This time we'll introduce you to the wonderful method of brewing coffee using a hand filter. This method is known worldwide, and our grandparents already drank their coffee this way. Today it's more popular than ever, bringing incredible joy and intense flavor experiences to coffee lovers and filter coffee specialists alike.
We'll show you the origins, what you need for preparation with a hand filter, and of course, a step-by-step guide for home use.
Let us know what you think of this preparation method and if you already use it!
The origin of the hand filter or 'The Bentz of coffees!'
Before we delve into the triumph of filter coffee, we'd like to explain precisely why this invention deprived the Western world of its oracles. Sounds exaggerated? That's a matter of opinion! Before the invention of filter coffee, the future was predicted from the coffee grounds left in the cups by various media outlets, showmen, or even the slightly eccentric neighbor. Whether it was true? That's debatable.
However, there's no arguing about the world-changing invention of Amalie Auguste Melitta Bentz from Dresden. She was so annoyed by the coffee grounds that spoiled the taste of her coffee that she began experimenting in 1907. She took a tin can, drilled holes in it, and tried out various materials to finally enjoy her coffee without any residue. Ultimately, she used a piece of blotting paper from her son's school notebook, and voilà: the Melitta filter was born.
Of course, some adjustments were still needed, but the invention was so good that in 1908 Melitta Bentz founded the company "Melitta" with a capital of 75 Reichspfennigs, thus laying the foundation for the now globally operating greeting company.
Incidentally, it wasn't until 1930 that the coffee filter took on its now-common tapered shape with matching filter bags. Before that, it was simply round.
Preparation using a hand filter
You're probably thinking: coffee in - water over it - done! But as always in the world of coffee lovers, it's not that simple - there are a few basic rules that greatly influence your coffee enjoyment and make it significantly better.
It starts with the excessively hard tap water in Germany. For a good pour-over coffee, you need soft water. This can be achieved with a water filter or, thankfully, simply by boiling the water. A combination of filtered and boiled water yields the best results. If you'd like to learn more about the properties of water and their effects on your coffee, check out the Specialty Coffee Association (SCAA) website. There you'll find a summary of the characteristics of water suitable for coffee !
Another factor, or rather THE factor, for good filter coffee is GOOD BEANS. No matter what flavor profile you prefer, pay attention to quality. You can read here why we have these particular beans for you, or simply see for yourself and try our coffee selection .
And last but not least: Pay attention to the brew ratio. The easiest way to do this is to use a scale and follow a recipe. You can get one from your barista at your favorite café or from experts online.
The right equipment for your hand-filtered coffee
Of course, you'll need a pour-over filter to brew coffee. The most well-known and popular is the porcelain Hario V60. This is placed on a carafe (preferably the Hario XGS glass carafe), and using the pour-over method, you'll get a flavorful filter coffee. The principle is exactly the same as Melitta Bentz's invention, and our grandmothers used to brew their coffee this way. Another advantage is that you can brew up to four cups in the carafe, or simply place the filter directly on a single cup of coffee – super flexible!
You'll also need freshly ground coffee. We recommend a simple hand-operated coffee grinder. This is sufficient for home use, quiet, and, most importantly, portable (so you can take your AeroPress with you when you travel ). The advantage of freshly ground coffee is, of course, that the flavor remains more intense than with pre-ground, store-bought coffee. Factors like oxidation, moisture absorption, and carbon dioxide release significantly affect the coffee's flavor, and unfortunately, not for the better. Therefore, it's best to buy whole beans and grind them yourself at home!
Now measure the freshly ground coffee with a scale and you're ready to prepare your hand-filtered coffee at home!
Our step-by-step guide
- Fill your coffee pot with hot water to preheat it.
- Grind your coffee beans to a medium grind.
- Place the filter in your coffee pot and rinse it with hot water beforehand. This will remove any papery taste that might be affecting the flavor of your coffee.
- Define your brew ratio. For pour-over coffee, this is around 1:15-1:17. That means 1g of coffee to 15-17g of water. For a cup of coffee, you'll need approximately 15g of coffee to 240g of water. Why are we using grams for water here? The easiest way to brew your coffee is to place the entire pot on a scale and then weigh your ingredients. We use grams so you can track the weight precisely!
- Pour a small amount of hot (not boiling!) water onto the coffee grounds in a gentle circular motion. The rule of thumb is twice the amount of water as coffee. In our example, that's 30g.
- Let your coffee "bloom" for 30 seconds. This starts the extraction phase, as the coffee grounds can swell.
- Now, pour the remaining water over the coffee grounds in slow, circular motions. Take your time to ensure the extraction is as even as possible and to avoid any loss of flavor.
- Once the water has completely passed through, remove the hand filter and enjoy your coffee!
As you can see, even the hand filter is a wonderful way to celebrate and enjoy your coffee. It takes some practice, especially at the beginning, but this experimenting is incredibly enjoyable.
If you have any questions, come and talk to us and we will be happy to help you in our cafes or online as always!
Preparing coffee using a hand filter - filter coffee reinterpreted!
This time we'll introduce you to the wonderful method of brewing coffee using a hand filter. This method is known worldwide, and our grandparents already drank their coffee this way. Today it's more popular than ever, bringing incredible joy and intense flavor experiences to coffee lovers and filter coffee specialists alike.
We'll show you the origins, what you need for preparation with a hand filter, and of course, a step-by-step guide for home use.
Let us know what you think of this preparation method and if you already use it!
The origin of the hand filter or 'The Bentz of coffees!'
Before we delve into the triumph of filter coffee, we'd like to explain precisely why this invention deprived the Western world of its oracles. Sounds exaggerated? That's a matter of opinion! Before the invention of filter coffee, the future was predicted from the coffee grounds left in the cups by various media outlets, showmen, or even the slightly eccentric neighbor. Whether it was true? That's debatable.
However, there's no arguing about the world-changing invention of Amalie Auguste Melitta Bentz from Dresden. She was so annoyed by the coffee grounds that spoiled the taste of her coffee that she began experimenting in 1907. She took a tin can, drilled holes in it, and tried out various materials to finally enjoy her coffee without any residue. Ultimately, she used a piece of blotting paper from her son's school notebook, and voilà: the Melitta filter was born.
Of course, some adjustments were still needed, but the invention was so good that in 1908 Melitta Bentz founded the company "Melitta" with a capital of 75 Reichspfennigs, thus laying the foundation for the now globally operating greeting company.
Incidentally, it wasn't until 1930 that the coffee filter took on its now-common tapered shape with matching filter bags. Before that, it was simply round.
Preparation using a hand filter
You're probably thinking: coffee in - water over it - done! But as always in the world of coffee lovers, it's not that simple - there are a few basic rules that greatly influence your coffee enjoyment and make it significantly better.
It starts with the excessively hard tap water in Germany. For a good pour-over coffee, you need soft water. This can be achieved with a water filter or, thankfully, simply by boiling the water. A combination of filtered and boiled water yields the best results. If you'd like to learn more about the properties of water and their effects on your coffee, check out the Specialty Coffee Association (SCAA) website. There you'll find a summary of the characteristics of water suitable for coffee !
Another factor, or rather THE factor, for good filter coffee is GOOD BEANS. No matter what flavor profile you prefer, pay attention to quality. You can read here why we have these particular beans for you, or simply see for yourself and try our coffee selection .
And last but not least: Pay attention to the brew ratio. The easiest way to do this is to use a scale and follow a recipe. You can get one from your barista at your favorite café or from experts online.
The right equipment for your hand-filtered coffee
Of course, you'll need a pour-over filter to brew coffee. The most well-known and popular is the porcelain Hario V60. This is placed on a carafe (preferably the Hario XGS glass carafe), and using the pour-over method, you'll get a flavorful filter coffee. The principle is exactly the same as Melitta Bentz's invention, and our grandmothers used to brew their coffee this way. Another advantage is that you can brew up to four cups in the carafe, or simply place the filter directly on a single cup of coffee – super flexible!
You'll also need freshly ground coffee. We recommend a simple hand-operated coffee grinder. This is sufficient for home use, quiet, and, most importantly, portable (so you can take your AeroPress with you when you travel ). The advantage of freshly ground coffee is, of course, that the flavor remains more intense than with pre-ground, store-bought coffee. Factors like oxidation, moisture absorption, and carbon dioxide release significantly affect the coffee's flavor, and unfortunately, not for the better. Therefore, it's best to buy whole beans and grind them yourself at home!
Now measure the freshly ground coffee with a scale and you're ready to prepare your hand-filtered coffee at home!
Our step-by-step guide
As you can see, even the hand filter is a wonderful way to celebrate and enjoy your coffee. It takes some practice, especially at the beginning, but this experimenting is incredibly enjoyable.
If you have any questions, come and talk to us and we will be happy to help you in our cafes or online as always!