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You probably know someone who loves coffee: drinks coffee, makes coffee, and, most of all, talks about coffee. If so, please accept my condolences along with the hard truth that there is no way to cure this disease, nor to reduce the suffering of those who suffer because of their proximity to it. Just know that while you're happily slurping down your morning cup of whatever, the coffee-obsessed person in your life is waking up every day and preparing for disappointment and quite possibly despair. Espresso is a technological marvel; Making a tasty shot can require thousands of dollars of equipment and a lot of practice, not to mention what kind of milk or dairy liquid is required. But plain coffee (or “filtered” or “drip”) is devilishly and insanely simple. Ground coffee and hot water are mixed and then separated. What could go wrong? It turns out that almost everything. This process can be extremely finicky, and that's what makes it fun, if you have a broad enough definition of the word fun. It turns out that a simple cup of black coffee doesn't have to be simple at all if you learn to draw out and enjoy the weird flavors (floral? spicy? tannic?) that many coffee drinkers immediately avoid. The best part is that this is a hobby that requires only a relatively modest investment of money with a completely immodest investment of time and attention. If you're looking to improve (or perhaps ruin) the morning routine of the coffee lover in your life, here are some tips.
Get off the ground
One reason a coffee obsession is cheaper than, say, a wine obsession: coffee is much more perishable, meaning it generally doesn't retain its value. Once roasted, coffee should be consumed within a few months; After grinding, it should be brewed almost immediately. That's why any serious home brewer needs a grinder that can reliably grind coffee into uniformly sized particles—no stones, no dust. If you want to spend a lot of money on a coffee grinder, you can certainly do so. EG-1 ($4,095) from Weber Workshops is a beautiful telescope-like contraption with an angled barrel that pours coffee into a small glass. If you're shopping for a serious home brewer, get a set of flat Burrs ($250 extra) for superior accuracy. For less than a tenth of the price you can buy Commander S40 ($290), a fairly durable hand mill that resembles a military pepper mill. But many daily brewers will need a reliable electric burr grinder like Beer mill Ode Gen 2 ($400) from Comrade; as an entry level alternative try Bis ($120) from Baratsa.
Drip too much
The most exciting way to brew coffee also happens to be the simplest: pour some coffee into a coffee mug and fill it with water. By varying the speed and shape of the pour, as well as the grind size of the coffee, you can get a wide range of results, from undrinkable to undrinkable, with taste falling somewhere in between. Kalita Volna 155 ($34) resembles a stainless steel tea cup with three holes in the bottom through which brewed coffee slowly drips into the vessel below; you will need a pack filters size 155 ($8 per hundred) and perhaps a small glass decanter ($27). Alternatively, Ceramic coffee dripper V60 01 ($20) from Hario has one large hole at the bottom, which means coffee can flow out of the filter faster. (This dropper gives you more control, which means it's less forgiving.) For anyone who insists on automation, Fellow's Aiden Precision Coffee Maker ($400) pours itself but allows users to change the time. And, for true simplicity, an old-fashioned French press can still make a very tasty cup of coffee, especially when paired with an excellent grinder; buy one from Bodum ($15 and above) or update to Espro ($37 and above), but don't worry too much about insulation because you probably don't want your freshly brewed coffee sitting and simmering in the French press any longer than necessary.
In hot water
If you are using a French press, any kettle will do. But if you're using a cone, you'll probably want to avoid pouring all the water into it at once, which means you'll need a kettle with a long, thin spout. There are many gooseneck kettles available, although they require some monitoring: when the water boils, the neck may start to spit. Coffee lovers with plenty of counter space may prefer electric models such as Electric kettle Greater Goods ($65) or Stagg ECG ($180 and up) that have adjustable temperature controls, which is useful because many coffee recipes call for water that's not quite boiling.
weighty
If you're going to thoroughly grind your coffee and pour water into it slowly, you can also use a digital scale to ensure the correct ratio. (One rule of thumb is six grams of coffee per hundred grams of water, although opinions vary.) Almost any scale will do, as long as it's durable enough and has a maximum capacity of at least a kilo or two. My own battery operated Kitchen staircase Escali ($32) Sleek and functional, it never minded getting scalded or wet. If you pay close attention to coffee shops, you may notice that many of them use Pearl ($150) from Acaia, a block scale designed for coffee: The display is super bright so it won't be overshadowed by kitchen lights, and it also includes a timer and a gauge that shows how fast or slow you're pouring the coffee, in case you're trying to figure out what you did right or wrong.
Watery
Nobody likes watery coffee, which is why coffee drinkers sometimes say they drink their coffee “strong.” (In fact, the perceived strength of a cup of coffee may reflect its concentration, or the degree of extraction, or the degree of roast—three different qualities, although they interact.) But, of course, water is the main ingredient in coffee, which means that if you care very much about the taste of your coffee, you should also care very much about the taste of your water. I like the taste of tap water in New York, but not everyone likes what comes out of the tap. One simple solution is to start with distilled or demineralized water, either from a filter or from your local supermarket, and then add minerals back in to enhance the flavor of your coffee. Apax Lab produces a set of three mineral concentrates in dropper bottles ($65) which you can add in different amounts. When I'm somewhere with suboptimal tap water, I prefer an even simpler approach: small bags mineral powder ($17 for twelve) from Third Wave Water; Simply add the sachet to a gallon of distilled water, shake well, and start brewing.
Coffee to go
Coffee shops are everywhere, but if you've become the kind of person who brews coffee using a digital scale, you may find that amazing coffee can be hard to find. For a coffee lover on the go, an indispensable gadget is AeroPress Go ($40), a small, lightweight plastic cylinder that brews delicious coffee by running hot water through a layer of ground coffee on a paper filter. (It also makes a delicious cup of iced coffee—just use half the water and the same amount of ice.) KINGrinder P2 ($44) is a lightweight hand sander that fits snugly into the AeroPress Go, although AeroPress also sells compatible models. travel meat grinder ($200). You may also need a portable scale (Weightman Espresso Scale($14) and perhaps a portable kettle – do not, under any circumstances, attempt to brew real coffee using warm water from a hotel Keurig machine. Brentwood creates fun yet functional folding kettle ($26), and a number of other companies make cylindrical versions. One from Sekaer ($28) is more streamlined, but also a little heavier. And, of course, the most important product for a coffee lover on the go is a thermos. Travel glass Kinto ($34) is a beautiful container, available in a variety of colors, with a tight screw-on lid and enough insulation to keep your cup of coffee warm all day long.
In an instant
Perhaps you know someone who wants to make coffee without brewing? A rather paradoxical desire, but apparently constant. Instant coffee has been around for over a century, and while coffee companies always claim to have perfected the process of making it, and while many high-end coffee roasters now sell their instant coffee, I have yet to taste coffee more savory than the brown liquid you're likely to get from, say, a flight attendant with a rolling cart. In pursuit of convenience, Steeped packages ground coffee into tea bags, working with roasters including Goat ($31-$35 for a twelve-bag “season set”); all you need is boiling water and enough patience to vigorously dip it in, then wait about five minutes. The best version of instant coffee is made by Cometeer, a company that sells little. frozen coffee concentrate sachets which are at least comparable to the real ones; they can be purchased at some supermarkets and cafes or online, where the order price (gift bags start at $100 for thirty-two capsules) includes the cost of the dry ice pack.
Finally . . . Coffee
None of these coffee making tools will help if you don't have coffee to brew. (I've found myself in this unfortunate situation at times.) Many coffee drinkers prefer medium- or dark-roast coffee, which pairs well with milk and other flavorings. But black coffee drinkers sometimes gravitate toward very light roasts, which are more controversial and, not coincidentally, harder to find. Hydrangea, an excellent small roastery based in Berkeley, California, specializes in “light, fruity, experimental coffee”; A basic subscription ($27 per shipment) delivers one eight-ounce bag every four weeks. If you're looking to both please and insult the coffee lover in your life, consider a gift from People Possession, a Parisian roastery known for its weird and delicious coffees, as well as frankly disgusting marketing. Many coffees are sold in cans for no particular reason; Iridescence ($35), a tea-like coffee from Panama, is sold in a crushed can, although, as the roasters note, “this process is completely useless and does not in any way change the taste of the coffee you are about to drink.” ♦
