Are you looking to add some variety to your daily coffee routine? Or maybe you’re just looking for some unique coffee brewing methods that you can use to impress your friends. You can add these 3 coffee brewing methods to your repertoire and pull them out whenever necessary.
Unique Coffee Brewing Method #1: Cowboy Coffee
If you’re looking for a brewing method that is gritty and really shows how tough you are, then cowboy coffee might be the brewing method for you. The cup it produces is not meant for any yellow-bellied city slickers. This coffee brewing method would be perfect for camping trips. You could whip this up over a campfire while hocking tobacco into a spittoon and nobody would ever think of crossing you.
Cowboy Coffee is a really simple method that requires very little equipment. That’s a major part of the appeal. It’s really great for when you’re roughing it. All you need is a pot, a heat source, some water and of course, coffee.
The trick to really great tasting (okay, better tasting) Cowboy Coffee is to bring your water to a boil first. Remove it from the heat after it boils and allow it to cool down to about 200 degrees. Don’t worry, it won’t take long to cool down. You’ll be ready to brew before a Mississippi Mule can kick the cow pads out of a Buffalo. I’m sorry, that’s not actually a thing, but it will take about 30 seconds to cool.
Once the water cools, you can add your coffee and stir it in. Use 2 tablespoons of coffee for every 8 ounces of water, or use your preferred grinds to water ratio. Let the coffee brew for a total of 4 minutes, stirring again after 2 minutes. After the coffee finishes brewing, add about 2.5 tablespoons of cold water. The cold water will force the coffee grounds to the bottom. Now pour the coffee slowly into a cup or another vessel. You want to separate the coffee and the grinds to stop the extraction process. Pour slowly to avoid getting the grinds in your coffee.
Unique Coffee Brewing Method #2: Swedish Egg Coffee
From the makers of Swedish Meatballs and Swedish Fish, I bring you, Swedish Egg Coffee.
This one can take a little getting used to but I definitely recommend giving a try. Swedish Egg coffee is exactly what it sounds like, coffee with an egg. You literally smash an entire egg in your coffee grinds – shell and all. Then, you brew it in sort of the same manner as cowboy coffee. The egg mixes together with the ground coffee, causing it to clump together on the bottom. You might think this is kind of dirty and gross, considering egg shells are normally tossed in the trash, but the result is actually a cleaner, creamier cup of coffee. That’s right, the egg adds a creamy flavor to the coffee that is unlike any other brewing method.
So, you think you’re brave enough and want to know how to make Swedish Egg Coffee?
Start by creating a past with 1 and a half cups of ground coffee, 2 eggs, and a half cup cold water. Don’t forget you are smashing the whole egg, including the shell, in there. While you are preparing the egg coffee mixture, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Turn the water down to a simmer and stir in the egg mixture. Allow it to steep for about 3 minutes. Then, let it cool for another minute and slowly pour into cups. You can pour the mixture through a strainer for an even cleaner cup of coffee. I actually just poured it directly into my french press and plunged. Really, it was not even necessary though. It was sediment free and pretty delicious.
Unique Coffee Brewing Method #3: Vacuum Pot Brewing
The vacuum pot method, also called the siphon method, looks like something out of a “Breaking Bad” episode, complete with beakers and burners. It is definitely a visual method and is a great way to add some flair to your
coffee routine and impress your friends. It looks really cool in a geeky, sciencey sort of way.
Of the 3 methods, this is the only one that requires additional equipment. The setup consists of a burner, a bottom beaker and a top beaker, a stand with a clamp, and a filter.
When you’re ready to brew your coffee, add hot water to the bottom beaker. You want it around 200 degrees, just under boiling, at this point. Then, ignite the burner and place it under the beaker. Bring the water to a full boil. Once the water boils, you’ll set the top beaker on top so that it seals. This will draw the water into the top beaker.
Next, you’ll turn down the burner so the water on the top is no longer boiling. You want the water to be calm when you add your coffee grinds. Add the coffee and stir to make sure it is evenly distributed. The heat in the bottom beaker prevents the liquid from running back down. Allow the coffee to brew for about 1 minute and 45 seconds. Then, turn off the heat completely. Finally, give the coffee a few last stirs and it will begin to return to the bottom beaker. Once the drawdown is complete you should be left with a dome of coffee grinds indicating a good brew.
There are so many different ways to make coffee. From something as simple as Cowboy Coffee that really strips away all the pomp and leaves you with the essentials: fire, water, coffee, to something as extravagant as Vacuum Pot Coffee. It just goes to show you that people will do whatever it takes to get a good cup of coffee. What’s your favorite way to brew coffee? Have you tried any of these methods before? Let me know in the comments.
