Food - Drink
Why Percolator Coffee Tastes Different From Other Brewing Methods
By RYAN CASHMAN
The percolator was once America's go-to coffee brewing pot, but has been eclipsed by more modern brewing methods like drip coffee. However, those who have held onto their percolators or who are interested in this classic brewer know that the coffee brewed using this appliance tastes different from java brewed in any other way.
Percolators are made up of a perforated canister attached to a long straw. The canister is filled with coffee grounds, the lower chamber of the percolator is filled with water, then the cover goes on and the percolator is set over heat; as the water gets very hot, it's forced up through the straw and into the canister containing the coffee grounds.
The coffee cycles through the grounds until it reaches the desired strength, and since the heat of a percolator is much higher than that of a drip machine, a fuller flavor is extracted from the beans, making for a strong, well-rounded cup of coffee. The one pitfall is that you need to pay attention so your coffee doesn't wind up over-extracted.