Filter coffee is brewed by passing hot water through ground coffee and a filter that separates the drink from most of the grounds. Drip machines, batch brewers and pour-over cones are common examples; paper, cloth and mesh filters are used.
Filter coffee vs espresso
Filter brewing usually relies on gravity as water flows through the coffee bed. Espresso uses pressure to force water through a compact bed of finely ground coffee and is typically served as a smaller, more concentrated drink. Neither method requires sugar or milk. Taste depends on the beans, grind, water, brewer and recipe; filter coffee is not automatically weak.
How to make filter coffee
- Choose a pour-over cone or drip brewer and a clean, compatible filter.
- Use coffee ground for that brewer; follow its directions on rinsing paper filters.
- Add the coffee and brew with hot water according to the maker's recipe, staying within marked capacity.
- Let it drain, then remove the filter and grounds.
If the cup is too strong, weak, sour or bitter, adjust one variable at a time, such as grind, dose or brew time. Pour-over and drip commonly use a medium grind, but the right setting depends on the brewer and flow.
Common questions
Drip is one kind of filter coffee. Traditional filter coffee uses hot water; cold brew is a separate steeping method. Caffeine depends on portion size, dose and beans: espresso is more concentrated by volume, but a larger filter coffee may contain more overall. See SCA Germany's copy of the two-cup pour-over guide.
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