Each of the alternative ways of brewing coffee has its advantages and nuances. Different varieties are revealed in their own way depending on the brewing method and recipe. We will try to explain the differences between two different ways of brewing:
- Immersion: coffee and water are in contact all the time during brewing. Immersion coffee can be brewed in a French press, cezve, or a simple cup.
- Percolation: the percolator is equipped with one compartment for water and ready coffee. The drink is mixed with water, repeating the extraction process over and over again.
Immersion Coffee Brewing
Immersion coffee brewing methods involve complete immersion of ground coffee in water. Over time, water extracts coffee and fills it with soluble substances
What is special about making coffee by immersion method?
Coffee immersed begins to extract soluble substances. The extraction slows down, and water is filled with soluble substances and can hold them less and less. This does not mean that the immersion method does not make a great cup of coffee or achieve a high strength of the drink. However, you may need to resort to additional manipulations to achieve the desired degree of extraction.
Percolation Coffee Brewing
What is a coffee percolator? If we give a precise definition, it is a kind of coffee pot for brewing by passing hot water through a separate container with ground coffee.
The principle of work
There is a filter with coffee in the top part of the device. As it heats up, the water rises through a tube and enters the compartment with ground coffee, then the finished drink flows through the filter into the main container. The process of circulating hot water through the filter with ground coffee can be repeated an unlimited number of times until the required strength is reached and the machine is turned off.
The method of percolation is the basis of a whole group of modern coffee machines, both alternative pourover and chemex, and classic drip coffee makers.
Pros:
- Low cost of equipment and ease of maintenance;
- Less coffee is consumed - due to prolonged infusion.
Cons:
- The weaker aroma of the drink;
- The strength of coffee depends on the duration of the circulation of hot water through the layer of ground coffee;
- Long contact with boiling water (up to 100 ° C) destroys caffeine and essential oils.
Which Method To Choose?
When choosing a method of brewing, we recommend focusing on the taste preferences or wishes of the guest. But if you have a thorough understanding of the physical processes that occur during brewing, you will be able to better understand the immersion and percolation brewing methods.