It has been called many names from American coffee to filter coffee or just plain good old regular drip coffee. But regardless of the name used it is by far the most popular preparation method in the USA, and northern Europe. This method originates from Germany in the 20th-century and the advent of paper filters.

Drip brewing is by far the simplest. Water at 195º to 205° F is poured slowly through the grounds. The resulting cup is clear and smooth. The hotter the water within the stated range, the more vibrant and flavorful the coffee will be.

Brewed coffee filtering gadgets are diverse—wedges or baskets, which may be made from paper, cloth, metal, plastic, or coated plastic. Paper filters also vary widely from unbleached to bleached filter with fast flow to low flow for some extra steeping time.

The Grind is critical to great brewed coffee. We strongly recommend a medium grind for all drip brewers other than the ones listed below, because coffee that is too coarsely ground will taste weak in the cup. Coffee that is too finely ground will yield a bitter brew.

• Cone/wedge filter: medium grind
• Medium basket filter: medium grind
• Chemex: coarse grind
• Neapolitan: medium coarse grind
• French double drip: coarse grind

Drip brewers come either in manual or electric versions that can control the temperature and/or speed of brewing.

Always use a thermal carafe and be sure to enjoy within a maximum of 2 hours of brewing, but many standard models come with a warmer plate and a glass carafe. Beware as direct heat application to brewed coffee destroys it within 15-20 minutes.

Be sure to clean the brewing unit thoroughly at least once a week in order to eliminate oil and mineral build-up that alter coffee’s taste.

For a superior home brew:

• Temper the coffee pot by filling it with hot water and let stand for a few minutes.
• Use 7-8 grams (about a tablespoon) of ground coffee for about every 100-150 ml (about 3.3-5 oz) of water. The amount of coffee can be adjusted to your individual taste.
• Add water and coffee to machine
• Remove from heat and pour into thermal carafe (if you don’t brew directly into one) to keep the coffee warm.

For an expert brew at your business:

• Warm up the coffee pot by filling it with hot water and let stand for a few minutes.
• Use 3.25 and 4.25 ounces in weight (92 grams and 120 grams, respectively) of coffee per 64 fluid ounces of water (1.9 L). This results in a coffee strength between 1.15% to 1.35% dissolved coffee flavoring material. The amount of coffee can be adjusted to your individual taste.
• Brew cycle time should be between 4.5 to 5.5 minutes
• Remove from heat and pour into thermal carafe (if you don’t brew directly into one) to keep the coffee warm.