National Percolator Day

Do you remember coffee percolators? Percolators were the main method of preparing coffee for over 100 years, to be gradually replaced by the automatic drip brewer in the 1970’s. This older method of coffee brewing is making a comeback, and National Percolator Day on December 26 gives us a chance to learn more about and/or revisit this coffee brewing method.

Origin of the Percolator

Laurens' Percolator

Several versions of the percolator have surfaced over the years. Mr. Laurens is often attributed with creating the first percolator in 1819 in France. His device contained a metal pot with a chamber at the bottom that was placed over the heat source. A vertical pipe extended from the chamber to the top of the percolator. A perforated chamber was directly below the top of the pipe. As the water was heated it rose up the central tube to infuse the coffee above.

Napier's Vacuum Pot

Englishman James Napier created the vacuum pot in 1840.  This pot contained two glass globes, and as the water in lower globe boiled, vapor was forced into the upper globe where the coffee was brewed. Once the lower globe emptied and after the appropriate brewing time had passed, removing the heat source would create a vacuum that pulled the brewed coffee through a sieve into the lower globe, where the coffee was then decanted.

American James Mason, however, was the first to patent a coffee percolator on December 26, 1865, but four years later in 1889, Illinois farmer Hanson Goodrich patented the U.S. stove-top percolator as it is known today. Goodrich’s percolator used a broad base for boiling, the central tube allowing water to flow upwards with a perforated basket hanging on the tube. This design allowed any standard coffee pot of the day to be changed into a stove-top percolator.

Subsequent patents have added very little to Goodrich’s percolator. A perforated chamber inside the percolator holds coarsely ground coffee. A tube attached to that chamber runs to the bottom of the percolator to make contact with the chamber holding water near the heating source.  This heating source can be an electric power outlet, the stove top, or an open fire. The heated water moves up the tube where it spurts out over the coffee grounds, resulting in that wonderful “perking” sound we associate with percolators. The water falls through the perforated chamber, trickling back down to the bottom chamber. When coffee is percolated correctly, the water never reaches the boiling point. 

Electric Percolator

Modern Percolators

Modern percolators are electric, stovetop, or microwave.  The electric percolator brews the most consistent coffee with the advantage of stopping the percolation when the coffee is ready to drink. Most electric percolators switch to a warming mode to keep the coffee warm for a considerable length of time.  These percolators are often constructed from heavy duty stainless steel with an indicator light to signal when the coffee is ready.

Stovetop Percolator

Stovetop percolators do not contain their own heating element and must sit on an electric burner, gas burner, or a campfire grill to heat the water to make coffee. This type of percolator requires continuous monitoring to remove the unit from the heat source once the coffee has finished brewing to avoid the overheating that results in bitter taste.  

Microwave percolators use up to 42% less energy than the electric percolator, but the microwave timer needs to be very carefully monitored to avoid overcooking the coffee.

Coffee percolators are further differentiated into two types: pressure type and gravity type. The Pressure type coffee percolators have three sections. They contain a lower section where the water is stored, a middle section which houses the raw coffee, and the upper section where the completely brewed coffee is stored. Some of the pressure type percolators lack the upper section, instead having a tube that delivers the coffee directly into the cup.

The Gravity type of percolators continuously brews the coffee through the grounds with gravity determining the strength of the resulting coffee. These percolators contain several sections: a small chamber which is used for filling water at the bottom, a vertical tube that reaches from the bottom to the top of the pot, and a perforated chamber for coarse ground coffee at the end of the tube.

How to Make Percolator Coffee

Coarse Grind

The best grind for a percolator is a coarse grind due to the high level of contact with the water.  For best results, the water should never boil, instead staying between 195 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow it to perk for no more than three minutes.  Then pour and add cream and sugar to taste. 

Celebrating National Percolator Day

National Percolator Day not only celebrates the day when the percolator was first patented – it celebrates a way of way of life that has since departed. Despite the difficulty in “perking” that perfect cup of coffee using a percolator, many coffee lovers have refused to give up their percolators, enjoying the strong coffee with the distinctive taste. Others are choosing percolators for health reasons: percolators have no plastic parts, thereby avoiding the chemicals that leach out of plastics when they come in contact with hot water.

This year, why not give the percolator a try? There may be one hidden away in your attic or in that of your grandparents. If you cannot find one in either of those locations, plenty of models are still available for purchase. Fill with cool water, add some coarse ground coffee – being sure to sniff that delicious aroma, add your heat source, sit back, and listen to your coffee make that distinctive “perking” sound.




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5 Ways to Celebrate National Espresso Day: November 23

Everyone loves a holiday, and coffee drinkers are no different. Although no one knows the exact origins of National Espresso Day – November 23 - espresso certainly deserves its own day of celebration.

Espresso dates back to 1822 when Louis Bernard crafted the prototype of the first espresso machine in France. Then in 1901, Luigi Bezzera of Italy tried to speed up the brewing process by adding steam pressure to force hot water through the coffee, resulting in a more flavorful yet stronger cup of coffee. Although Bezzera patented his machine, he was never able to market it, and in 1903 Desidero Pavoni purchased the patent and began producing the espresso machine commercially, distributing it throughout Europe.

Since then, espresso has increased in popularity, leading to a variety of espresso-based drinks. Some of the most popular espresso drinks include the Cappuccino, Mocha Cappuccino, Spicy Viennese Espresso, Espresso Macchiato and Cappuccino Ciocolocino. If you do not have your own espresso maker, then try instant espresso available at your local grocery store. Have fun with these recipes and do not be afraid to be creative.

Cappuccino

 Cappuccino

The basic Cappuccino is 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk and 1/3 frothed milk (foam) to fill a 6 ounce cup. Although the strength of your Cappuccino can vary between coffee shops, fixing one at home allows you to adjust the strength according to your taste, so feel free to vary the proportions. Garnish the finished product with a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa powder, or vanilla powder.


If you have a steady hand, you may not need to use separate steaming and frothing operations. Frothing gives hot steamed milk at the bottom of the container and milk froth or foam on the top. Pouring carefully can give you the proper proportion of steam to froth.

Mocha Cappuccino

 Mocha Cappuccino

A Mocha Cappuccino uses the 1/3 espresso to 2/3 part steamed milk ratio, with a change. Dissolve cocoa or chocolate syrup to taste in the milk. Then sprinkle cocoa powder on the top. Want something more decadent? Add whipped cream before sprinkling with cocoa powder.

 

Spicy Viennese Coffee

Spicy Viennese Espresso

Begin with 3 ounces of espresso, then add 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon allspice and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Espresso Macchiato

Espresso macchiato

Top your espresso with a small dollop (spoonful) of frothed milk.

Cappuccino Ciocolocino

 

Cappuccino Ciocolocino

How about turning your coffee into a dessert? After preparing a traditional cappuccino, add a scoop of vanilla, coffee, or chocolate ice cream.

These easy recipes can help you make every day a National Espresso Day. Enjoy!

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Seven Methods of Brewing Coffee: An Overview

Coffee can be brewed using several different techniques. If kept hot, coffee flavor will deteriorate quickly, and reheating can destroy some of the flavor. Brewed coffee kept at room temperature will also deteriorate, but if kept in an oxygen-free environment it can last almost indefinitely. Coffee can be brewed 7 different ways, according to the grind: Turkish, Percolator, Drip Brew, Plunger/French Press, Vacuum, Cold Water, and Espresso. 

Turkish

Grind: Turkish

                                                     

Handmade copper Ibrik

Turkish brewing dates back to over four and half centuries ago,  predating all other methods of preparing coffee. This is the only brewing method where the coffee is in contact with the water during the entire process. The Turkish grind (a pulverized coffee with a texture similar to that of talcum powder), water, and sugar – if desired—are placed into an Ibrik. Bring this mixture to a boil 3 times while removing the Ibrik from the fire quickly when the foam begins to rise. After the grounds have settled, this coffee is poured into small cups, holding back the foam with a spoon. After all cups are poured, gently spoon the foam over the coffee. The resulting brew is thick and muddy.

Percolator

Grind: Coarse

Stove Percolator

Percolators use the pressure of steam to force water through the coffee grinds  located in a basket at the top of the pot. Water brought to boiling temperature “percolates” through the coffee, then drip back into the water below, which is forced back through the percolating cycle repeatedly, resulting in a coffee that is sometimes bitter. Percolators require monitoring. Electric percolators immediately begin a warming cycle after they have finished perking, and this warming cycle can make the coffee more bitter. Stovetop percolators need to be removed from the heat immediately after the perking is finished. 

Drip Brew
Grinds:
Cone/Wedge Filter : Medium
Basket Filter: Medium
French Double Drip: Coarse

White Porcelain cone drip brewer

Double Drip Brewer

Drip brewing is probably the simplest method of brewing coffee and the most popular. Water heated to 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit is poured slowly over the coffee grounds to create a clear smooth cup of coffee. The filter for this coffee maker can be made from paper, cloth, metal, or plastic and be cone-or basket shaped. Drip makers can be manual or electric.

Plunger/French Press

GRIND: MEDIUM COARSE

The French Press uses an infusion process to brew coffee. Add 2 tablespoons for every 6 ounces of hot water to the apparatus. After 3 minutes, stir slightly. When using fresh coffee, the grounds will drop, creating a big head of foam. Add more hot water, wait 3 more minutes, then plunge, pressing the grounds down to the bottom of the maker, separating them from the brew above. This brew is rich and dense.

Another method is to stir vigorously after pouring the first hot water, add more hot water, wait 3 minutes, then plunge.

Vacuum
Grind: Coarse

Vacuum Pot

This method is often described as for the true coffee lover. Place the ground coffee in the top bowl (the funnel). The water in the carafe is brought almost to boil, then the steam pressure forces it into the top bowl (funnel). Once most of the water is in the top bowl, stir the coffee. In 1-3 minutes, extinguish the flame. The cooling mixture creates a vacuum which sucks the brewed coffee down into the lower carafe, leaving the grounds in the top bowl (funnel). The top bowl can then be removed from the carafe. This coffee is smooth and delicate with all flavors intact.

Toddy Cold Water Brewer

Cold Water
Grind: Coarse

In this brewing method, a pound of coffee and a half gallon of water are added to a bucket apparatus. This mixture then rests at room temperature for approximately 6-10 hours. Next, the plug at the bottom of the bucket is removed, allowing the coffee extract – separated from the grounds by a large filter – to drain into a large pitcher. This extract is then refrigerated. To make coffee, add 1-2 ounces to a cup along with 6-8 ounces of hot water. Coffee brewed this way tends to be light-bodied and bland since the heat needed to stimulate the coffee oils is missing.

Espresso
Grinds:
Stove Top:  Drip to Fine
Electric: Extra-Fine

Espresso can be made using a stovetop espresso maker or an electric espresso maker.  

Stovetop Espresso Maker

Stovetop espresso makers are either aluminum or stainless steel. They bring water to a weak boil, using steam pressure (much like a percolator) to send the water through a bed of finely ground coffee resting in a middle chamber of the brewer, through a narrow stem and into an upper receptacle. The espresso is ready when it stops spurting through the stem. Removing the coffee from the stovetop when finished keeps from exposing the coffee to too much heat. Aluminum coffee makers conduct heart more quickly than stainless steel makers do, so monitoring the heat and the brewing time is very important to avoid making espresso that has a metallic taste. 

Electric Espresso Maker

The best –and easiest—way to brew espresso is to use an electric espresso machine modeled after the professional machines. These makers use either a pump or a piston to inject hot water through the grounds directly into the cup, creating a textured beverage covered with a golden foam – REAL espresso.


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