Coffee Brewing

Coffee Brewing Methods - The Percolator

Coffee can be brewed in many different ways using different equipment. Here we discuss the percolator method.

Up until the late 1960's, the coffee percolator was used extensively throughout the world. The percolator was superseded by simple electric coffee makers in the 1970's.

The coffee percolator is made of a lower container which is initially filled with fresh cold water and holds the final coffee beverage at the end of the process. A vertical tube leads from this lower container to the top of the percolator. A second chamber which is perforated with small holes fits just below the top of the tube. Usually the whole apparatus is topped by a glass or stainless steel lid.

it is important to use course ground coffee and place it into the upper container. The bottom of the lower chamber is heated from an external heat source. A camp fire, gas burner or heating element will suffice. Electric percolators have the heating element built into the base of the lower chamber.

The water temperature in the lower container gradually rises. At this stage hot water will start to rise up through the vertical tube and infuse with the coffee grounds in the upper chamber, before dripping back down through to the bottom chamber again through the perforations. This process repeats continually as more water rises through the stem and douses the coffee grounds.

As long as the heat source is applied this process will continue until all the liquid reaches boiling point and which point the heat source is removed. The coffee is then ready to serve.

It is said by the coffee connoisseurs that percolated coffee is inferior. As the water is boiled it is too hot for making coffee and over extraction occurs making it taste bitter and acidic. In addition the coffee is continually reheated as it cycles from the bottom to the upper chamber and back again further degrading the taste.