How to Make Better Drip Filter Coffee at Home
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The short answer: use about 60 grams of medium-ground coffee per litre of water. Rinse the paper filter, use fresh filtered water, keep the machine clean, and drink the coffee fresh instead of leaving it on the hot plate.
A drip filter machine does the pouring for you. That makes it easy, and it also means the machine controls the water temperature and brew time. So the things you can change are how much coffee you use, how it is ground, how fresh it is, the water and how clean the machine is. Get those right and it makes a much better coffee than most people expect.
What you need
- A drip filter machine and paper filters
- Fresh coffee, ground medium: about the texture of table salt or coarse sand
- Fresh, filtered water
- A scale, if you have one
Our starting recipe
- Coffee: about 60 grams per litre of water, a 1 to 16 to 1 to 17 ratio
- Grind: medium
- Strength range: 55 grams per litre for a lighter cup, up to 65 grams per litre for a fuller one
In practice that is about 30 grams for 500 millilitres, 60 grams for 1 litre, or roughly 90 grams for a full 1.5 litre pot.
How to make drip filter coffee, step by step
- Measure the water. Fill the tank to the amount you want. Machine cup markings vary, so a measuring jug is more reliable.
- Weigh the coffee. Use the ratio above. Weighing beats scooping, because a scoop holds a different amount depending on the roast and grind.
- Rinse the paper filter with hot water to remove the papery taste, and tip out the water.
- Add the coffee and level the bed.
- Brew. Start the machine and let it finish.
- Serve straight away. Coffee left on a hot plate turns bitter. Pour it into a warmed mug or thermos instead.
How to make it better: fix your cup
- Weak or watery: you are most likely using too little coffee. Add more before you change anything else. A slightly finer grind can help too.
- Bitter or harsh: use a little less coffee or grind a touch coarser, and do not leave the pot on the hot plate.
- Flat or dull: the coffee may be stale. Some cheaper machines also run cooler than they should.
- Metallic or off taste: clean and descale the machine, and use filtered water.
- Different every day: switch from scoops to a scale.
Change one thing at a time. The Roo would. The Galah tips in an extra scoop and calls it strategy.
Look after the machine
Rinse the basket and carafe after every use. Descale the machine every one to three months, depending on how hard your water is. Built-up scale makes the machine run cooler and can affect the taste.
Which coffee to use
Freshly roasted beans, ground just before brewing, make a real difference. The Hooligan works well as a filter coffee. It is our medium roast, with milk chocolate, caramel, toasted hazelnut and a gentle stone-fruit sweetness.
Drip filter FAQ
How much coffee should I use in a drip machine?
Start with about 60 grams per litre of water. Use less for a lighter cup and more for a stronger one.
What grind is best for a drip machine?
Medium, about the texture of table salt. Too coarse and the coffee tastes weak, too fine and it can taste bitter or slow the flow.
Paper or metal filter?
Paper gives a cleaner cup. A permanent metal filter lets more oils through for a fuller body. Neither is better, so choose the style you prefer.
Why does my drip coffee taste weak?
Most often you are using too little coffee for the amount of water. Weigh it and increase the dose.
Why shouldn't I leave coffee on the hot plate?
The heat keeps cooking the coffee, which turns it bitter and flat. Pour it into a thermos or serve it straight away.
Roasted in Dubbo, NSW and sent Australia-wide. Meet The Hooligan or buy The Hooligan medium roast coffee beans. Prefer a darker roast? Meet The Cartel.