Are you up for more different brewing techniques? Well, I have more for you.
Autodrip
Autodrip! This is the most popular way to brew in the US. Drip brewing is simply pouring hot water over grounds in a filter and letting the brew drip out the bottom. Drip brewing is a very good way to brew and can give an excellent cup if the correct equipment is used. A primary issue with autodrip machines is that they don’t brew at the right temperature! I have read that Bunn is one of the few companies who’s machines are calibrated to extract at the right temperature. If one has a good autodrip machine or one decides to heat and pour the water themselves, the next issue to surmount is the filter. Paper filters can impart a taste on the coffee and also do not allow many of the coffee oils and organic compounds through. A good gold-plated reusable filter (we do carry some) is a great option for drip brewing. Provided you clean and rinse it well after each use, it will not impart a taste on the coffee, and they don’t trap as much of the coffee’s essence as a paper filter. Another slight drawback is that drip brewing, in general, does not give the operator much control over extraction time.
To be honest, this is the method that I use daily. I only have a drip machine at home and I think that it does the job pretty well. I do understand the thing about paper filters imparting a certain taste – if you get the “bad” kind of filter. I got a set of paper filters from The Coffee Bean, though, and they were perfect.
Originally posted on September 28, 2008 @ 2:31 pm