Is there an ideal method for preparing coffee?

Anyone who likes coffee in Latin America may be surprised by some of the homemade methods used abroad to prepare it.

In England, for example, strained coffee, common in Latin America, is rare.

At home or at work, the so-called French press predominates, in which powder and water are mixed and a plunger with a cloth (a disk that compresses the fluid) achieves the filtering.

The taste for coffee has long been widespread in the United Kingdom, where it coexists with the passion for tea, according to historians Peter Burke and Maria Lúcia Pallares-Burke, authors of the book “The English”.

But is one method better than another? Or is the cloth strainer used by grandmothers the unbeatable mechanism?

The BBC spoke with Brazilian agronomist Pedro Ronca, a coffee producer and specialist, who detailed the pros and cons of each traditional method and their influence on the taste of the drink.

Cloth strainer

Process: it couldn't be simpler: the powder is placed in the filter and then hot water is added.

Ideal grind: fine to medium.

Infusion time : 3 to 4 minutes.

Pros and cons: nostalgic method, which usually fills the environment with aromas. There is the problem of how to properly clean the strainer, as residue accumulates and can carry over to the next brew. It is best to use boiled water to remove as much residue as possible, although many people do not do this.

"Many people in Brazil still believe that this is the best system because it is closely associated with grandmothers' coffee, it is a memory full of emotions," Ronca told the BBC.

"But the coffee that the grandmothers in Brazil prepared was in many cases not very good, very dark, burnt, very hot, and served in very small cups."

Paper strainer

Process: the same as the cloth strainer. A suggestion to prepare it, which also works for brewed coffee, is to moisten the powder with a little hot water, wait 30 seconds, and then pour in the water in one go in a continuous stream.

“The extraction will be better because all the dust will be moistened. In this way, more aromas will be extracted, because coffee is an extremely complex drink, with more than 800 scientifically identified aromas,” said the specialist.

Ideal grind: fine to medium.

Infusion time : 3 to 4 minutes.

Pros and Cons: The disposable filter is more hygienic, but it can leave a papery taste in the drink. To avoid this, a suggestion: run a little hot water through the filter before pouring the powder.

Regarding the ideal temperature, the Brazilian agronomist assured that there is a myth that "water cannot be boiled."

“Everyone has heard that advice before and use hot water before it boils. But in this way, the ideal 98ºC for extraction is not reached. The only way to be certain that this temperature is achieved is to boil the water.”

Italian coffee maker (mocha)

Process: the water is heated in a lower compartment, and the steam rises and comes into contact with the coffee, which is in another compartment. The vapor cools and condenses as it rises, forming coffee. This creates a stronger drink, closer to espresso. The coffee maker heats up on the burner.

It is recommended not to compact the powder in the container.

Ideal grind: coarser.

Infusion time: until the coffee begins to flow at the top of the coffee maker.

Pros and cons: it is a practical method since it avoids expenses with filters and there are models of different sizes. But mistakes can be made that end up burning the coffee.

“Many make a mistake when using this coffee maker. The main mistake is to use very high heat, the steam gets too hot and the coffee tastes burnt. You can start with high heat, but in the middle of the process you have to reduce it.”

One suggestion, according to the Brazilian producer, is to put a few drops of cold water in the upper compartment.

“This prevents the coffee that is rising very hot from coming into contact with the metal that is also very hot. The drink burns at that moment .”

Another mistake is to leave the fire on until the water runs out, which also generates a lot of steam and can end up burning the drink. The correct thing is to turn off the heat as soon as the coffee maker begins to “whistle”.

French press

Process: Powder and water are mixed, and filtering is achieved by pushing a plunger with a small metal cloth. This method allows the passage of oils with aromatic and flavor compounds.

Ideal grind: coarser. " You can't use fine coffee in this method, or you will feel the powder in your mouth, an unpleasant sensation."

Infusion time: 1 to 2 minutes before lowering the plunger. The longer the infusion time, the more caffeine the coffee will have since it is a water-soluble compound. And it will also be more bitter since caffeine is bitter.

There are different opinions about whether or not to mix the coffee before pressing the plunger. For Ronca you can do that without problems, to mix parts of the powder that have not come into contact with water.

Pros and cons: Easy wash. As in the case of the Italian coffee maker, it is a practical method and different sizes can be used.

Other methods

There are even more modern ways to prepare coffee.

Some coffee makers resemble laboratory equipment, such as the Aeropress, a blend of the brewed, French press, and espresso, and the so-called siphon, in which a heat source heats water in a lower glass sphere, which rises to the upper compartment. where is the dust

There are also espresso coffee machines popularized in Brazil in the 1990s that produce a concentrated and creamy drink.

But this method requires fast and intensive extraction and can lead to more errors.

“It is important to clarify that it cannot be said that an espresso is better than a filtered coffee, or that it is better than the one obtained in a French press”, concluded Ronca.

“There are different extractions that generate different products, each one with its own characteristics. But as always, it's a matter of taste. "