Ultimate Guide | Types of Coffee

• Drip: Most common in cafés, diners, and offices, drip coffee is brewed through a filter in an automatic drip machine. Any beans, from Robusta and Arabica, and any roast, from light to dark, can be used in an automatic drip machine. Colombian beans are the most widely preferred, however.
• Pour-over: Brewed by literally pouring hot water over coffee grinds, the pour-over method is by far the cheapest and simplest available. Similar to drip, different types of coffee are acceptable for pour-over.
• French Press: Coffee grinds are placed in a press-pot with hot water, and sit brewing for several minutes. Once the ideal extraction has occurred, a handle on the press-pot is pushed down, causing a mesh to separate the coffee grinds from the water. While a French press can handle any roasts, most people prefer a darker roast.
• Cold Brew: Known as the most delicious brewing method for iced coffee, cold brew coffee is made by mixing grinds with cold water, and letting the beverage brew overnight in the refrigerator. Due to their caramel notes, medium roast African beans are preferred for this method.
• Turkish: Made in a stovetop Turkish pot, extremely fine coffee grinds are mixed with water and brought to a boil on a stove. The preferred roast is dark Arabica.
• Espresso: Finely ground coffee is firmly placed in a small metallic filter called a portafilter, at which point hot water is shot through it at very high pressure. Espresso blends usually feature a mixture of multi-region Arabica and Robusta, the darker the bean the better.
• Latte: A shot of espresso is mixed with slightly foamy steamed milk. Because this is an espresso-based beverage, the same types of coffee are used for lattes as espresso.
• Cappuccino: Very similar to a latte, but contains an equal volume of foam and steamed milk. Espresso coffee types are once again used in this beverage.

In the following sections, we will revisit some of these different types of coffee and outline which types of coffee makers are most suitable for brewing them. Read on for step-by-step instructions on brewing the most delicious types of coffee.

1. Freshly grind your coffee beans on the coarsest settings, and pour them into your French press.
2. Heat your water to 195 Fahrenheit, being careful to keep it from boiling. Spring water and cold filtered water produce the best tasting cup of French press coffee.
3. Mix the water in with your coffee grinds.
4. Using a wooden spoon or chopstick, lightly stir the grinds that have floated to the top.
5. Close the French press and let it sit for 4 minutes. Use a timer if necessary.
6. Press down on the French press handle, separating the extracted coffee from the spent grinds.
7. Pour the coffee into a mug,
8. Enjoy!

Evidenced by the fact that the majority of modern baristas don’t even know how to make espresso without their fully automated machines, brewing an excellent shot of espresso is a dying art. In this section, we will explain how to make espresso at home, outlining the necessary tools and required steps. By the end of this section, you will know all the basics of how to make espresso!

Although this seems counter-intuitive, the most important piece of equipment for excellent espresso is not the espresso maker, but rather the grinder. Of course, to a certain point, the quality of the espresso maker is important. The problem rests with the fact that, without a proper grinder, even the most expensive professional espresso coffee maker will produce subpar results. With an ace grinder, however, even a mid-range espresso machine will be able to pull excellent shots of espresso.
Thus, if you want to know how to make espresso at home, you have to start with the grinder. The cheapest option for adequate uniformity and fineness is Porlex JP-30 Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder. This manual grinder is excellent for all grinds, including espresso. Alternatively, if you prefer a more hands-off experience, you should look into the Breville Dose Control Pro, and the Baratza Preciso. The former is cheaper, but the latter offers more control and variability.
Top 10: The Best Coffee Grinder Reviews

Espresso Coffee Maker
The next consideration is the espresso coffee maker. Although you can purchase a cheaper steam-driven espresso machine, beware that this variety does not brew real espresso—it only brews really strong coffee. If you are interested in real espresso, you should invest in either a manual espresso maker, or a semi-automatic espresso coffee maker. DeLonghi and Breville make some of the best mid-range espresso machines.

Editor's tip: The Breville Barista Express combines an excellent quality grinder with an easy-to-use espresso machine. This is the one he uses at his own home.

Tamper
The final equipment consideration for brewing espresso is the tamper. Although most espresso machines have an included tamper, the cheap plastic variety is simply subpar. The ideal espresso tamper is sturdy, heavy, and made from a high fidelity material like stainless steel. When shopping for a high-quality tamper, make sure that it is the proper size for your espresso maker’s portafilter; too big and its useless, too small and you will never achieve an even tamp.

Espresso Coffee Beans
Although it is typically recommended to use beans specifically designated as “espresso blends”, you can use virtually any coffee to brew a shot of espresso.
Top 10: The Best Espresso Beans

Now that you have all the proper tools, it is time to learn how to make espresso. Keep in mind that your first few times using an espresso machine are trials, so you should expect a little bit of wasted coffee. Making espresso is a learning process that may take years to perfect. With that being said, here are the steps to start making espresso at home:

Although this guide is a major oversimplification of a process that may take years to perfect, it outlines all the basic steps of how to make espresso at home. Making espresso can be a highly rewarding experience, and a fantastic way to impress your guests.

Using the steps to make espresso outlined above, you will also need to use a milk frother to make a latte or a cappuccino. Although you can boil your milk instead, it will not have the same texture or taste as properly steamed milk.Milk frothers come in many shapes and sizes. The cheapest, and most widely available frothers are automatic varieties; pour the milk and press the on button. However, these frothers are not ideal for a truly excellent latte or cappuccino. The best results will come from steam wands, which shoot out a consistent stream of steam and slowly heat your milk. If you’re lucky, your espresso maker will have a steam wand attached on the side (like the Breville Barista Express mentioned above, which has quite a brilliant steamer).

1. Prep your shot of espresso, grinding and tamping. Lock the portafilter in, but do not pull your shot yet.
2. Pour your milk into a steaming pitcher, using slightly more than you’ll need for your latte or cappuccino.
3. Holding the pitcher at a slight angle, bring it under the steam wand. The end of the steam wand should rest just below the surface of the milk.
4. Turn on your steamer.
5. Listen to the sound produced by the steamer. You want to hear a thin, high-pitched sound, akin to tearing paper. If you hear bubbling, reposition the steam wand until you hear the ideal sound.
6. For a latte, you want to hold the wand near the surface of the milk for 10-15 seconds. For a cappuccino, 20-30 seconds.
7. Plunge the steamer into the milk, about halfway to the bottom of the pitcher.
8. Pull your shot of espresso.
9. With enough practice, your shot of espresso should finish pulling at about the same time that your milk reaches 150 degrees. Do not exceed 190 Fahrenheit.
10. Turn off your steamer and espresso machine, and pour your shot into a mug.
11. Pour your steamed milk into the mug at a steady pace.

1. Grind your coffee on a coarse setting, preferably French press.
2. Fill a carafe/cold brew coffee maker/French press with filtered water and coffee grinds. The ideal ratio for a delicious cold brew coffee concentrate is 3 parts water to 1 part coarsely ground coffee.
3. Close the carafe/cold brew coffee maker/French press and put it in the refrigerator.
4. Wait 10-24 hours. The longer you wait, the stronger the cold brew coffee concentrate will be.
5. Remove the cold brew coffee from the refrigerator, and filter out the grinds. In a carafe, use a very fine net filter for best results. With a cold brew coffee maker simply remove the filter from the cold brew coffee. French press should be used as regular, pushing the filter down and pouring out the coffee,
6. Enjoy!

Now that you know how to make cold brew coffee, make sure to try some in the summer!

In this section we will provide a very simple explanation of how to make Turkish coffee. This age-old method of coffee brewing is still preferred in many parts of the world for its incredibly strong flavor and specific texture. It is a unique and delicious way to drink coffee. Today, you will find out how to make Turkish coffee at home with the simplest of tools.

Making Turkish coffee does not require any special equipment beyond a Turkish coffee maker, although any small pot will do. The main advantage of using a Turkish coffee maker is its graduated shape and spout, which aids in the pouring process. Beyond that, all you need is very finely ground coffee (similar to the fineness of baby powder) and some cold water.

There are, however, a few important considerations when discussing how to make Turkish coffee. When explaining how to brew Turkish coffee, many people seem to ignore the fact that the water should never be allowed to boil. Boiling water destroys the rich layer of foam that Turkish coffee is known for, and degrades some of the flavor and aroma chemicals of the coffee itself. Be wary of any guides explaining how to brew Turkish coffee that mention boiling.

The other important consideration when making Turkish coffee is the freshness of the grinds. Turkish coffee is known for a very rich coffee foam, and stale grinds fail to achieve such richness. Taking this into account, you are now ready to learn how to brew Turkish coffee!
Top 5: The Best Turkish Coffee Grinder

The following is a step-by-step guide on how to make Turkish coffee.

Although we have answered the question “what is drip coffee?” above, let us reiterate in greater detail. Drip coffee refers to the most popular brewing method in North America, and is typically the de facto brew in most restaurants, cafés, and diners. However, to answer the question “What is drip coffee” wholly, we need to examine filters and the standard drip coffee maker design.

What is a drip coffee filter, and how is it different from other coffee filters? Depending on the machine, drip filters come in many shapes, sizes, and materials. The most standard drip filter is a basket shaped, ridged paper. Cone filters are similar to basket filters, but take the form of an upside down cone. Alternatively, drip filters can also be composed of other materials, like extremely fine metallic mesh.

The drip coffee maker determines all of these factors, with some brands using proprietary designs. They all function in essentially the same way, however. A filter is placed into the drip coffee maker basket, and filled with grinds. The machine is turned on, and hot water slowly pours through the filter, slowly dripping coffee into a carafe.

A drip coffee maker is quite simple in design and function. Every drip machine features a water tank, a filter basket, and a carafe. The water tank is filled prior to use, and a filter with coffee grinds is placed in the basket. Once the machine is turned on, the water in the tank is slowly heated and transferred over the filter. Within ten minutes, an entire carafe of coffee is ready.

What distinguishes the best drip coffee maker from the garden variety? Although quality of brew is mostly consistent across machines, the best drip coffee maker excels in convenience and build quality. As an example, a Technivorm is often lauded as the best drip coffee maker available. It distinguishes itself with a very convenient separation of the water supply and filter basket, allowing for much more accurate water measurement. Getting a high-end drip coffee maker ensures you're making a perfect cup of joe each and every time.

Editor's tip: Our sister site Let's Drip Some Coffee has listed all the best drip coffee makers.

Now, we will provide a simple explanation of how to make drip coffee: