How To Make Percolated Coffee | Share Best Guide For You

How to make percolated coffee? If so, then learning how to make percolated coffee is a must. It’s the perfect way to get a delicious cup of coffee that tastes better than your typical drip brew or instant varieties. Using only two ingredients—ground coffee and water—you can quickly and easily make an incredibly flavorful cup of joe with this tried-and-true method. Read on for all the tips and tricks you need to make the most out of each batch.

What is percolated?

What is percolated?

A percolator is a unique type of coffee maker that continually cycles boiled water through coffee grounds using gravity and pressure. This recirculation extracts more oils and compounds from the beans, resulting in a particularly strong, rich coffee.

Percolators have several advantages:

  • Control: The cyclic brewing process allows for precise control over coffee strength and extraction.
  • Strong coffee: The recirculating brew method yields a robust, concentrated coffee.
  • Versatility: Percolators can be used directly on stovetops or campfires, making them highly adaptable.

The percolator has a long history, gaining popularity in the 19th century and becoming a staple in many American households. While automatic drip machines displaced percolators in the latter 20th century, many still appreciate the strong, customizable brew of the classic percolator.

Brewing Essentials

To make coffee in a percolator, you’ll need:

Equipment

  • Percolator
  • Percolator components: stem, chamber, lid
  • Optional paper filter

Coffee

  • Whole coffee beans
  • Burr grinder (for coarse grind)
  • Clean water (good mineral content, not distilled)
  • Kettle for heating water to 195°F – 205°F.

Guide to use a percolator

To use a percolator, follow these steps:

  1. Apply pressure to aid in the extraction process.
  2. Screw on the top part tightly.
  3. Place your percolator on a stove at moderate heat.
  4. Wait until your coffee is in the top chamber.

The Brewing Process

Making coffee in a percolator involves three main steps:

Preparation

  • Grind beans to a coarse consistency. The rough grind allows for optimal water flow.
  • Place paper filter in percolator basket if desired. This catches fine grounds but reduces oil extraction.
  • Measure coffee using a standard ratio of 2-3 tablespoons per 6 ounces of water. Adjust to taste.
  • Heat water to 195°F – 205°F. This ensures proper extraction.

Brewing

  • Assemble the percolator chamber and stem. Place in the percolator.
  • Add the ground coffee to the basket. Pour heated water into the chamber.
  • Place percolator on stovetop or heat source. Bring water to a boil.
  • Let coffee percolate for 7-10 minutes. Adjust heat to maintain cycling without boiling over.

Finishing

  • Remove percolator from heat. Allow coffee to rest 1-2 minutes for clarity.
  • Serve coffee, adjusting strength with hot water if desired. Enjoy black or with fixings.

How to make percolated coffee?

How to make percolated coffee?

To make percolated coffee using a stovetop percolator, follow these steps:

  1. Measure and grind 20 to 22 grams (about two tablespoons) of coffee beans to a medium-coarse consistency.
  2. Boil water in a separate kettle and add it to the base of the percolator.
  3. Fill the filter basket with the coffee grounds and place it in its compartment.
  4. Carefully screw the top with the spout onto the base, using oven mitts or a dishrag for safety as the bottom will be hot.
  5. Set the percolator on a medium heat burner (if using an electric percolator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions).
  6. Percolate the coffee by listening for a sputtering sound. Adjust the heat as needed to ensure proper brewing and prevent overflow.
  7. Once percolation is complete, remove the percolator from the heat source.
  8. Discard the grounds and be cautious of the hot percolator.
  9. Serve the freshly brewed coffee in your favorite mug after it has cooled to a suitable drinking temperature.

How to clean a percolator after using?

To clean a percolator after use, follow these steps:

  • Fill the percolator with a mixture of baking soda and water.
  • Start the brewing cycle.
  • Once complete, remove the water and scrub the interior.
  • Run a brewing cycle with a mixture of vinegar and water.
  • After that, run a freshwater brewing cycle.
  • Finally, clean the filter basket.

Top best coffee percolators

  • Electric percolator: A highly recommended option is the Presto 12-cup stainless steel coffee maker. This brand has a long-standing reputation for excellent performance. It can brew up to 12 cups at a time, making it versatile for any coffee lover.
  • Stovetop percolator: For those who prefer a stovetop version, the Farberware 12-cup stainless steel coffee percolator is an economical choice. It features a glass knob on top to indicate the peaking process, making it user-friendly for beginners.
  • Pressure percolator: If you’re looking for something different, consider a Moka-style percolator like the Bialetti Moka Express 3-cup stovetop coffee maker. Unlike traditional percolators, these models utilize pressure to brew coffee. The brewed coffee is held in a separate chamber, preserving its unique flavor.

8 thoughts on “How To Make Percolated Coffee | Share Best Guide For You”

  1. My grandparents drank coffee from a percolator every morning because my grandfather hated auto-drip machines. They didn’t make the coffee hot enough he would say. Some years after he died I saw my grandmother was getting ready to put their percolater in a yard sale. I quickly grabbed it and said i would take it.
    17 years since they have both passed and that percolator still sits on my stove as it sat on theirs for my entire life plus.

  2. Thanks for sharing this story. Their legacy lives on through you! Cherish those wonderful memories of them. It’s the simplest things in life that matter! May God bless you and your family.

  3. Thank you for this. I am almost 56 and i’ve been trying to purchase one for about two years and have found many at yard sales and Goodwill but they were always missing the top piece that goes over the basket. It’s coming to a boil as we speak and I’m so excited. I remember mom and grandma making coffee like this. I am waiting anxiously.😊

  4. Enjoy your coffee! We’re drinking some percolated coffee right now too. Blessings.

  5. I’ve experimented with most of the various way to brew coffee, drip, cold brew, cowboy, french press, etc. Like OCL, I got to thinking about how I could make coffee in a power outage and bought a Colletti stovetop percolator off of amazon. I decided to use it just to see how it worked and the smell of the brewing coffee instantly reminded me of the coffee my mother made back in the 50’s and 60’s because she used an electric percolator and I remember watching the coffee perking in the glass knob. That is the best smell and is what I have been looking for. I got the Colletti a couple of months ago and now it is all that I use and probably will always use. I grind my coffee beans coarse and don’t use a filter, the coffee is just delicious.

  6. Good stuff and great memories to recall. Have a great week and wishing you many blessings.

  7. Percolator have always fascinated me. I have a vintage pyrex flameware and a GSI stainless steel percolator. I have never owned a drip coffee maker. Perked coffee is the best and is a throwback to when making coffee was as much fun as drinking it. Thanks for the video!

  8. It’s the best tasting coffee around! Simple and old school. A percolator won’t fail you.

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