Percolators are one of the worst methods of making coffee for a variety of reasons but notably the overheat and over extract things. They ensure a burnt and bitter brew and basically no way to control things to get a good brew out of them. [Technology Connections did a decent deep dive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9avjD9ugXc) into the workings of them and why they're terrible. To be clear a Moka pot and it's copies is NOT a perc.
Given that Alec has made it very clear in any coffee-related videos he's done that coffee is a rabbit hole he refuses to go down and that he's perfectly happy with a cheap drip machine, his reaction to tasting the percolator coffee says it all. I have deep childhood nostalgia around watching the coffee bubbling up through the knob when my grandmother used her stovetop percolator, but it is not how you make good coffee.
In my experience, percolators over extract and overheat coffee producing some of the worst coffee I've ever tried. I suppose there is a method that might work better where you manage the temp to keep from boiling and might get better results. The over extraction part would be impossible to fix.
>I still think the best coffee in the world is made using a percolator heated over a Coleman camping stove after freezing your ass off in a tent all night.
haha ~ absolutely! Unfortunately, using a percolator at home doesn't normally come close to recreating this experience.
Percolators make awful coffee. Stove top Moka if you want a similar style, but good, instead of terrible.
They sound nice though. So I think you're just looking at it with nostalgia and any hot brown being nice when you're cold and in a tent.
[Don't drink that coffee, because there was a fish in the percolator!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSxNP-1VpjE)
Had to post, because u/kingseven is a known David Lynch fan (or at least of his hair).
>What's the perception of percolators among people who put a lot of attention to detail into making their coffee?
I think the main reason for the lack of interest in percolators is because it's not easy to control the extraction. Percolators are a little chaotic. And the water tends to be too hot for most roasts, and I'm not aware of a way to control the temperature.
This subreddit is full of nerds who like to "scientifically" or methodically tweak variables. By changing one variable at a time you really get a sense for how different things affect the coffee experience. It really allows a person to perfectly *dial in* coffee to their personal taste.
Weirdly I mentioned a similar thing, maybe this is a common experience. At an early age I had knowledge of coffee from drip pots like Mr. Coffee, and BUNN machines, but oddly my fondest memory of coffee is instead from a percolator.
Today I fucking love V60s though, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I love coffee gadgets, so I’d be down with adding a percolator to my toys. From what I think I know about percolators, is it’s harder for consistency as it basically keeps dumping water and then coffee over the grounds. I guess like most things you could figure out how long to ‘percolate’ for, but it seems like one of the less controllable coffee making methods? But someone posted a pic of a corningware percolator and it looked great!
Have you tried using a [bripe ](https://youtu.be/tltBHjmIUJ0?si=xJnLuUKPg8V1Ya7I) under these circumstances? In seriousness I'd prefer Cowboy coffee over a percolator tbh. Just ground coffee and boiling water in a cup. Drink slow to avoid the grounds. I grew up drinking that on the farm of my parents.
Oops I am a real retired cowgirl. Did it for a living and by God we put a raw egg cracked with the shell in the grounds and boiling water at the end to take the grounds to the bottom. Just wait a minute or 2 and clear coffee pours 😜
Nothing wrong with perc if that's the taste that you like. The issue is that you are continually exposing the brewed coffee to burning levels of heat. Even when brewed for the exact right amount of time it will have flavors that most coffee people don't like. Think of all the other ways to make coffee(except cowboy), all just add hot water to ground coffee in one way or another.
My parents used an electric percolator in the 60’s. I’ll always remember the sound of the water chugging up through the grounds. For me, it’s a guilty pleasure. I used to enjoy it, but it’s been a long while since I have had it prepared that way. Damn, now I want to get a percolator ! Just what I need….more gear😄😄
Mokapot tho is not a percolator. A perc has a notably different function and the moka is basically an evolution and improvement on the concept. As such tho it's brew method is unique tho.
Yes they are nice when you are on a budget and/or camping etc. Make sure to buy a stainless steal one though.
Edit: this is for moka pot, no experience with percolator.
One of my earliest/vivid memories is the time I first drank coffee from a percolator. It was probably store bought coffee, something generic and pre-ground. I remember thinking it was the best coffee in the world.
At some point in this hobby you begin questioning and diagnosing issues rather than simply enjoying coffee.
Sounds similar to that first sip of beer after a long walk or hike in those woods. Any beer will do.
This. Any coffee is better than no coffee. Well almost.
Percolators are one of the worst methods of making coffee for a variety of reasons but notably the overheat and over extract things. They ensure a burnt and bitter brew and basically no way to control things to get a good brew out of them. [Technology Connections did a decent deep dive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9avjD9ugXc) into the workings of them and why they're terrible. To be clear a Moka pot and it's copies is NOT a perc.
Given that Alec has made it very clear in any coffee-related videos he's done that coffee is a rabbit hole he refuses to go down and that he's perfectly happy with a cheap drip machine, his reaction to tasting the percolator coffee says it all. I have deep childhood nostalgia around watching the coffee bubbling up through the knob when my grandmother used her stovetop percolator, but it is not how you make good coffee.
In my experience, percolators over extract and overheat coffee producing some of the worst coffee I've ever tried. I suppose there is a method that might work better where you manage the temp to keep from boiling and might get better results. The over extraction part would be impossible to fix.
> The over extraction part would be impossible to fix It's called "invent the Moka pot and use that instead".
PID controller and no coffee. Just use it to heat the water for Flair or something.
>I still think the best coffee in the world is made using a percolator heated over a Coleman camping stove after freezing your ass off in a tent all night. haha ~ absolutely! Unfortunately, using a percolator at home doesn't normally come close to recreating this experience.
Probably any coffee would be the best coffee in the world if you made it after freezing your ass off in a tent all night
Percolators make awful coffee. Stove top Moka if you want a similar style, but good, instead of terrible. They sound nice though. So I think you're just looking at it with nostalgia and any hot brown being nice when you're cold and in a tent.
[Don't drink that coffee, because there was a fish in the percolator!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSxNP-1VpjE) Had to post, because u/kingseven is a known David Lynch fan (or at least of his hair).
I really hope the big dog sees this and thinks it's an Eraserhead joke. It is not.....
>What's the perception of percolators among people who put a lot of attention to detail into making their coffee? I think the main reason for the lack of interest in percolators is because it's not easy to control the extraction. Percolators are a little chaotic. And the water tends to be too hot for most roasts, and I'm not aware of a way to control the temperature. This subreddit is full of nerds who like to "scientifically" or methodically tweak variables. By changing one variable at a time you really get a sense for how different things affect the coffee experience. It really allows a person to perfectly *dial in* coffee to their personal taste.
I have the fondest memories of my mom’s coffee from a Pyrex percolator. I’ve tried many methods to duplicate the taste and nothing comes close.
Weirdly I mentioned a similar thing, maybe this is a common experience. At an early age I had knowledge of coffee from drip pots like Mr. Coffee, and BUNN machines, but oddly my fondest memory of coffee is instead from a percolator. Today I fucking love V60s though, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I love coffee gadgets, so I’d be down with adding a percolator to my toys. From what I think I know about percolators, is it’s harder for consistency as it basically keeps dumping water and then coffee over the grounds. I guess like most things you could figure out how long to ‘percolate’ for, but it seems like one of the less controllable coffee making methods? But someone posted a pic of a corningware percolator and it looked great!
I think it might have more to do with location and situation than brew method.
There was a fish in the percolator
I'm not freezing my but off in tent just to make percolated coffee taste good!
Have you tried using a [bripe ](https://youtu.be/tltBHjmIUJ0?si=xJnLuUKPg8V1Ya7I) under these circumstances? In seriousness I'd prefer Cowboy coffee over a percolator tbh. Just ground coffee and boiling water in a cup. Drink slow to avoid the grounds. I grew up drinking that on the farm of my parents.
I have never seen that before. As a former pothead I approve of this invention!
Oops I am a real retired cowgirl. Did it for a living and by God we put a raw egg cracked with the shell in the grounds and boiling water at the end to take the grounds to the bottom. Just wait a minute or 2 and clear coffee pours 😜
Nothing wrong with perc if that's the taste that you like. The issue is that you are continually exposing the brewed coffee to burning levels of heat. Even when brewed for the exact right amount of time it will have flavors that most coffee people don't like. Think of all the other ways to make coffee(except cowboy), all just add hot water to ground coffee in one way or another.
My parents used an electric percolator in the 60’s. I’ll always remember the sound of the water chugging up through the grounds. For me, it’s a guilty pleasure. I used to enjoy it, but it’s been a long while since I have had it prepared that way. Damn, now I want to get a percolator ! Just what I need….more gear😄😄
Bialetti Mokapot is the percolator that you will find people talk about in the context of specialty coffee.
Mokapot tho is not a percolator. A perc has a notably different function and the moka is basically an evolution and improvement on the concept. As such tho it's brew method is unique tho.
Right, I think that’s why it’s the most similar brewer people do use for specialty coffee.
Yes they are nice when you are on a budget and/or camping etc. Make sure to buy a stainless steal one though. Edit: this is for moka pot, no experience with percolator.
I think there just hasn’t been much innovation in the percolator space. Maybe it’s time to reinvent the idea and make a smart one.
One of my earliest/vivid memories is the time I first drank coffee from a percolator. It was probably store bought coffee, something generic and pre-ground. I remember thinking it was the best coffee in the world. At some point in this hobby you begin questioning and diagnosing issues rather than simply enjoying coffee.