3 Ways To Make Mushroom Coffee Besides That Old Coffee Pot

Don't want to make mushroom coffee with the standard coffee pot? That certainly isn't a bad idea. The quality of mushroom coffees such as Defiant Coffee's mushroom blend is such that you don't necessarily want to make whole pots but rather a targeted dose at the right times.

Ways to make Mushroom Coffee

How do you make mushroom coffee if you want to make it in smaller batches? Here are three methods we recommend.

French Press Mushroom Coffee

Arguably the best way to make coffee according to some folks, the humble (or fancy!) French press is a fantastic method for making that morning or midday cup of mushroom coffee. French press mushroom coffee should be prepared just like normal. Just like regular French press coffee, the smooth, creamy taste of French press mushroom coffee may be the only way you care to drink it once you get the hang of it. Some people find they don't need cream or sugar when they drink coffee this way when they otherwise can't stand to not have them, but your mileage may vary.

How to make coffee this way? Simple.

1. Give the beans a course, even grind. The grounds should be larger than the standard fine powder in ground coffee, roughly double to triple that size.
2. Add 1 to 2 tbsp of grounds per every 6 oz of water you plan to add. The standard press holds 32 ounces; the standard coffee cup 8 to 10 oz and the standard travel mug holds 12 oz, in case you're curious.
3. Bring water to the boil and add the amount of coffee you wish to make. The water should be boiling when it hits the grounds as coffee requires a good shock to infuse properly.
4. Briefly stir with a wooden or plastic spoon and wait for precisely 4 minutes, 30 seconds. This is the optimum time to let the coffee steep. Too early and it will taste thin; too long and it will be bitter.
5. In a slow, steady fashion, depress the plunger and filter. As soon as it reaches the bottom, pour.

Give it a little time to cool, then enjoy!

Percolator Mushroom Coffee

The wonderful thing about a percolator kettle is that they can be used anywhere to make mushroom coffee. You can use an electric model for the kitchen, or get out that "thumper" percolator that you take camping. You can use it on the stovetop; they work! The standard coffee pot is actually a percolating system, but percolators work a little differently. Grounds sit in a perforated basket (helps to use a filter) at the top of the kettle, with a tube running from the bottom of the pot to the top and through the grounds. The water rises (as hot things do) and drips down through the grounds in the basket and into the water.

1. The cycle repeats, and you let it keep brewing until the desired concentration has been reached, usually judged by color. In the camp kettle, for instance, there's a clear cap that the liquid splashes against. Let it go until you see the color you want.
2. Add 1 to 2 tbsp of coarse grounds to the basket (helps to use a filter) for every 6 ounces of liquid you add.
3. Put it on the heat until the desired consistency has been reached. Then remove from heat and let cool.
4. Be careful not to let the liquid totally boil. What you'll notice is that the "perking" has stopped (stopped thumping) and that's the point at which the mushroom coffee MUST be taken off the heat. The result?

Percolator coffee is considered some of the best, as it has a smooth, rich texture. It gives you a taste of luxury, which is perfect for your daily cup of mushroom coffee.

Pour-Over Mushroom Coffee

There are a few different ways to make pour-over mushroom coffee or at least a few different devices one can use. The basic device, a plastic filter holder, sits atop a carafe or cup and hot water is poured through the grounds. The other popular method? The AeroPress! An AeroPress combines the pour over method but adding the pressure of a French press to compress grounds and extract the liquid while using less ground coffee...unless you brew it strong. Pour-over coffee uses gravity to drip the coffee into a carafe or cup. Used with a filter, it creates a smooth brew that is quite tasty. Decorative sets are quite popular these days and certainly look smart...though you can get a cheap plastic filter holder that yields the same results for hardly anything.

1. For standard pour over mushroom coffee, add the standard ratio (1 to 2 tbsp per 6 oz of water) of grounds to the filter
2. Bring water to the boil
3. slowly pour the filter until it fills the vessel you're looking to fill with fresh mushroom coffee.
4. Let cool, then enjoy

For an AeroPress

1. Add 2 to 4 scoops for desired strength to the press seated atop the cup of your choice
2. Pour the desired amount of boiling water into the press and let steep
3. Insert the plunger, then depress
4. Let cool, then enjoy!

These methods of making mushroom coffee aren't the only ways to do it, of course. However, they are known for producing superior tasting mushroom coffee to the standard drip coffee maker.