where can I get one? Mr. Coffee is a great choice
My personal rating: 3 out of 5 stars, good speed, alright coffee
Next up, we have the pour over, which is a great beginner’s transition into making some good quality homemade coffee. There are plenty of different processes to make pour over coffee, but the most general way involves pouring hot water over coffee grounds resting in a filter. The pour over is also a time efficient method while also tasting much better than the machine drip, but it does require more effort from the brewer.
Who is this for? Someone with time in the morning to brew quality tasting coffee.
How fast is this method? 6-7 minutes, but requires manual work from the brewer
Where can I get one? Chemex is a stellar option
My personal rating: 4 out of 5 stars, good for speed, good for quality coffee
Lastly, we have the french press, which is a great tool for coffee lovers as the french press provides great-tasting coffee with all the caffeine needed. The french press is a multi-step process, beginning with placing your grounds in the french press, then you pour hot water over the grounds and stir until the water reaches a desired amount of coffee, then let it sit for 4 minutes, and lastly press the grounds down and enjoy! Like the pour over, there are plenty of ways to customize the process to get various desired effects, but either way the french press will not let you down.
Who is this for? True lovers of coffees who enjoy the process of brewing coffee
How fast is this method? 8-9 minutes, and requires manual work from the brewer
Where can I get one? Quality coffee, classy look, and a top-of-the-line name: Cafe Du Chateau
My personal rating: 5 out of 5 stars, the french press will not let you down
I encourage you to try out the pour over or french press as it is a rewarding process and the coffee is splendid. Also, one other game changer when you are brewing coffee at home is to grind your own beans. Coffee beans retain their flavor much longer than coffee grounds, so if you grind your beans right before you brew a cup of coffee, the flavor will be noticeably better - trust me, it’s worth it. If you don’t want to invest in your own bean grinder, grocery stores like Trader Joe’s and Costco, as well as coffee shops like Starbucks (if they’re Starbucks coffee beans) and many local coffee chains will grind your beans for free.
Nonetheless, go out and try making some homemade coffee this week, it takes you less than 10 minutes, saves money, and tastes incredible. You got this!
