Is buying a coffee urn on your to-do list?
Are you curiously asking yourself – how does a coffee urn work?
If this sounds like you, you better stay tuned and read this article blow-by-blow to the end!
In the several years I have been a coffee aficionado, I have heard many coffee urn frequently asked questions. I cover these essential questions in detail to give you a better understanding of a coffee urn and how it works.
Let’s dig in.
By Lucy.
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What is Coffee Urn?
A coffee urn is a huge coffee machine with a fixture at the bottom to allow users to serve the hot drink.
A standard coffee urn is usually thermal and double-walled. In that sense, think of huge and stationary thermos where everyone can get their coffee.
These features enable it to keep the coffee hot.
Additionally, you can use your coffee urn to make other hot drinks, such as hot chocolate, tea, and milk.
3 Coffee Urns
Zulay Premium 100 Cup Commercial Coffee Urn – Comes in several colors.
Hamilton Beach 40518 Dual-Spout Coffee Urn – 2 spouts means faster self-service.
Waring WCU110 110 Cup (550 oz.) Commercial Coffee Urn – Make 110 5oz. cups in just over an hour! How handy is that?
How Much Coffee for 20-Cup Urn?
Before answering this question, it would help to understand how to measure a coffee urn. You measure a coffee urn based on the number of coffee cups it can make. For example, a coffee urn is measured in quantities of 6 ounces (180ml).
Whether you are hosting a brunch, dinner, or dessert gathering, you must include coffee! The big question is, how much coffee should you use in your percolator?
Ligia Lugo advises that you should use 8 cups of ground coffee for every 100 cups of strong coffee.
Based on this advice, you will need around 1.6 cups of coarsely ground coffee for the 20-cup urn.
Liquid measuring cups show that 1 cup is equal to 8 ounces. This implies that you will need 12.8 ounces for the 20-cup urn.
If you want a milder brew, consider reducing the coffee quantity to taste.
Please don’t use finely ground or drip coffee grounds because they are too fine for the coffee urn.
Coffee urn filter baskets slits are too big for medium and fine grinds.
How to use a Coffee Urn in 4 Simple Steps
It can be intimidating to use a coffee urn if you don’t have instructions at hand.
Luckily, most coffee urn models have a pretty straightforward design.
Here are the typical steps you should follow when using a coffee urn:
Step 1: Set up the Coffee Urn
The first step is to set up the coffee urn on a firm and level surface.
Please ensure the surface you use is strong enough to hold the coffee urn’s weight when full.
After that, open the lid and take out the stem and basket.
Pour water directly into the urn before reattaching the stem and basket.
Step 2: Prepare the Brew
Get ready to brew! You are free to use regular tap water or filtered water. Please always use cold water because coffee urns don’t run on boiling or hot water.
Decide the number of coffee cups you want to make. This will help you determine the water level.
I usually make 1.5 cups of coffee per person to allow room for anyone who requires a second cup.
Use the information in the previous section to decide your coffee grounds to water ratio.
At this point, if you are using a filter basket cover, put it back.
Step 3: Brew your Coffee!
Each coffee urn brand is different. But Starla Gaston of Roasty Coffee suggests that a standard coffee urn takes up to one minute per cup brewing time.
Therefore, for your 20-cup coffee urn, you should start the percolator 20 minutes before your guests arrive.
How will you know your coffee is done brewing? The coffee urn has indicator lights; when the light turns on, your coffee is ready.
After that, the coffee urn turns off automatically and keeps your coffee at serving temperature.
Step 4: Clean Up
Once you are done, clean up. Luckily, it is not challenging to clean a coffee urn.
Tricia Christensen at DelightedCooking suggests that it will be easier to clean if you only use the percolator to brew coffee.
Therefore, avoid adding sugar and cream into the water chamber as they can clog up the brewing mechanisms in the urn.
Consider placing cream and sugar alongside the urn to allow everyone to pick their preferences.
Does a Coffee Urn Need a Filter?
The KitchenSeer argues that a coffee urn does not require filters to make coffee.
Nonetheless, they come highly recommended because they make it easier to make a cup of coffee.
Note that there are different approaches to using filters with your coffee urn. Some of the methods are more effective than others.
If you don’t mind coffee grounds in your cup, you can use your coffee urn without a filter.
Therefore, whether or not you need a filter in your coffee urn depends on personal preferences.
Why you Need a Coffee Urn – Is it Worth it?
A coffee urn will be worth your while if you need to make a large number of coffee cups in a single filling.
You can find a coffee urn that can prepare up to 200 cups at a time.
Coffee urns are prevalent in meetings, banquets, and functions where a lot of people need to get their cup of coffee quick or at their own pace.
Preparing a cup individually for everyone with a smaller coffee machine will take a long, lo-ong time!
Final Thoughts
Coffee has become an essential drink in different settings.
Consequently, you will find yourself in a state where you have to serve over 20 cups of coffee. In this sense, a coffee urn would be the ideal coffee maker.
You will need to consider several factors before buying the best coffee urn for your needs.
Once you get it, it will be your best decision yet!
Photo by Waldemar.
