The two most popular beverages in the average American household are coffee and wine, depending on the time of day. Your cup of coffee in the morning sets your senses on fire, and gives you a helpful wake up call to your brain. Sucking down a cup of mud just for the side effects isn’t pleasant, so let’s take your coffee game to the next level.

1. Filtered Drip: This is the most classic style of brewing that you’ll find. It’s been around for ages, and it’s a safe choice for most coffee blends. You can use either a medium or fine grind in the filter for the best results. Too coarse of a grind, and the coffee flavors won’t shine through. You can typically brew a large amount of coffee all at once as well, making it an attractive method for those who love lots of coffee or if you’re making it for a large amount of people. This method has a tendency to produce stronger and more bitter brews than other methods. There’s a noticeable sharpness to the taste. The total brewtime is about 3-4 minutes.
2. French Press: The French Press is an elegant and simple choice for those who want a higher quality and better tasting coffee. Another plus is that it doesn’t take up a large amount of space on your countertop, and it’s incredibly affordable. You’ll want to start off with a coarse grind blend. Pour it directly into the bottom of the press. Pour the hot water over the grounds to the desired amount, and place the lid on top. Let it sit for about 3 minutes to steep, and slowly push the plunger down to strain out the grounds. Because it doesn’t use a paper filter, you’ll find that there is a higher balance to the flavor. It will be less acidic, and more earthy or nutty on the palate. The total brewtime is about 3-4 minutes.
3. Kalita Wave: This is a unique method that is more prevalent in Asian countries. It’s a small brew cup that sits over your coffee mug. For this method, you’ll want to use coarse or medium grounds. You place the filter in the cup, wet it, and then put the grounds in the paper. Pour your hot water over the grinds, and let it sit until all of it has drained into your mug below. It is the smallest tool to make coffee with, but, it also requires expensive filters that are custom to its make. You’ll find the taste is well balanced, but has the potential to be bland. It will require a strong blend to avoid a watery, flat taste. The total brewtime is about 5 minutes.
4. Chemex: This is a beautiful container that makes your coffee time a little bit more fancy. It’s a larger base with a conical top. You will want to use a medium grind for this method. Place a cone shaped filter in the top, and wet it. Place your grounds in the filter, and pour the hot water over the grounds. As the water drains, you can add more to the desired amount. You can brew more with this method than the Kalita Wave. This technique give the coffee a strong and pronounced flavor that sweetens as it cools. The total brewtime is about 2-3 minutes.

Try out different roasts and blends as you move through you journey to finding your favorite home brew. There’s a delicacy to perfectly a great cup of coffee. Alter the heat, the brew time, and the amount of beans to get the right flavor that you’re after.