Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Coffee ? Changes Over the Years ? Changes for the Better

By Marc Warren

Brewing coffee has truly evolved over time. Years ago there was only the percolator. It did produce coffee but lack so much in the way of flavor.

Well, it was amusing to watch even if the coffee couldn't be very good. Boiling coffee and running the liquid over grounds more than once can each produce a brew less than ideal.

The drip coffee maker was later invented and making coffee took on a whole new meaning. Now a pot of coffee was a process of merely a few minutes and the results were delicious. For over 30 years now this method of making coffee continues to be the most popular and preferred.

The drip method still maintains the same basic concept but has been improved on over the years. The coffee makers allow the drinker to decide to what degree his coffee will be brewed. There are also premeasured packets of coffee packaged inside the filter for easier use and cleanup.

In the last 15 years another invention was made that gave coffee lovers a new thrill. The ability to make espresso right in your own home. The idea came from Europe and was perfected in America to bring this rich drink to households everywhere.

Why stop at espresso? Many espresso machines will heat your milk and whip it into foam while your coffee brews. The combination of the two gives you a great cappuccino with the same machine.

The French plunger is another device aiding the spread of European methods, anywhere open-minded coffee innovators are seeking the new. A metal rod extends through the center of a glass cylinder, where it is topped with a handle. At the other end is a filter, fitting snugly inside the container.

Put grounds into the container and pour nearly boiling hot water in. Unlike the drip method, the grounds steep until the plunger is pressed. The result is a dark, full-bodied brew served right from the device.

Another type of coffee maker works somewhat like the original percolator system. The vacuum brewer has two containers stacked. As the temperature rises the water ascends into the container on top. When the temperature is reduced the water begins to cool and falls over the coffee grounds and into the bottom container where you find your brew of coffee.

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