Percolators are not only extremely easy to use, but they are also the most engaging alternative to a coffee machine. They may look challenging and daunting at first glance, but once you know the method, you cannot go wrong in making a delicious aromatic cup of joe. The trick here is to ensure the water doesn’t boil in the chamber, and to turn it off just in time! You may need to experiment with water and coffee bean ratios a few times, but nevertheless, this method is one of our favorites.
Fill the Chamber
Fill the bottom chamber with cold water to the demarcated line, and pack the detachable coffee chamber tightly with the ground coffee beans of your choice. If you don’t have a demarcated line, fill the water chamber up and place the empty bean basket in place. If you’ve added too much water, it should spill the excess water over the sides.
Rebuild The Percolator
Rebuild the percolator with all of its pieces and place it on a low-medium heat with the lid closed. The slower the heat-up process, the better. Listen to the water heating up, and once you see signs of bubbling by the top knob, turn the heat down so that the bubbles reoccur in intervals. You don’t want continuous bubbles, because this means the water is boiling and you will ruin your coffee with a metallic taste!
Play With The Bubbles
If the bubble intervals speed up, lower the heat, and if they disappear, turn the heat up! Once you have bubbles occurring every few seconds, set a timer for around 10 minutes and watch the bubbles. The longer you let it brew, the stronger the cup of coffee will be.
Clean The Perc
Turn the stove off and place the percolator on a suitable surface. It will be scorching hot, so use a kitchen towel to hold the percolator and its lid. Dissemble the Bottom chamber and empty the coffee grounds.
Get Your Fix
Pour the contents of the top chamber into a cup and your coffee condiments. You can dilute the coffee with some water too, as it will be quite strong.
Next time, play around with the coffee and water ratios to find your golden ratio!
