With many different brewing methods out there, it’s sometimes difficult to find the perfect brew method to suit you. Filter coffee is quite an underrated brewing method that provides exceptional coffee.
Filter Coffee Guide:
Making filter coffee involves a few simple steps (pour hot water over coffee, through a filter, into a jug). There’s “drip” coffee, which relates to an electric coffee machine that automatically starts brewing once hot, and keeps the pot of coffee warm on a hot plate.
Here at Redber HQ, we prefer manual methods such as the “pour-over” method. Pour over coffee has been embraced and loved by the specialty coffee scene in recent years and it is the perfect kit for coffee beginners to start their coffee journey at home. The pour over method involves hand pouring hot water through coffee grounds in a filter. The water drains through the coffee and filter into a carafe. This makes it a popular choice for single origin coffees since it allows the flavours and aromas to shine. Good filter coffee is clean, clear, and consistent. This is because the water can extract coffee oils and fragrances in its own time and at its own pressure. The filter then catches a lot of oils, leading to a clean cup.
There are three different pieces of filter brewing equipment that we recommend using for our filter coffee: Chemex, Hario & Aeropress.
What’s a Chemex?
Buy It Here: Chemex Pour Over CM-6A 6-Cup Classic Series Glass Coffeemaker £46.99
A Chemex is a beautiful glass pour-over carafe, invented in the 1940s by Peter Schlumbohm, an enterprising chemist in the USA.
It’s highly recognisable by the wooden neck collar with leather tie attached to the neck. It’s a pretty looking piece of coffee equipment. Chemex filter papers are the brainchild of Dr. Schlumbohm. It’s a special thick filter paper that prevents oils from the grounds getting through into the jug, and encourages ‘blooming’. Check out the recipe at the bottom!
What’s a Hario V60?
Buy It Here: Hario Red V60 02 (2 Cups) Coffee Starter Kit £16.99
The Hario V60 is a v shaped cone piece of equipment that filters coffee directly into a cup or a mug, ready to drink. It is a fantastic piece of kit for experimental brewing as it allows you to extract out different flavours depending on which method you use.
The V60 was invented by the distinguished Japanese manufacturer Hario, who initially made glassware for science labs – so you know they know their stuff.
Hario V60’ plastic, ceramic and metal varieties, with special ridges in the funnel that let air flow through for a smoother extraction.
We encourage you to experiment with different ratios of coffee to water to find the right recipe for you. The entire process takes 3-4 minutes per brew.
Other methods we prefer:
What is Aeropress?
Buy It Here: Aerobie AeroPress Coffee Maker £24.99
The AeroPress is a revolutionary way to make the perfect coffee every time. It’s so simple to use, that once you own an AeroPress you won’t want to go back to instant coffee or using expensive coffee brewers. The AeroPress uses gentle air pressure which creates a smooth, rich flavour with lower acidity and without bitterness.
Other coffee makers drip hot water on to a bed of ground coffee which results in over extracting at the centre and under extracting the flavour from the edges. But the AeroPress brewing system results in uniform extraction for the ultimate in full coffee flavour. The AeroPress comes with full instructions for use; just add your coffee and water!
The Aeropress’s versatility gives it a major advantage in the ring. People have created hundreds of recipes by adjusting variables like grind size and brew time, resulting in a wide range of unique cups. The Aeropress can even make coffee concentrate similar in taste to espresso. It is the perfect brewing device for curious coffee drinkers and experimenters.
Head Roaster Luigi’s Pour Over Method
STEP 1 – Fold and pre-moisten the paper filter
Fold it into a cone shape, place it inside the dripper. Moistening it ensures the filter stays in place as it should, and gets rid of any papery taste. Remember to discard the rinsing water!
STEP 2 – Choose Your Coffee
The origin and blend, of course, is yours to choose. In terms of grind – filter coffee works best with a medium grind, although for a Hario, we recommend grinding a little finer than a Chemex.
Measure out 60 grams of coffee for every litre of water. Obviously, if you’re only using 250ml of water, that’s 15g of coffee, and so on. If you don’t have scales then Hario brewers come with a scoop to give you an idea.
Freshly ground is always best, so if possible, grind just before you brew. Add the coffee to the brewer, making sure the bed of coffee is level. If you wish, you can make a small divot in the middle to help with wetting the coffee.
STEP 3 – Heat your water
Filtered water is your best option, to prevent any minerals contaminating the taste, but if tap is the only option, that’s fine too. If we’re being specific, aim for 90°C to 95°C, or a kettle that’s been let off the boil for 20-30 seconds.
STEP 4 – Pour to bloom
There’s a bit of technique here. Slowly pour the water into the centre of the coffee bed. You want to pour only about 20% of the water, so just enough to get all the grounds wet. Wait as the coffee and water fill upwards into a bloom, where carbon dioxide bubbles are released from the liquid.
Now, you can either give it a stir, to make sure all the grounds are thoroughly wet, or you can spin the water in the brewer (but be careful). Stir or spin for at least 10 seconds, as we don’t want any dry spots!
STEP 5 – Pour some more
Leave it for 30 seconds, for the bloom to dissipate, then pour continuously in small circles around the centre of the dripper, keeping the water level steady. Get as much of the water as you can in – this means a higher brew temperature and plenty of delicious extraction. Give it a little stir, to make sure no coffee is left high and dry.
STEP 6 – Remove the filter and brewer, and pour into your cup
Once your cup or jug is nearly full, you’re done. Easy as that.
We would always drink it black, but of course it’s up to you.
