How to make the perfect cup of percolated coffee
Percolated coffee has a naturally fuller or richer taste. You may need to adjust the recommended measurements and timing by experimenting a bit, in order to achieve your preferred flavor.
Wash percolator thoroughly before first use.
1
Add water
Remove the coffee basket, lid and percolator tube from the pot.
Fill pot with cold, fresh tap water.
Do not fill past the 9 cup marking on the inside.
2
Prepare coffee basket
Wet coffee basket. This helps keep small bits of coffee from sifting through. Place coffee basket on percolator tube. If you prefer your coffee finely ground, you can place the supplied disposable filter into the basket to catch coffee from sifting through.
3
Add fresh coarsely ground coffee
Prepare appropriate amount of coffee.
To start with we suggest roughly 6 tablespoons for 9 cups. Once you get the hang of things, you can vary this to suit your personal taste and different coffee brands. Spoon your course ground coffee into basket, level it out and leave enough space at the top for the basket lid to close securely, then add basket lid.
4
Get it together
Place percolator tube with basket into percolator pot so that thebottom of the tube is resting on the bottom and the pot’s lid closes snugly over the coffee basket’s lid. Make sure glass knob is securely tightened in lid.
5
Add heat
Place percolator on burner for brewing. Adjust gas flame or select the correct sized electric burner so that heat only touches bottom of pot and does not extend up the sides. Do not place pot in an open fire.
6
Watch and listen
Water should not boil. Watch for the first splashes and bubbles of water in glass knob. Turn down the heat and find the sweet spot - bubbles should be a few seconds apart. If the bubbles are too fast turn down the heat - if the water gets too hot the coffee can be bitter.Failure to turn down the heat may cause the water to boil over.
7
Let percolate for approx 10 min
The bubbles in the glass lid change from clear water to coffee colored. The longer it percolates the stronger the coffee and the darker the bubbles become. Do not let the percolator boil dry.
8
Pour and enjoy
Remove from the heat. If you don’t like any grounds in your coffee you may want to use strainer when pouring.
9
Clean up
Remove parts carefully if still hot. Empty grounds into your compost heap and place all parts in dishwasher.
Practice makes perfect -
remember the trick is not to let the water boil