This Is How Alton Brown Brews Coffee

When it comes to making your morning cup of joe, it tends to be a highly personal and ritualistic process for many. It might even be more so for celebrity chef, Alton Brown, considering he has his own line of coffee. However, when it comes to making a warm pot of java, the "Good Eats" host likes to make it in a very similar way to most of us. 

In a YouTube video, Brown shares his process for making the perfect cup of coffee. For him, that includes measuring it out and grinding it fresh each morning. After the coffee beans are prepared, Brown says he likes to use a Chemex or a Hario coffee maker. While he says both are good, there are actually a couple of differences you should be aware of if you're really a coffee snob. As it turns out, they're both good, but won't make the same cup of coffee.

Chemex coffee makers are wonderful pour over apparatuses, and they're especially good for beginner coffee makers. The hourglass-shaped pour over with a wooden collar, can accommodate a range of coffee grinds without it significantly affecting the strength or flavor of the coffee. That means you don't have to get a perfect medium grind every single time to make the perfect cup of coffee. The Hario pour over coffee maker is far more sensitive, though. 

The top of the Hario coffee maker is shaped at a 60-degree angle and has curving ridges that line the inside to help optimize how the water hits the coffee. When the water comes into contact with the coffee grounds this way, it allows the grounds to expand and the water to extract the flavor in the best way possible. This is also why the Hario models are far more responsive to the type of grind that's used. So, those who like a milder cup should use a coarser grind and pour the water over the beans faster. Those who want a strong cup like espresso, should use a very fine grind and a slow pouring style.