Brewing coffee is an art, even in cases where a machine does most of the work. It’s not an uncommon experience for people not to make the most of their device simply due to lack of knowledge. A key aspect to each brew is to select the coffee that is most compatible with your equipment. Not only will it give you better-tasting coffee, but it will also help maintain your machine. Below is a list of coffee makers and their suitable coffee.
Pour Over
Because the pour-over method brings out subtle flavor characteristics and smells, a mild roast might be better suited. The brightest, most acidic flavors come from beans roasted to this profile. Light roasts bring out the coffee's most natural qualities.
French Press
Because of its heightened oil content, medium-dark and dark roasts are best suited for brewing in a French Press. Use a coarse grind so that the hot water can access a larger surface area, and no fine particles seep into your brew.
Moka Pot brews usually pair well with a medium to dark roasts. Rich chocolate or roasted nut tastes, low acidity, a hefty body, and a creamy texture characterize these darker roasts. Light roasts are highly acidic, due to which people avoid them in Moka pots because of the risk of uneven extraction. Use fine grind consistency for best results.
Darker roasts have fewer apparent fluctuations, keeping their flavors more consistent over time as compared to lightly roasted beans. The deep flavors, such as chocolate and caramel, pair well with milk (lattes, cappuccinos). Coffee beans also lose CO2 as they age, resulting in less crema. Espresso is at its best when the roasted beans are 7 to 21 days old. Grind the beans to a fine consistency for the best espresso.
For Aeropress coffee, look for lightly roasted beans, and if possible, single origin beans. These will provide you with the natural flavors you require for the best Aeropress brew. The grind must always be at a medium level.
Siphon Coffee Maker
Grind your beans to a coarse consistency while using a siphon. You’re looking for lighter roasts to help achieve the brightness, sweetness, and subtleties in the coffee beans.
Percolator
Choose a coarsely grounded medium roast when brewing coffee in a percolator to retain all the flavor. When dark roasts pass through a percolator, they often taste bitter. Roasts that are too light lose their flavor and taste bland.
Ibrik Coffee Maker
Make the coffee grinds as fine/flour-like as you can while using these renowned Turkish coffee makers. It's ideal to go with a dark roast that can stand up to the brew's other robust flavors and aromas.
Cold Brew Coffee
Cold brewing will mask the acidity of lighter roasts. It is enjoyable, but the majority of people prefer darker roasts. These coffee machines can bring out the nutty and chocolatey notes in a medium-dark roast, resulting in a rich and smooth flavor. Coarsely ground coffee works best with these devices.
Apart from the roast level and grind consistency, you can also experiment with various coffee types, like Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. All of them have different flavor profiles and produce a range of flavors when combined. While we like spoiling ourselves with a good bag of single origin beans ever so often, it’s important to pick the roast best suited for your brew!
