Those that have survived the pandemic through drinking coffee have found out that sometimes the basic 3-in-1, capsule, or granulated coffees do not cut it anymore for them. There may be pre-ground pouch coffees in the market, but nothing beats the taste of freshly prepared coffee.
For those seeking guidance on where to begin, this article can help in figuring out the tools essential for basic home brewing. After trying different manual brewing methods, what works best for you? Leave a comment down below and let us know!
Here are some of the basic coffee equipment for those who want to brew their own coffee:
Coffee grinder
When preparing coffee, freshly ground is always best. That’s why a good hand grinder is one of the best tools to start preparing coffee.
A grinder with ceramic burrs that may work initially for starters, but eventually a better hand grinder with alloy or metal burrs can easily grind the beans and with consistency. The grinders can be set to different grind settings by turning dials to vary the size of the coffee grinds for any specific recipe or brewing method. The grinder need not be expensive, as long as the grinder can consistently put out the right grind sizes.
Digital weighing scale
Just like in baking cakes and pastries, to make sure to get the brew right, using a weighing scale is needed to properly measure the ingredients to the individual elements of a good coffee recipe.
Most digital scales are powered by two AA or AAA cells, but there are scales now with built-in batteries rechargeable via a USB cable that makes weighing the coffee beans and water used in a recipe easier.
Shop for digital scales here.
Coffee drip brewer and filter paper
The coffee drip brewer is one of the most basic methods of brewing coffee, known as the percolation method. In this way, the shape of the dripper can influence in bringing out certain tasting notes from the coffee when it gets brewed. One example of an all-around dripper is the Hario V60, a cone-shaped dripper which brings out a well-balanced brew.
Equally important in the brew is the filter paper, which has different characteristics depending on the material used in the filter paper.
Shop for brewers and filter papers here.
French press
The French press is another basic method of brewing coffee, known as the immersion method. This way, the coarsely ground coffee is steeped in hot water for between 5-10 minutes. Compared to the percolation method, no filter paper is used and the French press mechanism has a built-in metal filter that keeps the grounds from being poured into the glass.
Moka pot
The Moka pot, an invention by Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti, brews coffee by pushing heated water from the bottom chamber up to the sub-chamber with the coffee grounds. The water-and-coffee mixture then gets collected into the pot.
Moka pots are generally made of either aluminum or stainless steel, with the choice of which material the pot is made of depending on the stove over which it will be used.
Gooseneck kettle with thermometer
A good kettle, particularly a gooseneck kettle, will help in pouring the water into the brew with precision and control to accurately meet the needs of certain brewing recipes for different kinds of coffee. A bonus is if the kettle has a built-in thermometer that can either accurately read or control the temperature of the water inside the kettle, as the temperature of the water can certainly affect the taste of the brew.
So here you go, some of the basic equipment needed to start brewing your own coffee from scratch to get the most out of the fresh coffee beans. Here at Cappo Coffee, we have equipment and supplies that help a beginner brewer get started – from freshly-roasted beans to cleaning equipment. Go check out the Store tab today!
