Filter Coffee: Why It’s So Easy to Love
Dec 02, 2022
No matter how you drink it, there is nothing more motivating than that first cup of coffee in the morning. From the smell of freshly roasted beans and the sound of the grinder to the taste of an organic coffee brew that lightly steams your face as you come in for that first sip. If you want to add a healthy obsession to your life, filter coffee is an ideal choice.
While there are many brew methods a coffee aficionado can choose from, even the most novice coffee drinker can find great pleasure in savoring a cup of filter coffee. There is no need to make those early mornings more complicated. Making the perfect cup of filter coffee any time of day is as easy as grabbing your favorite organic coffee, boiling some water, and finding a filter.
What is Filter Coffee?
Coffee prepared using a filter is known as filter coffee, or drip coffee, as the water passes through the grounds and reaches the filter purely by gravity and not under pressure or force. Filter coffee refers to the brew that ultimately ends up in the cup after passing through a filter. Filter coffee can be achieved by a regular drip coffee machine, pour-over, or other brew methods using a filter.
Other Names for Filter Coffee:
- Pour-over coffee
- Drip coffee
What is Special About Filter Coffee?
Filter coffee is coffee brewed in one of its most popular forms. Organic coffee beans that have been freshly ground, saturated by hot water, and filtered through a paper filter produce a subtle, flavorful coffee that is less acidic than other brew methods. With filter coffee, there is no creamy or frothy top, just a clean brew that reflects the flavor profile of the bean.
What Kind of Filters Can I Use for Filter Coffee?
There is much excitement in discovering your favorite brew method and the ideal organic coffee roast for your palate, but don’t forget about the key aspect of filter coffee: a filter. There are three main choices in coffee filters. While they may seem to play a small part in the brewing process, the type of filter you choose can make all the difference in the brew that reaches your cup.
3 Types of Coffee Filters:
- Paper filters
- Metal filters
- Cloth filters
Paper filters are most common for pour-over and drip brew methods. They are low cost and easy to find. The tightly woven paper keeps oils from reaching your brew and keeps even the finest grinds from passing through into your coffee.
Many types of coffee brewers have built-in metal filters. Espresso machines, French presses, and percolators have reusable metal filters that are easy to clean and environmentally friendly. Your organic coffee can be coarsely ground and works well with a metal filter, which allows oils and some coffee ground sediment to pass through.
Cloth filters work best with a pour-over brew method. They are the highest maintenance of the three filters as they require frequent rinsing and cleaning. Cloth filters can become clogged with your organic coffee grounds and oils, resulting in water being filtered slower and altering the taste of your coffee.
What Does Filter Coffee Taste Like?
Filter coffee tends to taste cleaner and sweeter with a more delicate brew. The presence of the filter slows down the water penetration and lets the organic coffee grounds soak a little longer. This gives the grounds time to express their unique body and finish, creating a flavorful cup of coffee with less acidity.
Is Filter Coffee Healthier than Regular Coffee?
Studies show that filter coffee is better for your health than boiling ground coffee beans in water and drinking the resulting concoction. Coffee lovers say unfiltered coffee has oils that are extracted in the brewing process, which enhance the flavors of the bean. On the other hand, unfiltered coffee contains diterpenes, or chemical compounds, that have been shown to increase bad cholesterol. Unfiltered coffee also means there will be grounds in your cup – who wants that?
Does Filter Coffee Have More Caffeine?
Filter coffee typically has more caffeine per cup than most brew types. For example, espresso has a higher concentration of coffee per serving; however, a double shot of espresso averages about 80 mg of caffeine versus around 125 mg in an 8-ounce cup of filter coffee. The biggest factor in the amount of caffeine in your cup is the quality of your ground coffee.
What Coffee Roast Works Best for Filter Coffee?
Medium roast organic coffee works best for the drip method of filter coffee. Gravity pulls the water through the grounds and extracts flavors, making the smooth, complex flavor profile of a medium roast ideal for a drip coffee maker. Light roast organic coffee can be too acidic, and dark roast may easily become over-extracted.
A medium or dark roast organic coffee is also recommended for a pour-over filter coffee. Pour-over coffee is made by continuously pouring water over the organic coffee grounds. The water penetrates the grounds and filter, reaching the cup within a shorter infusion time. This makes the clean-tasting vibrant flavor profile of a medium to dark organic coffee roast ideal for this method.
How Do I Find the Best Organic Coffee?
To find the best organic coffee for your daily fix of filter coffee, consider a subscription to a high-quality coffee roaster. A subscription provides the flexibility of trying a variety of organic coffee beans to find the best bean options for you. No matter which type of filter you are going to use to extract your perfect cup, it is key to start with the best possible organic coffee grounds.
A subscription service allows you to try a variety of organic coffee roast types while learning to perfect your brew method. Filter coffee is an easy way to start the day, and with a little practice, you’ll have your preferred method of making filter coffee down to a science. Whether you choose French press, drip, or pour-over to get your day started, your obsession with filter coffee is guaranteed to motivate your mornings and have you scheduling your whole day around when you can brew your next cup.