Alton Brown's Favorite Way To Make Coffee Is An Exact Science

According to Alton Brown's Food Network bio, the cookbook author and celebrity chef's hobbies include rejecting smartphone updates, housebreaking one of his dogs, and brewing coffee. He demonstrates the last one on his Instagram page, using the hashtag #bathrobegourmet to walk viewers through the precise method he follows to brew coffee.

Brown has coffee brewing down to a science. In fact, in the series of reels he shared on Instagram, he resembles a mad scientist who has traded his lab coat for a bathrobe and is ready to crack the code on brewing the perfect cup. Coffee beans are carefully weighed, water is kept at a precise temperature, and nothing is left to chance. Alton Brown takes coffee brewing very seriously.

There's a lot of method to Brown's madness. Coffee lovers will agree that if you're going to make the best coffee, you must follow the necessary steps in a specific way. Everything from the water to grinding should be given proper consideration. Knowing the ideal water-to-coffee ratio for your perfect morning mug is also vital.

There are many ways of brewing coffee besides the standard electric coffeemaker. Some people prefer a French press, while others swear by their Moka pot. Alton Brown believes the best coffee is made using the pour-over method. This technique has been used for over 100 years for a reason. It's a very simple process that uses a cone-shaped filter placed in a pour-over device where ground coffee has been added. One of the features of pour-over coffee brewing is that it allows you to control the speed at which the water is added.

For Brown, the perfect cup of joe starts with grinding the beans — no pre-ground beans for this coffee scientist. He uses a burr grinder, which is often considered to be the ultimate coffee grinder due to the uniformity of the grind produced. The flavor of the coffee bean is extracted during the grinding process, and if some particles are too small and others are too large, you miss out on releasing all the aromas.

His advice doesn't end there. For Alton, it's vital to heat the water to around 210 degrees Fahrenheit before pouring it over the ground coffee. He pours a bit of water in first and waits for the ground coffee to bloom and release gases, before adding the rest of the water to the cone.

If you're inspired to brew coffee using Alton Brown's scientific method but are concerned you won't get the same results without using the equipment he uses, don't fret. Similar yet affordable ways to brew a delicious, rich cup of coffee exist. Measuring your coffee before brewing is important, but weighing the beans on a scale isn't necessary. Once you've figured out what strength you prefer for your coffee, just use the same amount of beans every time.

If an expensive $300 burr grinder isn't in your budget, a blade grinder will do the trick. A good quality blade grinder will only set you back $20 or so. Giving the blade grinder a shake while it's grinding will help make sure no bean is left behind.

Don't have a fancy kettle that can be set to a specific temperature? Wait 30 seconds after the water comes to a boil before pouring it over the ground beans to allow it to cool slightly. Cone filters are cheap and readily available at any supermarket, and a basic pour-over coffee maker only costs between $20 and $25. Following these simple tips will allow you to brew coffee like Alton Brown in no time. Bathrobe optional.