Are you a coffee lover but never seem to reach this full and rich flavor you desire? Do you enjoy brewing your own coffee but sometimes it’s too bitter? 

You have tried different methods, and nothing seemed to work. Or you desire to take the next step and drink your coffee stronger. Or perhaps something else. It doesn't matter the reason; the important thing is that you are here with us now.

We will show you how to brew coffee and give you extra tips on each brewing method. You will know which is the most potent brew method and how much caffeine it contains by the end of this article.

 

 

How to Brew Coffee?

 

Here are the four most important steps you should follow when brewing: 

1. Ensure that you have thoroughly scrubbed all of your equipment (your bean grinder, filters, pots, etc.). Then, you can either wipe down or rinse with hot water and dry with an absorbent towel.
   
   
2. Take care of the beans. Coming from different countries and having distinct sorts (arabica, robusta, or blend), the ground coffee beans can determine the flavor and quality of your coffee. Arabica doesn't have as much caffeine as robusta. The various roast types, the grind size, and the texture are also crucial. If you do not grind your coffee beans enough or over-grind them, the taste could become bitter or flat. There's a specific way for every preparation method to grind the beans. A burr grinder allows you to choose the consistency in compliance with the coffee-making process you need the ground coffee for.
   
   
3. Make sure your coffee is fresh-roasted. It would help if you tried to buy coffee immediately or very soon after it's roasted. You can even roast your coffee beans! It's also vital to never reuse your coffee grounds since you have already extracted all their flavors the first time you brew coffee with them. 
4. Quality water (without strong odor or taste) makes for a quality coffee. You should use bottled or filtered for best results if your tap water isn't good enough. Depending on the brewing method you're using, the brewing time may differ between two minutes and twelve hours! Bear in mind that if you aren't satisfied with the coffee, the brew time is either too short or too long.
   
   

To reach your favorite taste, you need to experiment with the coffee beans and the brewing methods. Then, you can either stick to the rules or go with the flow. Everyone likes their coffee prepared differently, which makes it so unique. 

 

 

How to Make Your Coffee Strong? 

According to this article from Enjoy Java, these are the things that we must look at when it comes to strong coffee: 

• Water-to-grounds ratio - To make your coffee strong, change the traditional balance of two tablespoons of grounds to six ounces of water. However, for each one of the brewing methods, the ratio is different. For example, one tablespoon of grounds for every four ounces of water is the recommended ratio for Moka pots. Some advice is to measure by weight, not by spoons and grounds, because the coffee beans may weigh differently. To taste stronger, you must add more grounds. Although your coffee will get stronger, it may also be bitter if you increase the grounds.
  
  

• Coffee beans roast - The darker the roast is, the more robust and richer the flavor gets. So, when shopping for coffee beans, try to get the dark ones. The Death Wish Coffee recipe, for example, combines arabica for taste and robusta for a caffeine kick. So, choosing a darker roast is the best decision for your strong coffee. But, of course, you also need to use the proper grind.
  
  

• Brewing method - Changing the brewing method can help you get the strong flavor you want. Remember that increasing the amount of caffeine doesn't necessarily mean getting more robust coffee. You may have the least caffeine and still get the rich and full taste you desire! What matters is the way you prepare the coffee. So, let's find out about the brewing methods and their preparation time then!

 

 

Some Coffee Brewing Methods and How They Affect Caffeine Extraction 

There are numerous coffee-making methods and recipes. We have gathered and ranked some of them judging by the amount of caffeine they contain, starting from the weakest. Bear in mind that you can still make strong coffee even with the weakest method out there. 

Drip Coffee Method 

The caffeine amount in this method is thirty to sixty milligrams per four ounces cup, thus, the weakest on our list.

You might have one of these coffee machines in your office or might have seen them in other public places. Depending on the number of cups you're making, the brewing time can be four to fifteen minutes. The coffee grind should be fine to medium. But the coffee you get as a result is average. 

On the other hand, the drip maker is not that expensive (depending on the machine you have); it's easy to use and excellent if you're in a rush. So it can save you a lot of time. 

Those are the steps to follow with this method:  

1. Choose your coffee
   
   
2. Fill the carafe with the preferred quantity of water (this is ideal whenever you're having people because it allows you to make coffee in large amounts)
   
   
3. Pour the water into the reservoir and return the carafe to the heating plate
   
   
4. Put a paper filter if needed and put the desired amount of coffee
   
   
5. Close the lid and press a button or two
   
   
6. Voila! Enjoy your cup of coffee
   
   

If you do not have time in the morning before leaving for school or work, this is an excellent method for you! You can prepare everything the machine needs the night before and press a button in the morning! The results of this method are fast coffee in large proportions. It is very convenient; yet, the flavor isn't that rich. 

Tips: To avoid bitterness in your coffee, you can sprinkle a pinch of salt to your grounds before putting them into the machine. Only a little bit, but not too much! The salt will not make the coffee salty; on the contrary, it will make it taste softer.

French Press Coffee Method 

 

The French press contains eighty to one hundred milligrams of caffeine for every four ounces cup. Besides, it is a simple way to make not the strongest but a pretty strong cup of coffee. Some people consider it the best and most iconic method to make coffee. 

Although it's named French press, it actually comes from Italy. It was patented nearly a century ago. So, what you need for this method are a French press and a timer. And it will take you only around ten minutes! The type of coffee it makes is fantastic! It has a unique flavor, aroma and it's very delicate. The coffee grind is coarse. The suggested portions are two tablespoons of coffee per cup. 

It is relatively easy to use; however, you must supervise it. It's a straightforward process that requires only hot water, a plunger, and a metal or glass beaker. The French press does not use a filter, so the flavor you get has more depth than the drip coffee machine. 

So, these are the steps to follow: 

1. Please choose the right amount of grounded coffee and measure it
2. Fill the press to the line with hot boiling water 
3. Set the timer to four minutes and wait
   
4. Press the plunger slowly
   
5. Cheers! It's done
   
   

Tips:  If you like your coffee strong, use this method to avoid the burnt taste that a drip brewer can cause. Also, make sure you do not let your coffee stay too long in the carafe on the grounds to avoid a bitter flavor. 

Moka Pot Coffee Method 

Although the French press has the most caffeine for some people, it is not true (if we judge by the serving size, of course!) 

Crema Coffee Garage and the University of Newcastle researched caffeine content in the different types of coffee. It turned out that one hundred milligrams of the French press coffee, which is more than three ounces, contained around eighty milligrams of caffeine. And the Moka pot coffee contained more than two hundred milligrams of caffeine.

Surprisingly, the gear you need for this method is a Moka pot or the so-called stovetop espresso maker. A timer is optional but recommended. It is elementary to use; however, it requires your undivided attention. It takes around five minutes to get the coffee ready. The coffee grind should be fine but coarser than the grind for the espresso machine. 

The Moka pot is perfect if you love strong coffee but cannot afford a machine for it or wish to be more traditional. Not only does the Moka pot get you that creamy texture, but it's also convenient. You can carry it everywhere with you, and it doesn't require much endeavor or craftwork. Here it’s important to mention that you should get a high-quality Moka pot so it doesn’t shed off any metal particles in your drink. By doing that you will also make sure that the pot won’t turn black and your coffee will get an even extraction, giving it the best taste.

There's only one issue with it. It is effortless to use, and that is why it's easy to make bitter coffee with it. So many people share that they've tried it once by themselves; they thought it was disgusting and never used it again. However, they loved the results once they heard about a new way of using it. Or shall I say - the proper way of using it? So if you're one of those people, you're welcome. 

The steps to follow are:  

1. Make sure that your pot is nice and clean (keeping old grounds in the stovetop espresso maker will only contribute to the bitterness of the coffee)
2. Remove the top chamber and the filter basket
   
   
3. Fill the bottom part of the pot with hot water just below the safety valve
   
   
4. Put the filter basket back and fill it with the ground coffee
   
   
5. Install the upper chamber back on and screw on tightly (be careful - the bottom part is going to be hot, use a towel while tightening the two parts)
   
   
6. Immediately after that, place the stovetop on the stove until it boils and the top chamber fills with coffee (when it's done, you'll hear a steaming sound)
   
   
7. Pour cold tap water over the bottom part of the pot to stop it from brewing, or immediately pour it into your cup
   
   
8. You made it. Now enjoy!
   
   

You can add milk to the coffee if you would like to make yourself something fancier, like a cappuccino or a latte. You can make yourself any strong coffee drink with the Moka pot. Add the ingredients you wish (like milk) and enjoy the delightful flavor of your coffee. 

Tips: Remove the Moka pot from the stove the second it has finished brewing. Make sure you do not fill the water compartment above the safety valve. 

Espresso Machine Coffee Method 

The espresso has around two hundred milligrams of caffeine content in one hundred grams, similar to the Moka pot. However, there are sixty-five milligrams of caffeine in a single shot. So, to reach that high level of caffeine, you need to take more than one shot. Still, this type of coffee remains the best way to wake yourself up in the morning!

As mentioned above, the serving size matters a lot when serving, preparing, and deciding which is the strongest coffee. Therefore, this machine qualifies as the strongest brewing method since its coffee contains the most caffeine out of all. 

This machine takes up to thirty minutes to heat up and half a minute to make a shot. The type of coffee you get is robust, intense, rich in taste, with thick crema. The coffee grind should be fine and consistent. What you need, of course, is the machine itself, a tamping tool, and if you wish - a jug full of milk (to make yourself a cappuccino, for example). If your machine is automatic, it is elementary to use. But if it is a manual one, it requires some practice. 

So here is the recipe of how to use your machine: 

1. Clean the machine if needed (remove any coffee leftovers)
2. Place the finely ground beans into the portafilter's brew chamber (metal filter). Make sure the shot size is correctly set (single, double, or triple)
   
   
3. Compress the grounds into a neat shape with the tamping tool
   
   
4. Attach the portafilter into the grouphead (that brews the coffee)
   
   
5. To make a shot, hit the button or pull the lever
   
   
6. Your coffee is now ready to drink!
   
   

This machine also has a steam wand for your milk if you need hot milk. It also has a hot water fixture that you can use for your cup of tea or coffee. 

Tips: If you wish to steam your milk, angle the pitcher in a way that creates a whirlpool. In that way, you will be able to heat your milk symmetrically. 

 

How to Make Coffee Stronger After Brewing?

If you are not satisfied with how your brew turned out, there are some things you can do about it. You can increase the amount of coffee or brew it for a longer time. If you have used the dark roasted coffee beans, then your coffee is perfect, no need to change it. If you are using regular coffee beans, a bit more coffee than usual will probably do the trick. 

When it comes to the French press, the more time the hot water and the grounds sit together, the stronger your taste will be. 

 

 

Your Coffee, Your Rules 

At the end of the day, it's all about you. Remember not to give up even if it doesn't work perfectly from the first attempt. The process of making your perfect cup of coffee is one of error and trial. What works for someone else may not work for you. Change the ratio, try different beans, try other methods, pots, etc. But if you enjoy coffee, don't stop until it's good and strong enough! And if espresso machines are too expensive for you, a moka pot might be the best solution. It is the middle between strong and delicious coffee, that is very affordable and convenient.  You can check out our high-quality moka pots in our website catalog.