How to Make Coffee Without Coffee Equipment

About this Video

• Video Title: How to Make Coffee Without Coffee Equipment
• Channel: James Hoffmann
• Speakers: James Hoffmann
• Duration: 00:14:46

Introduction

This video explores methods for making coffee when lacking standard coffee equipment like grinders and brewers. Hoffmann tests four unconventional grinding methods (hammer, pestle and mortar, knife, pepper grinder) and two makeshift brewing techniques using kitchen roll and a tea towel to determine the most effective and palatable approach.

Key Takeaways

1. Grinding Methods: The pestle and mortar proved the most effective for grinding coffee beans without specialized equipment, offering a superior grind consistency compared to the hammer, knife, and pepper grinder. The pepper grinder, while possessing a burr mechanism, was impractical due to its size and prior use with pepper.
2. Brewing Methods: A makeshift pour-over filter created with kitchen roll yielded the best results, producing a drinkable cup of coffee without off-flavors. A tea towel filter, while functional, resulted in a coffee tainted by laundry detergent residue, highlighting the importance of thorough rinsing.
3. Overall Best Method: The combination of pestle and mortar grinding and kitchen roll brewing provided the most successful and palatable coffee in this experiment.
4. Importance of Proper Equipment: The exercise underscores the significance of proper coffee-making equipment for optimal results, revealing the limitations of improvised methods.
5. Improvisation and resourcefulness: The video demonstrates the ingenuity and resourcefulness one can employ to enjoy coffee even in the absence of specialized equipment.