Sunday, April 14, 2013

Coffee Bean Coffee at Home

Coffee Bean

Everyone who knows me knows that I'm a coffee addict.  However, when I was a freshman in college I didn't like coffee but I kept trying it until I started to love it.  Coffee Bean was the first place where I started to like coffee. My original favorite drink was the ultimate ice blended vanilla.  Now I usually prefer hot coffee with a splash of milk or cream.

Coffee Bean isn't located in Memphis, but their coffee can be ordered online.  I ordered French roast from Amazon.com.  Maybe I like it because it's delicious or maybe it's because it was my first love of coffee.

I brewed my coffee on Friday using an Italian style percolator.  My friends from Spain introduced it to me, and I love it. I actually bought my coffee maker from Spain.

The water is in the bottom of the pot, and the ground coffee is in a basket in the middle.  The water boils and is forced upward through a small tube into the coffee grounds. The water spends more time in contact with the coffee grounds than an American style electric coffee pot.  Therefore the coffee is stronger, more espresso like.

Be jealous!  or just get your own!


On Saturday, I brewed more of this coffee.  However, this time I used a French press.  


This type of coffee maker requires boiling water beforehand.  Then the coffee and the grounds are both put together into the press.  After about 5 minutes, I pressed the top handle down.  There is a filter that pushes the grounds to the bottom separating the grounds from the coffee.  

Like the Italian percolator, the coffee is stronger than an American electric coffee pot.  Personally, I don't have a preference between the two at all.  Both make a coffee that is rich and delicious.  Once you've had coffee this way, you'll never look at coffee the same way.  

Both styles of coffee makers are available at Target and Amazon.  

Here is an American style percolator.


It also makes a deliciously strong brew.  When the water boils, it goes up through a small tube and then filters through the ground coffee.  It continuously goes through the coffee producing a strong cup of coffee.  

Once again, I can't tell a huge difference between the above three.  

Today, I made coffee using an espresso machine.  


I can honestly say this was my least preferred in the terms of taste.  It just didn't taste strong to me, especially when comparing it to the other methods.  I did steam my milk which was fun.  

Typically, I use this type of coffee maker.  It's a simple electric coffee maker, but its benefit is that it grinds the beans fresh everyday.  Currently, I am using Lavazza beans.  I use this maker the most because it's easiest and it has a timer.  I also like the fresh grind everyday.  The taste isn't as good as the percolators or the French press, but it still makes a good cup.


I also have a Keurig coffee maker.  It doesn't produce the strongest coffee.  However, what makes it fun is that you can have a variety of coffee (different flavors and strengths) on hand.  That way guests can choose what they prefer.  It's the easiest to clean up and it makes the perfect size cup.  


Here's my last one!  This is a cold brew system.  It takes the most time.  The coffee grinds basically sit in the water for about 12 hours.  It has a different taste.  I prefer the hot brewed coffee, but this one does not have any acidity.  The cold one is probably the best for ice blended drinks, though.  


Obviously, I heart coffee!







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