If you own a stove top percolator but you are sure that it can’t brew you a decent cup, think again! Here’s your step by step Stove Top Percolator Instructions.
After reading tons of critical stove top percolator reviews (most of which state that the coffee their stovetop percolator brewed was either too bitter, too strong etc. and thus, inferring that stove tops aren’t great coffee makers), I thought it was about time I put in my two cents on the matter. First, I would like to mention that most (if not all) stove top percolators are actually designed to brew strong, full-bodied cups of coffee. However, strong doesn’t necessarily have to mean bitter-tasting!
So, if you own a stove top but you are sure that it can’t brew you a decent cup, think again! In this article/guide, I will give you step by step stove top percolator instructions that will guide you through the entire brewing process in a way that will definitely suit your taste.
Stove Top Percolator Instructions: How to make a Brew that would make your grandma proud !
Contents
- 1 Stove Top Percolator Instructions: How to make a Brew that would make your grandma proud !
- 1.1 Step One: Assemble your Ingredients and Tools
- 1.2 Step Two: Let’s get Grinding
- 1.3 Step Three: Pour In Water
- 1.4 Step Four: Measure your Grinds in the Unit’s Basket
- 1.5 Step Five: Assemble the Percolator (Chamber and Tube)
- 1.6 Step Six: Turn up the Heat
- 1.7 Step Seven: Remove from Heat, Pour, and Enjoy !
- 2 Searches related to Stove Top Percolator Instructions :
Brewing using a stove top percolator is not rocket science, but it does need you to pay attention to detail before, and during, the percolating process. However, with a bit of instruction and some practice, the art of percolating coffee will become a breeze.
Step One: Assemble your Ingredients and Tools
It is important to first gather all the items you will need to make your coffee this “traditional” way. Basically, you will need coffee grinds or actual coffee beans, a grinder (for those who prefer to grind their own coffee beans), measuring cup and spoon; water, a stove (duh!), and your percolator (double duh!).
Step Two: Let’s get Grinding
Before you start to grind your coffee beans, you first need to decide how much coffee you intend on brewing. This is because all measurements (both water and coffee grinds) are dependent on how much coffee you want to make.
At this point, I must address one of the most cited “problems” with stove top percolators i.e. that the brew produced always has a sludge of coffee at the bottom of the percolator. Although it may be normal to find a few grinds at the bottom of your percolator, a sludgy deposit is an indicator that a brewer used medium or fine grinds to make their coffee. These easily find their way into your brew as they cannot be effectively filtered by the percolator’s metal filter (which is designed to contain coarse grinds).
There you go! The “coffee sludge” myth debunked!
Therefore, before you begin grinding your coffee beans, it is vital that you make sure your grinder is set on a course ground setting.
Step Three: Pour In Water
As a general rule when brewing with stove top percolators, each tablespoon of coffee grinds requires exactly 8 ounces of water. Remember, if you pour in too little water, your resulting brew is bound to be super strong. Too much, well, you’ll be drinking coffee flavoured brown water.
Step Four: Measure your Grinds in the Unit’s Basket
Remember to follow the general rule mentioned above. There is no reason to go overboard on the coffee grinds people. Remember, this type of brewing method is already known to produce stronger coffee (compared to other coffee making machines). If you stick to the general measurements stated, your brew will be just right.
Step Five: Assemble the Percolator (Chamber and Tube)
Most stove top percolators are built and designed more or less the same. However, in order to assemble these parts well, you should follow your particular stove top percolator instructions (found very well written in the manual that accompanies the unit’s purchase).
Step Six: Turn up the Heat
This is the trickiest (and most important) part of the brewing process, and where I address the second myth regarding stove top percolated coffee i.e. it produces extremely bitter coffee. Two explanations for an extremely bitter brew is a) too much coffee grinds or b) too little water. If the problem is a result of neither of the above, the explanation is then c) The coffee was brewed over extreme heat.
That being noted, it is important that you begin the brewing process by placing the percolator on the heating element when it is set on medium or low heat. The key during this stage is to heat the water slowly and let it get close to its boiling point without actually letting it boil.
Percolate for approximately 6-10 minutes (Be sure to monitor this process !
Through your percolator’s see-through top knob, monitor the frequency of the bubbly sputter (percolating action). The faster the action, the hotter the water (you can tell you’re on the right track when the sputtering is occurring once every few seconds). Be sure to adjust the heat accordingly. Remember, the longer you percolate, the stronger the resulting brew is going to be.
Step Seven: Remove from Heat, Pour, and Enjoy !
Using an oven mitten/ towel, remove the percolator from the stove and open the lid (carefully) and remove the basketful of used grounds (If you don’t, these grinds could wind up in your coffee as you pour it out into a cup). Once they are out, pour yourself your mug of coffee and enjoy !
In this article, you were shown a step by step stove top percolator instructions guide that will guide you through the entire brewing process in a way that will definitely suit your taste.