Last Updated on September 21, 2023 by Barry Gray
While I’m not a big tea lover, I do come from a family that enjoyed more than just the odd cup. Both tea bags and loose tea were a feature while I, the coffee snob, looked down upon it all.
But the similarities with how both drinks are made is not something that went unnoticed, and I began to wonder if some aspects of brewing tea could be shared by coffee.
Yet as I cannot experiment with coffee in a tea bag, I could check out what would happen if I used a tea infuser. Is it even possible to make coffee in one?
In a nutshell, yes, you can. You can make great coffee in a tea infuser, whether a full teapot with the fine grid mesh or a tea ball. The tea ball is the gadget with a fine mesh ball at the end.
If you think you need fancy coffee machines to make great coffee, think again!
Coffee Is More Versatile Than Many Realize
Coffee is an adventure; the more you learn about it, the more you want to make it. It is not opposed to being brewed in various ways, either. Plus, not all of us have all that fancy gear you appear to need to make a decent cup of coffee. Try and remember coffee first method second.
A Coffee Secret You Need to Know
That is the secret: great coffee is relatively easy to make once you know a few things about it. It really is not that difficult after you get to grips with it all.
You don’t need piles of machines and fancy coffee makers, but I do admit I am a sucker for new gadgets, and I do have a few coffee processing machines that I love.
I have a little coffee corner, and in this way, I justify my right to have three espresso machines and a few different coffee makers like the French Press or Moka pot, but you only need some of these machines or none. Like anything, it’s a personal choice.
The Only Limit Is Your Imagination
The other day, I went to a friend’s house for an end-of-summer outdoor picnic. The beautiful setting was enviable; they live in a very leafy suburb that has furnished her garden with the most voluptuous oak trees, and her olive green lawn stretches for miles; it is idyllic.
The stage was set!
The picnic fair was exquisite. It was arranged on a beautiful vintage table adorned with shabby chic ornate tableware, perfectly laid out. The host had reserved a coffee cup for each attendee with a tea ball balanced inside.
I was intrigued.
Choosing An Array Of Coffees Using a Simple Tea Ball
With this simple apparatus, the world of coffee had opened up for everyone. No fancy gear is required.
There were bags of coffee beans and small handheld coffee grinders at the end of the table. We could choose our food and coffee. We had to pick out the coffee beans we wanted, grind them, fill the mesh tea ball, and add water. The aromas were incredible, and it was one of the best ideas I’ve ever seen.
Add A Bit Of The ‘Wow’ Factor If You Wish
The candied sugar sticks were infused with caramel or vanilla and placed in ornate miniature pots. The sticks were a deep amber color, glistening in the sunlight.
The pots were made of porcelain and decorated with delicate flowers and vines. The whole display was charming, unique, and quite different from what I was used to.
Of course, the host offered other drinks, but that was the after-coffee event, which we all enjoyed with dessert or a helping from the cheese board.
Be Unique – It’s All The Craze Right Now
In this way, people could choose their drinks and get on with it; plus, they felt a little unique because they could select their mixes.
I chose a lovely Brazilian blend, both mellow, chocolatey, and robust.
You don’t have to go through all this trouble, but it is to point out that using simple apparatus can result in new experiences that we would never have thought of before.
Using A Diffuser Pot
You can also use a tea diffuser pot. The grounds will not seep through if you grind the coffee beans to a medium to large grind. I’ve used the fine mesh with nothing else before, but you can also use a coffee filter or tea filter to remove grinds.
Diffuser pots come in all shapes and sizes, and all work quite well. Remember to keep the grounds quite extensive unless you use a filter.
Here are some great recipes and inspirations for you to try:
Vanilla-Orange Coffee
Vanilla and orange with coffee is undoubtedly one of my favorite mixes. I sometimes add some hot chocolate, too.
Recipe:
Add a quarter of a teaspoon of vanilla pods and a teaspoon of orange zest to the diffuser. Then, add your ground coffee beans. I’d go for a level tablespoon, depending on how strong you want it.
The amount of coffee will vary depending on the coffee blend you are using. More rustic beans like robusta will require smaller amounts. Otherwise, the coffee becomes overbearing and carries too much of a caffeine punch.
Spiced Coffee
Spiced coffee leaves room for creativity; you could add ground cardamoms or even black pepper in moderation.
Recipe:
Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/2 of ginger to the diffuser. Then, add one level tablespoon of coarsely ground coffee beans. Pour 1 cup of hot water over the coffee grounds and steep for 4-5 minutes. This nice spicy mix could be part of a festive treat. It is beneficial in winter as ginger is a guaranteed body warmer!
Chocolate Coffee
Chocolate and coffee together is a classic no-fail combination. You can play around with coffees and quantities of each ground powder to get the flavor you want.
Recipe:
Add one tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to the tea diffuser. Then, add 1 tablespoon of coarsely ground coffee beans. Pour 1 cup of hot water over the coffee grounds and steep for 4-5 minutes. If you feel decadent, add a splash of cream or frothed milk.
Cold Brew Coffee
Brewing a cold brew in a tea diffuser is a no-mess, no-fuss method of reaching your end goal. This method is convenient in a pinch.
Recipe:
Add 1 tablespoon of coarsely ground coffee beans to the tea diffuser. Then, pour 4 cups of cold water over the coffee grounds. Let the coffee steep in the cold water for 12-24 hours. Then, remove the tea diffuser and enjoy your cold-brew coffee.
Lavender Coffee
If you have never thought of lavender coffee, here is a chance to try something new. Lavender is a delicate flavor, so stick with an arabica blend to not overpower the lavender. You can choose other flavors, like camomile, mint, rosemary, whichever takes your fancy, but lavender is a winner for me.
Recipe:
Add one tablespoon of dried lavender flowers to the tea diffuser. Then, add 1 tablespoon of coarsely ground coffee beans. Pour 1 cup of hot water over the coffee grounds and steep for 4-5 minutes. Enjoy your coffee with a subtle and floral flavor.
Essential Tips To Consider When Using A Tea Diffuser
- Use coarsely ground coffee beans. Coarser blends will help to prevent the coffee grounds from passing through the mesh of the tea diffuser. Depending on your mesh, some can filter finer grounds, but most will do better with coarsely ground beans.
- Use hot, but not boiling water. Boiling water can extract too much bitterness from the coffee. When I make tea, I use hotter water.
- Let the coffee steep for 4-5 minutes—the ideal amount of time for the coffee to extract its flavor.
- Remove the tea diffuser from the water as soon as the coffee steeps, and this will prevent the coffee from becoming bitter.
- If you use a fine mesh tea diffuser, you can use a paper filter to help catch any stray coffee grounds.
- You can also experiment with different coffee beans and grind sizes to find the flavor you like best.
- And, if you want to add something extra to your coffee, you can add spices, herbs, or even fruit to the tea diffuser. Try orange segments or apple slices with mint, for example.
I wanted to add some other easy methods of using various things to make coffee without a coffee pot or coffee paraphernalia, just for fun.
Here are some ideas.
Teapot
We have spoken about using a diffuser to brew coffee. You can use a straightforward teapot to brew your coffee the same way you’d brew tea. All you do is add the coarse ground coffee to the teapot, brew for five minutes, then serve. You can pour through a strainer to get rid of the grounds.
Coffee sock
A coffee sock is a reusable filter used to make coffee. All you do is add coarsely ground coffee beans to the sock, tie the end of the sock, place it in a mug, and pour hot water over it.
Funnel
To make coffee with a funnel, add coarsely ground coffee beans to a cup or mug. Place the funnel over the cup or mug. Pour hot water over the coffee grounds. Let the coffee steep for 4-5 minutes, remove the funnel and enjoy.
Paper filter
Just use the filters used in coffee machines to make great coffee; this can be used to make coffee in the same way that it is used to make drip coffee.
Add coarsely ground coffee beans to a filter to make coffee with a paper filter. Place the filter in a cup or mug. Pour hot water over the coffee grounds. Let the coffee steep for 4-5 minutes, remove the filter, and enjoy.
With Various Methods, The Coffee World Is At Your Feet
By now, you know there are many ways to make coffee with almost anything.
Once you get going, you will develop new recipes and coffee-making methods.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; these are just learning curves! To conclude, tea diffusers make great coffee makers; you get a more than decent cup of coffee or a gourmet or handcrafted coffee if you play around enough. You can get that ‘just brewed flavor’ with several different methods that do not involve fancy coffee equipment.
