There is nothing wrong with making coffee using freeze dried granuals or instant coffee, but it definitely cannot compete with the great taste and aroma of freshly ground coffee being brewed in your kitchen. 

Whichever method of brewing you choose, make sure you know the proper process so that you can brew the optimum cup. We have listed the top four most common home brewing methods below and each method is linked to a video to show you how to best make a cup of coffee using that specific coffee making equipment.

With all of these methods, make sure you use boiled water that has rested for at least a minute, this will make sure that you do not burn the coffee grounds when you pour in the water. 

French Press / Plunger

This is the most common way people make coffee at home The method is fairly simple and  the plunger brews a really good cup of coffee. Plunger coffee does not make an espresso, so this method is great for those who prefer a flavourful but lighter cup of coffee. 

Coffee grind: Course, similar to very course sea salt.

Moka Pot

The moka pot is a stove top coffee maker. Coffee is brewed by the steam in the lower chamber passing through the ground coffee as the steam collects in liquid form in the top chamber. This italian invention has been around since 1933 and brewing strength is very close to an espresso shot. 

Coffee grind: Fine, a little finer than table salt. 

Aeropress

The aeropress is the Gen Z of coffee makers, it has not been around for as long as the others but it has become a brewing favourite quite quickly. The reason being is it brews a very clean and strong coffee, and if you have a flask of hot water, you can use the aeropress pretty much anywhere, which makes it very convenient. In Cape Town it is not unfamiliar to see people brewing an aeropress somewhere on the mountain, having a coffee break on their hike. 

Coffee grind: Medium, similar to the consistency of sand. 

 

Chemex

The Chemex coffee maker is a manual pour-over brewing method. It is perhaps the most complex of home brewing methods, but the process can be quite a relaxing way of starting your day. The chemex filter is more densely woven which removes more of the body and coffee oils than your general coffee filters. This is why they are known to produce a better cup than the more common drip machines.

Coffee grind: Medium-coarse, sit between the grind for plunger and aeropress. Similar to rough sand. 

Using any one of these brewing methods will help you connect with your inner barista. So enjoy brewing your favourite cup while you browse through the Vodacom now blog.