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Plunger
Perhaps the most popular method of brewing coffee at home, plungers can produce a fine brew from good, fresh coffee. Water just off boiling is poured over medium finely ground coffee, and then stirred to break up the floating coffee grounds so they sink. The mixture is allowed to steep for 2-4 minutes, then stirred again. The mesh filter is then plunged slowly to the bottom, pushing the grounds with it. The coffee may then be poured.
Filter Machines
Coffee which has been moderately finely ground is placed in a paper filter and hot water is drip passed over it. Only the coffee liquor can pass through the filter, the grounds can be disposed of with the filter paper. Stir the pot before serving to mix the coffee.
Stovetop
In this traditional Italian home method, steam and water are forced under pressure through the grounds in a purpose-designed vessel.
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 Making a great cup of coffee...
Great coffee is only the start. Other critical elements in making the perfect cup include using the correct grind for your machine, and using clean, well-maintained equipment. Remember the cardinal rule: coffee is a food which should be bought fresh and kept dry.
There are a number of do’s and don’ts associated with good coffee making that are common to all methods. Here are several recommendations
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Use freshly roasted beans, ground just before brewing.
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The Grind: this is one of the most important keys to brewing good coffee. The grind determines how fast the coffee flavour is extracted. Too short a brewing time (or too coarse a grind) will produce watery coffee. Too long a brewing time (or too fine a grind) will over extract the coffee and make it bitter. Generally speaking, the faster the brewing method, the finer the grind.
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Choosing the Grind: Medium fine - plungers
Fine - filters/drip methods
Very fine - espresso and stovetops
Powder - Greek and Turkish
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Use enough coffee: using too little coffee, too finely ground, is the most common cause of bad-tasting coffee - it leads to over extraction and bitterness. Use at least 8 grams (one tablespoon) of coffee per cup for regular strength coffee. Adjustment can be made to suit individual taste preferences.
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Start with fresh cold water & clean equipment: water is 98% of every cup, so don’t use water you wouldn’t normally drink. Hot water has a tendency to be flat and stale. Never use softened water - it produces a bad tasting brew. Filtered water is best. Make sure the coffee brewer and server are clean and thoroughly rinsed. Bring the water to just below boiling point.
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Make your coffee fresh: coffee should never be kept on a warming plate for more than 20 minutes. To keep coffee hot, simply transfer your freshly brewed coffee to a thermal container or any other kind of vacuum container with a glass or stainless steel insides, as other materials may hold old flavours. Never reheat cold coffee - make a fresh brew.
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Why fresh coffee? How to store...
All coffee is highly perishable. This is especially true of ground coffee, since so much more surface area is exposed to flavour-robbing air. Because of this, coffee is often vacuum packed, although even this keeps the beans fresh for only a few weeks. It is important to note that many coffees imported into Australia are months old before they reach the shelves.
It is best to buy your coffee fresh each week. When it is not feasible, buy the smallest practical quantity you can, and store it in an airtight, moisture-proof container in a cool place, NOT in the fridge or freezer. When cold coffee is brought out of your refrigerator/freezer into room temperature, a layer of water will condense on its surface and damage the aromatic flavour oils. Like tea, coffee attracts and absorbs foreign odours, so be careful to protect your coffee from odours that can affect the flavour.
Whole beans keep far longer than ground, so where practical, we strongly recommend that you purchase your coffee in bean form, and use a good home grinder to grind your coffee just before brewing. We recommend a grinder with a variable grind adjustment.
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