Percolating Dissent

Published on Friday, February 8, 2008, by Traci Vogel / Edit Post

Michael Ruhlman wants people to “wake up” and smell the coffee in the percolator. That’s right—the Culinary Institute grad and author of The Making of a Chef and The Elements of Cooking prefers his coffee from an old-fashioned percolator. And he drinks Folgers:

I serve generic decaf to guests and they’re begging to know what kind of coffee I buy. Swear to God. I haul out the big green can to prove it. Coffee [snobs] will say percolated coffee is ‘over-extracted.’ I call it very strong, rich coffee that’s piping hot and stays hot without burning. [That’s] its biggest advantage—percolators keep the coffee HOT, auto-drips burn it.

So, Ruhlman asks, “Where did the percolator go?” How did the drip machine come to dominate? It’s not much more convenient, it makes coffee that’s “at best OK,” and “instead of the aromatic, enticing rush of gurgly percolation—one of the daily pleasures of this device—you get instead the sound of someone tinkling.”

Mark Prince, of CoffeeGeek.com, seriously disagrees. Posting on Boing Boing Gadgets, he says, “This article would be the equivalent of Robert Parker talking up the virtues of Mad Dog 20/20, if Ruhlman was anywhere near Parker’s stature. It’s garbage.” Perked coffee, says Prince, is boiled and reboiled, and therefore bitter, losing the subtle flavors of any good coffee bean.

The coffee fanatics at Coffeefaq.com had this discussion back in 2006, and brought up some of the same pros and cons.

Looks like this’ll be an ongoing argument. Somebody better put the Folgers on.

ALLFood Media
POST A COMMENT |16 Comments

COMMENT

  • I'm joining the discussion way late. I own a variety of coffee makers, pressers, percolaters, expresso machines, etc. What I've learned about coffee is that I know how to make it so that I like it. I've learned over time though that how coffee is made, served, and drank differs from culture to culture and person to person. I personally have been using a percolator ever since I spent a summer in...+READ

    I'm joining the discussion way late. I own a variety of coffee makers, pressers, percolaters, expresso machines, etc. What I've learned about coffee is that I know how to make it so that I like it. I've learned over time though that how coffee is made, served, and drank differs from culture to culture and person to person. I personally have been using a percolator ever since I spent a summer in Italy. I like how simple it is to make, the gurgle, and how caffinated the coffee is etc.

    My boyfriend has an expensive, gorgeous expresso machine. I think that tastes great too. I think that brewing expresso/cafe is truly an art. If you can make Folgers taste good, congrats!-COLLAPSE

  • Umm...Michael Ruhlman is not a CIA grad. He attended a couple of courses there...big difference.

  • I just happened on this discussion late -- I was searching for info on coffee urns and why, after years of loving other kinds of coffee too (espresso and all the good stuff) I still go wild for the old-fashioned urn coffee in restaurants and diners. Specifically NOT the Mr. Coffee-type machines, which somehow give off no aroma, but the big urns you'll find in older places. Why are those so great...+READ

    I just happened on this discussion late -- I was searching for info on coffee urns and why, after years of loving other kinds of coffee too (espresso and all the good stuff) I still go wild for the old-fashioned urn coffee in restaurants and diners. Specifically NOT the Mr. Coffee-type machines, which somehow give off no aroma, but the big urns you'll find in older places. Why are those so great and could I get that at home? I was thinking that maybe a percolator could be the answer?-COLLAPSE

  • wow thanks

  • foodperv, it protects the grounds from scalding by the steam of that comes out first and allows them to heat more gently by the very hot water.

  • Well, if you believe that percolated Folgers coffee is the ultimate in coffee, who am I to disagree :)

  • Puleeeez, indeed! What we're getting into is the area of personal taste. I use a Chemex, and always (always!) measure the coffee and the water: my guests rave about my coffee. My ex uses a percolator, also measured, and everyone raved about her coffee, too. Yes, it did taste different from mine, even when she "borrowed" some of my beans instead of using her pre-ground, but both brews tasted...+READ

    Puleeeez, indeed! What we're getting into is the area of personal taste. I use a Chemex, and always (always!) measure the coffee and the water: my guests rave about my coffee. My ex uses a percolator, also measured, and everyone raved about her coffee, too. Yes, it did taste different from mine, even when she "borrowed" some of my beans instead of using her pre-ground, but both brews tasted good... and I taste for a living.

    This is starting to sound like that moronic character in "Sideways" who prattled on against Merlot, yet was quick to drink swill from the spit bucket when he wanted a drink.-COLLAPSE

  • Ok, I have to add my 2 cents worth. Any one that appreciates what good coffee is knows darn well that the old fashioned perked coffee just doesn't cut it. I'm old enough to know what perked coffee is. I grew up on a farm and that was all you had. That or boiled coffee which is actually better than perced.

    Some one said it earlier, you don't get good coffee by regurgitating the same stuff over...+READ

    Ok, I have to add my 2 cents worth. Any one that appreciates what good coffee is knows darn well that the old fashioned perked coffee just doesn't cut it. I'm old enough to know what perked coffee is. I grew up on a farm and that was all you had. That or boiled coffee which is actually better than perced.

    Some one said it earlier, you don't get good coffee by regurgitating the same stuff over the grounds for 10 minutes.

    If you care at all about getting a good cup then you know there is only one way.
    You run the water thru once at a temperature of 195 degrees with the correct amount of coffee and the right grind and roast for your taste.

    And Folgers?? Puleeeez-COLLAPSE

  • interesting but Lintygmom how does that help?

  • To keep the coffee from burning in a drip pot, pour a little of the cold water over the grounds to pre-moisturize them.

  • He is right on one point, it does keep the coffee hot. My personal favorite way to make coffee is pouring hot water over a melitta filter right into the cup, only problem is the coffee is not hot by the time it finishes. My Capresso coffemaker does a decent job and maintains good heat without burning the coffee.

    As a former Clevelander, who grow up in the same area where Ruhlman lives, I can say...+READ

    He is right on one point, it does keep the coffee hot. My personal favorite way to make coffee is pouring hot water over a melitta filter right into the cup, only problem is the coffee is not hot by the time it finishes. My Capresso coffemaker does a decent job and maintains good heat without burning the coffee.

    As a former Clevelander, who grow up in the same area where Ruhlman lives, I can say w/authority ;) that a good cup of coffee in that part of the world is one in which you can see thhrough the coffee. Needless to say when I go back for a visit I bring my Peets and one cup drip with me.-COLLAPSE

  • Of course you can always use a drip machine that makes the coffee into an insulated unheated carafe. That avoids the nasty taste of coffee in a heated glass carafe too long.

    I don't know how hot Ruhlman wants his coffee, but for me 'too hot to guzzle an hour later' is still plenty hot.

  • in the 60's all we had was the perk. and we drank maxwell house, and we had 2-3 diff grinds. today we have (in general) 1 grind
    ( i am not talking about what you grind your self or buy at a coffee house) with all the canned coffees max house etc.....
    you know how the can ALWAYS says for all coffee makers
    I think that this is PART of the reason people have complaints about certain brands
    ...+READ

    in the 60's all we had was the perk. and we drank maxwell house, and we had 2-3 diff grinds. today we have (in general) 1 grind
    ( i am not talking about what you grind your self or buy at a coffee house) with all the canned coffees max house etc.....
    you know how the can ALWAYS says for all coffee makers
    I think that this is PART of the reason people have complaints about certain brands
    THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A GRIND FOR ALL COFFEE MAKERS-COLLAPSE

  • I remember back in my early days in foodservice when I was working at Carl's Jr... People would regularly comment on how great our coffee was, and it was Folgers. I think the secret is that we kept it in one of those pump action vacuum pots; the coffee would be steaming hot hours after we brewed it.

  • percolated coffee and two buck chuck. It doesn't get any better!

  • Funny because I bought my first percolator earlier this week and bought some decent beans and I disagree. My first cup was amazing to say the least. Slowly simmered, perfectly balanced, and piping hot!
    Mark, when was the last time you had a good old fashioned cup of percolated coffee?