For coffee lovers. The worst nightmare could be waking up to a morning without any appliance, dipper, or a coffee maker to enjoy your daily dose of caffeine. Even if it is okay to have an instant coffee from time to time but it will never be as gratifying as your usual cup of joe, especially when you are feeling groggy. However, it is easy to know how to make coffee without a machine, and you almost only need a water kettle.
Without a coffee maker doesn’t mean you will be stuck forever. There got to be many ways to enjoy still that delicious java that you look forward to every day.
If there is no coffee maker, there are other methods to brew your coffee.
Here are a few tips for brewing a delicious coffee without a coffee maker.
- Freshly Roasted Coffee: It’s simple if you want your coffee to be the best taste. Choose the beans that have been roasted no more than two weeks ago.
- Freshly Ground Coffee: It will take about 15-20 minutes for coffee beans to start losing their savory taste; thus, use fresh ground coffee to taste the heavenly goodness in a cup.
- Right Water Temperature: Using cold water will under-extract the beans, while if you use boiling water, it will scold beans. The perfect temperature should be within 195-205 degrees. You have to bring the water to a boil and wait for 30 seconds to simmer. Try using the thermometer to check the right temperature.
First, always buy fresh whole beans instead of buying a pre-ground coffee. Then try to consume the coffee within 30 days as coffee gets its peak flavor days after it is wasted. That’s why the roasting date is not available in any coffee package or labels.
The coffee reduces its flavor when the oil starts to oxidize if the bean degasses. Although freshness is subjective, you have to try to retain your coffee's quality so it will have its strong flavor for a longer time.
How to Make Coffee without a Coffee Maker or Coffee Machine?
You might be one of the people who rely most on their drip coffee brewers for their dose of caffeine every morning. But what would you do if these appliances didn’t do their work? When is the power out?
What is the Saucepan Method
This will be a big help if you have a limited supply. You can find these options in your kitchen, like with a pot or saucepan plus a ladle to complete the tools to brew your coffee with the stove's help.
Brewing Steps:
- Pour in water into the pan, add a little more than your desired quantity of coffee
- Mix water with coffee ground and stir.
- With a medium-high heat, let it come to a full rolling boil, stirring occasionally.
- Uncover for 2 minutes while boiling
- After removing it from the heat, allow it to sit for 4 minutes to let the grounds sink at the bottom.
- Take the ladle and scoop the coffee into the cup or mug, of course avoiding any grounds, or if the spoon is not available, directly pour the coffee into your mug.
What is The Coffee Bag Method
Have you ever woken up to a headache that will probably ruin your day? Deal with it by making yourself a coffee bag; this was what the French used to do decades ago.
Use your kitchen toolbox.
Brewing Steps:
- Pour the coffee grounds for one serving into the filter.
- Create a pouch by closing the filter tightly.
- Tie the coffee bag with a string by making the other end long enough to hang beside the cup, the same with a teabag.
- Switch on the heat to boil water.
- Pour the water slowly into the mug with a coffee bag, and be mindful because you might overfill the cup.
- Remove the coffee bag and enjoy.
What is The Strainer Method
Even the filter is not available, and your pour over coffee maker malfunctioned, but you have a strainer, then maybe it was not an unlucky day after all.
Brewing Steps:
- Heat the water into your kettle or saucepan. The amount depends on how many cups you are making.
- Add the right quantity of coffee grounds to the hot water and stir.
- Let it boil for about 2 minutes.
- Switch off the heat.
- Use the mesh strainer by putting it above the mug to strain the coffee. It will prevent the grounds from going into the mug.
The Hanky Method
If you want to brew a single cup of coffee, you can do it using a Keurig, but who would need it if you can find a more rustic, cheaper, and environment-friendly brewing technique?
Brewing Steps:
- Place the cloth over the mug to hold the coffee grounds.
- Use binder clips to make sure the cloth is in place.
- Scoop the coffee grounds to the cloth for one cup.
- Pour the hot water slowly into the grounds and let it soak for 30 seconds.
- Remove the cloth and the grounds, enjoy!
What is The Faux French Press
This next method might be the most famous method among coffee enthusiasts. This method can be quickly done in the kitchen. However, if the French press coffee maker is not available, you should try this method.
What is The Cowboy Method
You need not worry; this has nothing to do with horseback riding or wearing a cowboy hat. With this method, you can brew coffee anywhere, don’t mind some little dust in your cowboy coffee cup.
Brewing Steps:
- Pour coffee grounds into the kettle. It should be one tablespoon per serving
- Add about 8 oz of water and stir thoroughly.
- Put the kettle or the pot over the fire to boil.
- Keep it boiling for 2 minutes and remove from heat.
- Let the grounds settle at the bottom for 4 minutes.
- Pour it into the mug slowly, try to avoid the grounds, but a few of it inside your mug is what makes it a cowboy coffee.
What is The Microwave Method
Are you in a hurry, but there’s no drip brewer or no string to make a coffee bag? Then microwave got your back as this can also make your coffee, of course, as long as power is available. This might be the simplest brewing method that you can try.
Brewing Steps:
- Put in the microwave the mug filled with water for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the coffee grounds, a tablespoon full.
- Allow the grounds to settle at the bottom for 4 minutes.
- Just avoid the last sip as it would be all coffee grounds, except if you want something chewy in your coffee.
What is The Swedish Egg Method
America might be strong with coffee games, but Swedes are stronger. This interesting thing involves their method of brewing a coffee, and a unique way doesn’t involve a coffee maker.
Brewing Steps:
- Boil 1 cup per serving of water at room temperature in a saucepan or pot
- While letting it, crack the egg in a cup
- Crush and stir the egg, and add the coffee grounds, followed by mixing them.
- When it is boiling, add the slurry and simmer it for another 3-5 mins.
- When the slurry floats above the saucepan, splash in 1 cup of cold water.
- Carefully pour the coffee into the filter over your mug.
Cold Brew Method
If you have a lot of time or you like preparing your meals, this brewing technique suits you.
Brewing Steps:
- Put the grounds in a mason jar, wet it, and wait for 30 seconds before adding the rest of the water. Use a 1:5 ratio of grounds to water.
- Stir everything completely.
- Refrigerate in 14-24 hours
- Transfer the coffee to the other container by straining the grounds
- Place the filtered mix in the fridge for about 7-10 days.
Methods of How to Grind Coffee Beans
You can grind the coffee beans the usual way, but the grind's consistency may affect the quality of your coffee. That is why you have to ensure that the beans are adequately grounded, not to turn them into dust. Of course, we would not want our coffee grinds to be of the best quality to brew the perfect cup of joe.
Which Nespresso Machine to Buy?
In the absence of a coffee grinder, your blender can be a good substitute. Blenders need water or liquid to help the contents move around. You can start by putting in a few coffee beans and grind them to the right consistency. You can repeat this for the remaining beans; this way, you can avoid your blender blade from getting stuck. This may take some time, but at least you can still achieve a perfect cup of coffee made from newly ground coffee beans.
Mortar and Pestle
Yes, this is pretty old school, but admit that it is something you can find in your kitchen. The same with using the coffee grinder, you have to watch not turn your coffee beans to dust.
Be careful as you crush your coffee beans, make sure not to go overboard and stir them up as you go. But remember, you only need two tablespoons of grinds for every cup.
Meat Tenderizer
Instead of using this metal tool to soften meat cuts, you can now grind your coffee beans with it. All you have to do is find a zip-locked bag, pour in your coffee beans, and press all the air out.
Using a towel, wrap the bag with it to prevent any punctures. Slowly hammer the beans with minimal force to get an even consistency. To avoid destroying your coffee beans, check the texture after a few whacks.
Final Thoughts
Coffee is loaded with antioxidants and is believed to be a great energy source to keep you lively and active for a day; thus, it is not surprising that we all love coffee.
It might be the end of the world for some people who found out that their coffee maker is broken. But there are many ways to make fresh, aromatic, and delicious coffee with no help from an appliance. Aside from the coffee beans, making the coffee with the right amount of water is another factor in brewing delightful coffee.
Since you already know that you can brew a delicious coffee with a pour-over coffee maker, complete the taste by choosing the right coffee beans and store them properly to preserve their freshness.
Remember that to brew a perfect cup of coffee is to make it out of the delicious smelling coffee beans that you can order online or you can buy from the store. Enjoy your daily cup of java with the methods mentioned above!
Break Coffee Mug in Case of Emergency
With all these methods, but still, you can’t get your morning dose of coffee, and it makes you feel like you want to break your favorite mug, then you have to keep these things with you for emergencies.
Instant Coffee
Although it may have an inferior status among coffee experts and despite its bitter taste, instant coffee had been around for centuries because of its convenience.
Stocking a few best instant coffee in your kitchen is a practical move and can save you if you are short on time or at all times of coffee emergencies. It may not taste as delicious as your usual coffee, but it will surely save you from probable migraine from skipping your daily cup of coffee.
Percolator
This coffee brewing pot is available everywhere and less expensive. It can be used on a stove, electric or you can bring them on a trip. Percolator will save your day, even your coming days, if your coffee maker is broken or if there’s no power for days.
Whatever method gets your attention, and you will likely use it in the future, you will surely get to enjoy a delicious and fresh coffee.
Happy Caffeinating!
How do you make coffee without a filter?
Some people don’t like filtered coffee; however, if you are not one of them, but you are planning on making one without a filter, below are some ideas on how to do it.
So how will this coffee taste since it’s different from your daily cup?
Make Turkish coffee
This method is the most convenient way to brew coffee and also one of the tastiest and amazingly flavorful.
This coffee brewing method is ideal for those who love their coffee to have a strong flavor.
You can adjust the size of the pot if you are making coffee for many people.
French press coffee has a built-in filter
This best works if you have medium coffee grounds, since you are not using a filter, you will get all the coffee oils into your brew.
So, you’ll need the French press itself.
Using a teabag to steep the coffee grounds
This simple method is ideal if you are making 2-3 tiny cups of coffee.
To allow the coffee to bloom and for a perfect taste, you have to fill up the coffee bag not more than halfway.
What to expect from coffee made without a filter
Of course, it will taste different from your usual coffee. It may taste like a light roast coffee, and you may find it dusty because of the grinds found at the bottom of the cup, so you have to be mindful of how much you move your coffee around.
Using a French Press
Background
Although French Press Coffee is dense and heavy, it is one of the elegant brewed coffees. To reach the coffee's full delicious taste, you have to decant it immediately right after brewing to avoid it becoming bitter and chalky.
Steps
- Fill the French press with the right amount of water. Take note that for a 17-oz press, you need 350 grams (ounces).
- Prepare your coarsely ground coffee with a 1:12 coffee to water ratio.
- Gently pour it onto the grinds.
- Stir the grinds gently and allow it to bloom for 30 seconds.
- Pour the remaining water and put the lid on top of the grinds. Let it steep for 4mins.
- Gently remove the French press and press the filter down.
How do I make coffee on the stove?
A stovetop is a brewing method popular in Italy. Engineer Alfonso Bialetti patented the said method. You can find that stovetop brewed coffee has intense flavors and intensity.
One of the best examples of coffee on the stove is the coffee method.
What you'll need:
- Grinder
- Scale
- Stovetop brewer
- Coffee
- Filtered water
Guideline for the brew ratios, coffee to water
For a 4 cup, use 12g and 200mL
For a 6 cup, use 18g and 300mL
For a 10 cup, use 32g and 550mL
These are just guidelines, but it will always come down to your personal preference, which you can do with stovetop coffee as it is a flexible method. From light roasts to medium roasts, every coffee can taste great.
Steps
- Add water to the stovetop, fill the base under the pressure valve.
- Add the freshly ground coffee to the brew basket. Let the grind settle by tapping your finger on the side of the funnel.
- Place the basket into the bottom chamber and screw the top tightly.
- Place the stovetop over the fire.
- Let the brewed coffee extract into the top chamber fully.
- Remove from fire. Pour the coffee into the mug, slowly avoiding the grounds as you can, or there will be a few in it, and that’s what makes it a cowboy coffee.
Can You Make Instant Coffee With Ground Coffee?
For authentic coffee lovers, it will be fresh-brewed coffee only that can gratify their coffee morning. But ironically, sometimes, you might need to drink your coffee first before working on your pot. Instant coffee could answer this problem, but it usually comes expensive, or the flavor is just out of your taste. So one excellent solution is incorporating the convenience of instant coffee with the flavor of freshly ground coffee.
Homemade "Instant" Coffee
It’s a process of grinding coffee beans finely into the characteristic flavors of instant coffee that can be extracted by adding hot water. This method saves time, and you can call it a high-speed version of a drip coffee brewer. All you need is to find the best hand coffee grinder.
Coffee Without Filter: Is There a Difference in Flavor?
If you enjoy coffee, then you know how to brew this drink and exactly how it should taste. There are different types of coffee. Filtered coffee and Espresso are two of the most popular. One of the key differences between them is that filtered coffee obviously undergoes filtration. However, Espresso is typically unfiltered.
The question of which is better is a difficult one to answer. It all boils down to what you like. Coffee experts say Espresso is coffee, but not all coffee is Espresso.
The difference in the flavor of Espresso and filtered coffee boils down to the preparation method. Espresso is typically made with finely grounded coffee beans, usually Arabica or Robusta. Filtered coffee is made with coarsely grounded coffee beans.
Espresso offers a creamy and smooth flavor. It has a flowing almost-sweet flavor and can be described as slightly acidic. Espresso can be made into cappuccinos, lattes, and flat whites. Espresso can be described as quick coffee without a filter made with a machine. Making Espresso manually can be difficult and requires skill and experience.
Filtered coffee has a delicate, cleaner, and smoother flavor than Espresso. This type of coffee is also less acidic and usually served black. You get a more complex flavor.
How To Create a Makeshift Coffee Filter
For most people, making coffee without a filter is not the proper way to make coffee. If you enjoy filtered coffee, there are different coffee filters available on the market. But what happens when there are no filters around.
Yes, you can brew coffee without a filter. Using a cheesecloth or a reusable tea bag are popular alternative filters. If you want a makeshift coffee filter, here are a few ideas.
a. Cheesecloth
A cheesecloth is one of the best options to use a coffee filter. It’s simple to use, and you probably have one at home. All you have to do is cut a piece of the cheesecloth, fold the cloth twice and then use it as a filter.
b. A Handkerchief
Almost everyone has a handkerchief, and it can come in handy when you need an alternative coffee filter. Like the cheesecloth, you need to be sure that the cloth is clean.
c. A Paper Towel
You can use a paper towel to filter your coffee. One of the perks of this option is it is widely available. Paper towels work well as coffee filters leaving no residue at the bottom of the mug. The disadvantage of using paper towels comes from production. Paper towels are generally processed with bleach, glue, and other chemicals. And paper towels tend to break easily, especially in liquid.
d. Cotton Sock
Another makeshift alternative coffee filter is a cotton sock. Although this idea may seem strange, it is more common than you think. The sock has to be clean and preferably new. The benefit of using a sock is that it can be washed and reused.
Things You Need For a DIY French Press
A lot of people prefer French coffee. But what happens when you need coffee and don’t have access to a coffee maker and there’s no coffee shop nearby. Brewing coffee yourself without any machines can be fun, and there are many coffee making techniques you can try. Here’s how to make coffee without a coffee maker.
The first ingredient you need to make delicious French Press is coffee beans. You will need a cup of freshly roasted coffee beans. Coffee beans that are not fresh tend to have a stale flavor.
A grinder is another must-have tool needed to make French Press yourself without machines. You will also need hot water. Brewing coffee is usually made with hot water just below the boiling point. If you don’t have a thermometer, just let the water sit for one minute before you start brewing.
A filter is also a necessary tool to make French Press at home. If you don’t have a coffee filter, use one of the DIY coffee filters highlighted above.
You want to be sure that your coffee bean is adequately grounded. French Press made with coffee grounded too smoothly will give your DIY French Press brew a bitter and muddy flavor. You want your coffee bean to have a coarse feel similar to sea salt. They’re best for making coffee without a coffee maker.
Does The Quality of Coffee Beans Decrease if You Use a DIY Coffee Maker
Making coffee without a coffee maker can be a fun experience. While you may not get that frothy foam and the same convenience, you get to have an intimate connection with the brewing process. Coffee is easy to make, and there are several DIY methods available.
Making coffee manually allows you to control all aspects of the brew, including grind size, water temperature, and water to coffee ratio. You can also decide on how much or less you want your coffee roasted. All these factors influence the overall flavor of your coffee.
Espresso or coffee made with machines has an exciting flavor. However, with coffee makers that use electricity, you will have very little control of the brewing process. You can only control the water ratio when making coffee with an electric drip machine. There are no rooms for customization when you use coffee making machines. Coffee machines produce a classic flavor and are ideal for coffee shops where large orders are expected.
Some will argue that a DIY coffee maker offers a fuller flavor than brews made with a coffee machine. However, the quality of coffee made using DIY methods can be good or bad depending on the brewer's experience and expertise.
Conclusion
These brewing methods are helpful as you have a broken coffee brewer or are on the road, traveling, or somewhere where coffee makers are not in sight. So that’s how to make coffee without a machine.