Home coffee brewers come in all shapes and sizes. A lot has been written about what kind of coffee maker to buy, what brand, what is the easiest. There are brewers with glass carafes, thermal carafes, built in grinders, boldness settings, you name it. But we always hear the same thing, “ The coffee I make at home never tastes as good as what I get at Crimson Cup Coffee House”. That’s because we use commercial equipment with high voltage that keeps the water at the right temperature throughout the entire brewing process. Home brewers simply can’t do that! There are a few brewers that get close but the water temperature always drops toward the end of the brew cycle. So, if you want a great cup of coffee at home, you’ll need to boil some water. Remember, nothing great is ever easy and your patience will be rewarded!
One of my favorite drip coffee makers I have been using for almost 30 years is the Chemex Coffee Maker. Chemex uses a special bonded paper filter that is a little heavier that most coffee filters. The grind needs to be slightly coarser then the grind for a regular paper filter because a fine grind will plug the pores of the paper Chemex filter and will cause over extraction. The brew leaves a very clean taste and a very clear brew. Check out www.chemexcoffeemaker.com for more info.
Another favorite of mine is the French Press. This is the closest type of brewing you can get to cupping coffee. Cupping coffee is something we do here at Crimson Cup to sample coffee from around the world. This provides for full extraction, creating a bold brew. Again, grinding needs to be coarser then the typical grind for paper filter.
My last favorite coffee maker is the Melitta 10 cup coffee maker. This little gem can be had for a mere $15 bucks! Often described as a flat bottom cone, this little guy makes a great cup. The grind should be slightly finer that most other paper filter grinds and can yield more cups per pound depending on your strength preference.
Now how do you go about creating the magic in a cup?
1. Start with cold, fresh, filtered water and bring to a boil.
2. While the water is getting up to temperature, grind your coffee just before brewing. I use a burr grinder that can be purchased for around $30. One heaping tablespoon of coffee to five ounces of water should be your starting point; use more coffee if you like a bolder tasting brew.
3. As soon as the water comes to a full boil, remove the kettle from the burner and allow it to sit for 30 to 45 seconds. This brings the water temperature down to just below 200 degrees.
4. The next step is to pre-moisten the coffee grounds. This allows the coffee grounds to bloom and to get up to temperature so when the rest of the of the water is poured over, you will have a more complete extraction.
Slowly pour a small amount of the hot water over the coffee grounds to saturate.
5. Let it sit for for a minute then pour the rest of your measured water. Drink your coffee as soon as it is finished dripping through the filter.
If you are using a french press, you will still want to pre-moisten the grounds and then fill and stir before you push the plunger. Allow to steep to your desired strength.
There you have it. It’s not the easiest way to make coffee but it sure tastes better than anything you’ll get out of that Mr. Whatchamcallit you got for a wedding present.
by Armando, CEO of Crimson Cup (Chief Espresso Officer) 
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