filter coffee

The degree of roasting and proper preparation of filter coffee have a decisive influence on its flavor. If you use the right coffee and pay attention to important parameters like the grind, you can brew a delicious cup of filter coffee, even without a coffee machine. We'll explain what to look for when ordering coffee and preparing it.

Filter by:

Availability (1)

Price

Sort by:

No products in this collection

Filter coffee from Süssmund Kaffee

The roasting profile is crucial for the taste

As a coffee roaster with high standards, we develop a unique roasting profile for each coffee variety, bringing out the qualities of the respective green coffee. Filter coffees are generally roasted for a shorter time than espresso beans. Furthermore, the final temperature is lower, and the development time (beginning at the first crack) represents a smaller proportion of the total roasting time. This results in the coffee beans being lighter in color than dark espresso beans and exhibiting less roasted aroma. Especially with filter coffee, the roasted aroma tends to be distracting, as it would overpower the delicate sweetness and complex acidity in filter coffee. Therefore, the filter coffee varieties are categorized as "Fruity & Complex" and "Balanced & Sweet." With the right roast, the growing region and processing method can be tasted.

While we recommend light roasts for filter coffee, there's nothing wrong with preparing an espresso roast as a filter coffee. The more intense roasted aroma makes the coffee more intense. However, the caffeine content doesn't change depending on the roast profile; the variety and preparation alone determine the coffee's caffeine content. Conversely, a filter coffee roast can also be prepared as an espresso. The light roast tastes fruitier as an espresso, with intense acidity, but less roasted aroma than an espresso roast.

Filter coffee brewing is particularly well-suited to experimenting with different roast profiles, grind sizes, water temperatures, brewing ratios (water:coffee), and pouring techniques. Since brewing time is one of the key factors for good taste, you should always grind the coffee fresh using your own coffee grinder. This is the only way to have absolute control over the extraction.

Filterkaffee im Handfilter zubereiten in der Hario V60

Filter coffee or the phoenix from the ashes

Filter coffee was long considered an undesirable coffee beverage that gradually fell out of fashion. With the rise of the coffee-to-go culture in the 1990s, it fell behind cappuccino and caffè latte. However, in recent years, filter coffee has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, and not only in Scandinavia, where the world's most filter coffee is consumed per capita.

Filter coffee is actually an umbrella term for several preparation methods. In German, the term usually refers to coffee from a filter coffee machine or coffee brewed by hand using a V60. The first paper filter entered the coffee world in 1907, when Melitta Benz experimented with her son's blotting paper. When filter paper was patented a year later, the rise of today's Melitta coffee empire and the triumph of filter coffee began.

Over 100 years later, particularly high-quality green coffees are lightly roasted and prepared as filter coffee. This allows unique flavors to emerge optimally. The popularity of the Brewer's Cup filter coffee championships has also given new impetus to the movement. Furthermore, the initial investment for preparing filter coffee is significantly lower than for a fully automatic coffee machine or espresso machine. All in all, filter coffee opens the door to coffee's versatility and invites experimentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes good filter coffee?

Compared to espresso from portafilter machines or fully automatic coffee machines, filter coffee is more watery in terms of caffeine content, but not necessarily weaker. Filter coffee per se is therefore not a "weak coffee," even if the drink is less dense than espresso due to the larger amount of water.
Due to pressure-free brewing, the coffee is extracted floating in the water for 2:30–5 minutes, depending on the brewing method, and then filtered through a paper, metal, or cotton filter. Depending on the filter used, more or less sediment will remain in the beverage, which will be noticeable in the body of the filter coffee. To make a delicious cup of filter coffee, important parameters must be observed. These include, above all, the correct grind size, the amount of coffee, the amount of water, the water temperature, and, of course, the selection of the right coffee beans.
The flavor diversity of filter coffee is particularly great, which is why national and international filter coffee championships (Brewer's Cup) have developed. Our master roaster and founder of Süssmund Kaffee, Nikolaus, has already won the Austrian Brewer's Cup twice with his home-roasted coffee. Perhaps you, too, can become fascinated by the world of filter coffee, ideally with a sample pack.

How can I make filter coffee?

You have the most control over filter coffee preparation with manual brewing methods. These include hand filter brewing, French press, Aeropress, and many more. We've written detailed instructions for each method. With these brewing methods, you generally have full control over the flow rate and agitation of the water, which are important for extraction. Filter coffee machines can also produce good results, provided the water temperature can be manually adjusted, blooming of the coffee bed is possible, and the coffee machine's shower distributes the water evenly in the coffee filter.

How long does filter coffee take?

The time required to brew filter coffee varies depending on the preparation method. While filter coffee prepared using a hand-held filter (such as a V60 from Hario or Chemex) takes 2:30 to 3:00 minutes, filter coffee prepared using a French press takes 4:00 to 5:00 minutes. The extraction time can be compared to that of tea. Due to the different grind sizes depending on the preparation method, there are slight variations in how quickly you can enjoy your cup of filter coffee.