HOW TO MAKE FILTER COFFEE
For the whole crew. Fill it, switch it on, walk away. The workhorse of every office, and much better than its reputation once you get the ratio right.
This is the guide for every coffee maker with a filter basket, and for batch brew coffee in particular.
THE NUMBERS, FOR ONE CUP
THE NUMBERS, FOR ONE CUP
TIME
5 min
COFFEE
8 grams
WATER
125ml
RATIO
1:15
GRIND
Medium-coarse, like cane sugar
TEMP
92 to 96°C
MORE CUPS?
2 CUPS
COFFEE
17 grams
WATER
250ml
4 CUPS
COFFEE
33 grams
WATER
500ml
8 CUPS
COFFEE
67 grams
WATER
1000ml
VOLLE KAN (10)
COFFEE
83 grams
WATER
1250ml
TIME
3 min
COFFEE
20 grams
WATER
300ml
RATIO
1:15
GRIND
Sand
TEMP
94°C
MORE CUPS?
2 CUPS
COFFEE
17 grams
WATER
250ml
4 CUPS
COFFEE
33 grams
WATER
500ml
8 CUPS
COFFEE
67 grams
WATER
1000ml
VOLLE KAN (10)
COFFEE
83 grams
WATER
1250ml
NO SCALE? NO PROBLEM.
8 GRAM
One level tablespoon per cup.
60 GRAM
Is about a lemon’s worth of ground coffee, or eight tablespoons.
GRIND
It should look like cane sugar, slightly coarser than for a V60, because the water stays in contact with the coffee longer in a machine.
THE STEPS
01
PLACE A PAPER FILTER IN THE HOLDER AND RINSE IT IF YOUR MACHINE ALLOWS
Removes the papery taste.
02
GRIND YOUR COFFEE FRESH, MEDIUM-COARSE
8 g per cup, level it off in the filter. Do not press it down.
03
FILL THE WATER RESERVOIR TO THE CORRECT LINE
Use filtered water if your tap water is hard — it really makes a difference here.
04
SWITCH IT ON AND LET IT BREW
Resist the urge to open the lid halfway through.
05
SERVE WITHIN 20 MINUTES
Filter coffee left on a hot plate keeps cooking and becomes bitter.
TRANSLATED FROM BARISTA TALK
"Uniform bed saturation prevents fines migration"
Level the coffee so the water saturates it evenly.
"Extended holding time degrades cup quality"
Don’t leave it on the hot plate for an hour. Pour it into a thermos instead.
HOW THE FIVE COFFEES TASTE WITH THE V60
COFFEE
FRESH FROM THE MACHINE
30 MINUTES ON THE HOT PLATE
BREWED STRONGER
(10 G PER CUP)
MICROLOT
Rich and layered, holds up well
Becomes bitter and loses its depth
Excellent, worth the extra gram.
COFFEE: MICROLOT
FRESH FROM THE MACHINE
Rich and layered, holds up well
30 MINUTES ON THE HOT
Becomes bitter and loses its depth
BREWED STRONGER
(10 G PER CUP)
Excellent, worth the extra gram
SINGLE
Bright and clean, best when fresh
Becomes noticeably sour and flat
Bold, still vibrant
COFFEE: SINGLE
FRESH FROM THE MACHINE
Bright and clean, best when fresh
30 MINUTES ON THE HOT PLATE
Becomes noticeably sour and flat
BREWED STRONGER
(10 G PER CUP)
Bold, still vibrant
COFFEE: DOUBLE
DOUBLE
Sweet, reliable, the easy choice for a full pot
Fades a little, but stays drinkable
Very good
FRESH FROM THE MACHINE
Sweet, reliable, the easy choice for a full pot
30 MINUTES ON THE HOT PLATE
Fades a little, but stays drinkable
BREWED STRONGER
(10 G PER CUP)
Very good
TRIPLE
Chocolatey, full-bodied, the classic office pot
Holds up better than the rest
Rich, perhaps the best version of it
COFFEE: TRIPLE
FRESH FROM THE MACHINE
Chocolatey, full-bodied, the classic office pot
30 MINUTES ON THE HOT PLATE
Holds up better than the rest
BREWED STRONGER
(10 G PER CUP)
Rich, perhaps the best version of it
DARK
Bold, good with milk for a group
Turns bitter the fastest of the five
Strong, works well with milk
COFFEE: DARK
FRESH FROM THE MACHINE
Bold, good with milk for a group
30 MINUTES ON THE HOT PLATE
Turns bitter the fastest of the five
BREWED STRONGER
(10 G PER CUP)
Strong, works well with milk
IF THE POT IS GOING TO SIT FOR A WHILE, TRIPLE HOLDS UP BEST.
If everyone drinks it within ten minutes, Single is worth it.
IF THE POT IS GOING TO SIT FOR A WHILE, TRIPLE HOLDS UP BEST.
If everyone drinks it within ten minutes, Single is worth it.
TASTES WEIRD?
WEAK
Increase to 9 or 10 grams per cup. Also check whether the measurement line on your carafe is based on 125 ml per cup rather than 200 ml.
BITTER
Grind coarser, and don’t leave it on the hot plate.
EVERY POT TASTES DIFFERENT
Descale the machine. Limescale buildup affects both brew time and temperature.
THE FILTER FOLDS OVER
Fold the seam over before placing it in, and dampen it slightly so it stays in place.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
8 grams per 125 ml cup, a ratio of 1:15. That’s about one level tablespoon. For a full ten-cup pot, you’ll need about 83 grams.
Medium-coarse, like cane sugar. Batch brew coffee is exactly that: a grind made for filter coffee makers with a paper filter.
Triple for a pot that will sit for a while, Single if everyone drinks it fresh. Double is the safest choice if you’re not sure.
Usually because the cups marked on the carafe are 125 ml, while people calculate based on 200 ml mugs. Weigh it out once and stick to 8 grams per 125 ml.
It can, but it keeps extracting and evaporating, and turns bitter within 20 to 30 minutes. Pour it into a thermos if you need to keep it longer.
Only if you grind them first. Grind them fresh on a medium-coarse setting — it makes a bigger difference than the brand of coffee you use.