How To Choose The Best Kind Of Coffee For A Percolator
What actually determines the sweetest coffee?
Is it the type of coffee, the roast, the grind, where it comes from, or the brewer machine?
The truth is, there is no single answer to the above question simply because coffee drinkers are a diverse lot.
We decide on the best type according to what we prefer. Our taste determines it. I love rich, medium-strength aromatic, flavorful coffee while others prefer it stronger brewed specifically in a percolator.
However, to get that strong, bolder variant, you will need to use the best kind of coffee for a percolator, regulate the temperatures and timing correctly.
That said, determining the best kind of coffee ground to use in your percolator narrows down to Its attributes and characteristics.
- Contains one (1) 20 Ounce Bag of Caribou Coffee Caribou Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee
- Contains one (1) 18 Ounce Bag of Peet’s Big Bang Ground 100% Arabica Coffee
- GEVALIA BAGGED COFFEE: One 10 oz bag of Gevalia Guatemalan Single Origin Special Reserve Coarse Ground Coffee
How should coffee for a percolator be?
The best coffee for percolator should be of a specific variety, have the required roasts and grind.
Variety
Percolators work best with full-bodied coffee. This type of coffee is rich in flavor and heavy to meet the required density for a percolation process and cycle. They have a buttery quality and tend to retain more flavor. The fat, protein, and fiber content combination of full-bodied coffee allows you to get to have a feel of it on your tongue.
Roast
The percolation process always runs a few cycles before the final result. This means dark roasted grounds coffee may result in a bitter drink. On the flip side, lightly roasted coffee may yield a watery, bland cup since it tends to lose flavor. A medium roasted coffee is the best option for percolators.
What’s the best coarsely grounded coffee for percolator?
Percolator’s filter baskets usually have large holes; they are not as fine as the drip coffee makers’ filters; therefore, some various coffee grounds cannot be used. Coarse grounds have large visible lumps, which the required size for percolation since the lumps cannot pass through the filters. Fine ground coffee will result in sediments at the bottom of the pot, limiting the extraction process.
Grinding coffee for percolator
While you can buy already grounded coffee to use in your percolator, some lovers prefer grinding it themselves. Using home tools and appliances with features to get it done, they only need to buy the beans and grind—these tools are designed for grinding your beans according to your liking and preference.
- Warm Tips: There is a cooling time of 30mins after continuously working for 90S, to ensure that the burr coffee grinding…
To grind, most require you to place your grounds into a closable unit or compartment, then turn on the grinder with the required setting and grind for about 10 seconds. So for a coarsely grounded coffee for percolators, apply lower speeds and a shorter time. More time in grinding, the finer the pieces/powder.
While variety, roast, and grind are important aspects of choosing the best ground coffee for percolators, the type of beans is also a factor.
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Types of Coffee Beans
There are four main types of coffee beans. These include:
Arabica
Arabica coffee beans are farmed in areas of high altitude above sea level and constant rain. It is the most known type of coffee globally because it’s sweeter, less acidic, and flavorful.
Robusta
Robusta isn’t as famous as the Arabica species, but it follows it quite closely. The bean is known for its strong and harsh profile with extremely high caffeine levels. Even so, the best Robusta beans come with a chocolate and rum flavor.
Due to high acidity, Robusta is mainly consumed by a few cultures who have it as a norm for them. Compared to Arabica, the production of Robusta is similarly high yet not the preferred choice for most.
So, where does it go? It is mainly used for discount lines like instant coffee and filler to Arabica batches. Find it grown in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Liberica
Liberica is a rare breed to find and only grows in a very specific climate. These limitations make it hard for farmers to scale its production to global markets. As a rear treat, those who have tried to describe its aroma as fruity and flowery with a woody taste.
Excelsa
Belonging to the same family species as the Liberica, Excelsa is also rare to find but very distinct. The bean is usually used as a light or a dark roast and boasts a tart, fruity flavor. Excelsa is primarily grown in South East Asia and takes up only a fraction of the global market.
So how do you decide on the best coffee for a percolator?
First, what is a percolator are and how does it work
Percolators were famously used back in the 1900s. Lately, they are viewed as a bygone era, and some may argue that they have been demoted to attics by introducing drip coffee machines. Well, not to its current users who stand by the fact that the strong piping hot brew resulting from percolators cannot be replicated.
A percolator is a type of coffee brewer that produces a strong, hard coffee cup. Coffee brewed from a percolator is often different. The percolation process extracts flavor from the grounds blending it with hot water repeating the cycle severally to achieve the desired outcome.
For the percolation process to occur, you first place water on the lower chamber of the pot. Place the coffee grounds on the top chambers and heat the pot. Boiling water will rise through the tube and enter the grounds chamber splashing the hot water on them.
The water seeps through the grounds and drips back to the lower water chamber, repeating the process. Then you get your bold, strong coffee and whole new experience.
What types of percolators are available?
Percolators come as either stove-top, electric, or pressure percolators.
Stove-tops are the most widely used percolators’. They adopt the convection and gravity process of the brewing-typical brewing cycle for percolators. Stove-tops are suitable for home use and outdoor events like camping as you only need a heat source at the bottom of the pot and have your coffee.
Electric percolators only differ from stove-tops because they need an electric heat source to commence the brewing process. They are best used indoors. These are also fairly used in households.
Pressure percolators’ are a small minority making them rarely used percolators for most people. They operate via a pressure mechanism and produce more of an espresso type of coffee.
They come in three detachable parts, the water chamber, and coffee chamber, and filter basket. Here water is heated on a stove, and the steam creates pressure to force water up to the coffee grounds.
As hot water passes through the grounds, it extracts the required flavor and into a coffee chamber. While using pressure percolators, one has to pay attention to be keen on monitoring while it brews. Failure to which can cause it to explode if not well operated. Take caution.
What is the best ground coffee for percolators?
Colombian coffee
The Colombian coffee is medium to a full-bodied variant, with a citrus taste but a low caffeine content. It grows in a tropical climate in Planadas and Tiloma, at an altitude of between 1400- 2000 meters. Colombian coffee processing includes washing and drying on the sun.
- Balanced, full-bodied medium roast with a smooth finish
- GREAT TASTING Coffee Since 1859 – Winey notes and a rich, elegant aroma with a full-bodied finish. All of roasting is…
- 100 Colombian coffee pods
It is then gently or dark roasted, coarsely grounded to protect its unique characteristics. It is available in a variety of Castillo, Cattura, Colombia, and Typica.
It is among the best coffee for percolators as the percolation process enhances its taste to offer you satisfaction on your cup with an excellent aroma and fullness. It is Suitable for low caffeine coffee takers and can be taken on a daily basis.
Guatemala
Guatemala coffee is the most famous and best coffee brand for percolator. The coffee comes as either medium or a full-bodied variant with a distinctive smoky flavor. It grows in Huehuetenango regions at an altitude of up to 1600 meters.
The region has natural jungles providing shades ideal for coffee growth. The coffee is picked, undergoes de-pulping, washed, and fermented for a deep juicy, and smooth flavor.
- Guatemalan whole coffee beans from Antigua, Guatemala that provide a rich, full bodied taste with a smooth,…
- This organic Guatemalan coffee is revered for its balanced flavor and velvety smooth body. The forward flavors from the…
For percolation, choose between the Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra variety, which can either be French roasted for a dark, bold taste or a lighter roast for those who prefer normal coffee. Not to mention its incredible aroma enhanced by the percolation process for a worthy drink.
Kenya AA
Kenya lies in East Africa and boasts some of the finest coffee in the world. Producing the Arabica variety, the Kenya AA coffee is unbeatable. It features a rich body, pleasant, vibrant acidity, a strong fragrant aroma with a winy aftertaste of berries or citrus.
You are sure to get your “connaisseur cup” just the way you like it. It is grown in Mt. Kenya, Aberdare Range, western region, Bungoma, Mt Elgon, and the rift valley Nandi hills. The Kenya coffee variety is good as it gets. You can brew with either cold or hot water and still retain its strong flavor.
Ethiopian coffee
While Ethiopia grows coffee in various regions within the country, coffee from Sidamo has the best ground coffee for percolators. The Ethiopian Yigacheefe coffee bean is characterized by its medium-bodied, pleasant floral tones in the aroma, and it’s citrus and spice flavors.
- 100% Pure Ethiopian Coffee Beans – Yirgacheffe, Medium-bodied and brilliantly acidy with rough, fruity or winy tones….
- OUR ORGANIC ETHIOPIAN YIRGACHEFFE COFFEE IS AN ABSOLUTE FAVORITE With Notes of Bright Citruses And A Sweet Lemon Tea…
The best growth altitude is above 1600 meters, and you can have it as either dark or lightly roasted grounds. Well, the world loves Yigacheefe’s uniqueness, and Ethiopian farmers can only expand their farms.
Mexican coffee
As a leading producer of coffee globally, Mexican coffee beans have a nice equilibrium of medium acidity with a light body and nutty flavor. It leaves a pleasant dryness analogous to fine white wine.
Sumatran coffee –Indonesia
As the best coffee brand for the percolator, Sumatra coffee grows for percolation literally. The process preserves all the Sumatra coffee’s deep and gentle tones, leaving you with a winy aftertaste to remember.
The bean is full-bodied, noted for its richness and long finish. Like other regions, it grows in an altitude of above 1200 meters and is processed by wet hulling and drying on the sun. Depending on your preference, you can get it as either a light roast or a dark version, with both offering a lasting impression.
Most famous brands for best coffee to use in a percolator
With a diversity of drinkers and high demand for coffee with coffee users exploring all variants and flavors across the globe, companies work tirelessly to ensure they meet the demand and deliver the experience. Below is a list of the oldest, most famous industry players who have managed to keep that cup full on a constant.
1. Luwak coffee
Luwak coffee is the most expensive coffee in the world. Their production is weird since it is only produced by beans that have been previously consumed by the Asian palm civet. It is said that the bean adds more flavor after passing through the digestive system of the animal.
The beans are derived from the animal cleaned, and production commences. In contrast, I find this so eeew! And weird, the world loves it enough to chuck $160 per pound of coffee.
- A Cup to Kickstart Your Day – Get the jolt of vitality you need to conquer your day with Wild Kopi Luwak! These whole…
2. Hacienda la Esmeralda
Hacienda la Esmeralda is cultivated under the shades of guava trees; the coffee is unique, sweet and will cost you a minimum of $100 a pound.
3. Folgers
Folgers, an American brand that has been here for over 150 years! Their slogan is, “the best portion of getting up is Folgers into your cup.”
Most famous Coffee bean brands include;
4. Starbucks French Roast whole bean coffee
- French roast coffee
5. Mayorga organics café Cubano dark roast
6. Koffee Kult Dark roast coffee beans
Most famous retailers of coffee include
1. Starbucks with a 10.1% market share in the US and over 50,000 stores worldwide is listed as the second-best coffee brand
2. Costa coffee is famous in Britain with over 5000 outlets and a presence in over 31 countries
3. Dunkin doughnuts with a 7.1% market share in the US and just behind Starbucks in the number of stores
4. McCafe owned by Mcdonalds and riding on Mc Donald’s potential in the spread and vast presence both in developing and developed countries
5. Burger King bought Tim Hortons coffee. They have huge market penetration in Canada and are expanding.
6. Gloria Jeans
7. Nescafe, with strong backing from Nestle, the instant coffee brand is enjoyed by both westerners and easterners.
FAQs
What type of coffee for percolators?
Arabica and Robusta are the most preferred types of coffee for percolators. They are a full-bodied, rich variety with flavors and can be medium roasted to produce the best cup.
What kind of coffee grounds for electric percolators?
When you brew with a full-bodied variety of coffee yields the best results for an electric percolator, this variety is rich in flavor. The percolation process makes it taste better.
What kind of coffee is best for percolator?
Percolators filter comes with larger holes compared to drip coffee makers. You ought to use coarsely ground coffee beans that will not sink to the pot’s bottom and cause residue.
What kind of coffee grounds for percolator?
Percolators can work with either full-bodied variety or the medium-bodied variety of coffee grounds. Avoid light-bodied beans as they won’t yield the required results.
Can you use whole coffee beans in a percolator?
Yes, you can use whole coffee beans in a percolator. To do this, you will need to measure out the right amount of coffee beans for the amount of water you are using in your percolator. You can then grind the beans to the desired level of coarseness. After grinding, place the ground coffee in the filter basket at the top of the percolator. Fill the percolator with the desired amount of water, and then replace the lid.
Turn on the heat and allow the water to boil. As the water boils, it will travel up through the tube and into the filter basket. The hot water will then drip back down through the filter basket, absorbing the flavor and aroma of the ground coffee. When the desired strength has been reached, turn off the heat and enjoy your freshly brewed coffee!
Can I use regular ground coffee in a percolator?
Yes, you can use regular ground coffee in a percolator. However, it is important to note that the grind size should be coarser than what you would use for a drip or French press machine. This is because water and coffee pass through the same chamber multiple times and finer grinds will result in over-extraction of the coffee beans, leading to unpleasant flavors and bitter coffee.
Generally, it is best to use medium-coarse grinds for a percolator. Additionally, it is important to use the right amount of coffee when using a percolator. Too much coffee can lead to an overly strong brew, while too little can result in a weak, flavorless cup. As a general guide, you should use 2 tablespoons of regular ground coffee per 6 ounces of water.
While the majority of the population may care less about our percolators and the kind of beans that work well with them, for us, the coffee enthusiasts, these specifics are what makes the brewing and the drinking process enjoyable. We can only add one more cup, try out different variations, and explore more flavors!
It can’t get better than this, happy caffeinating peeps!
