The first porcelain filters and matching filter paper appeared on the market at the beginning of the 20th century. Preparing coffee by hand remained common until the 1960s, when the first filter-coffee machines started to become more prevalent.
Today, this method of freshly brewing coffee by hand is making a comeback. With names such as “pour-over coffee” and “drip-brewed coffee”, good old filter coffee has once again become a hit around the world. Whether in New York, Berlin, Stockholm or London – brew bars are popping up everywhere.
For the “pour-over” method, water is usually poured over the ground coffee in a filter. With full-immersion extraction, the ground coffee is steeped in water without any pressure. After a certain amount of time, a filter is then used to separate the resulting coffee from the grounds. One example of this technique is the French press.
The various filter coffee methods provide the ideal opportunity to explore the typical characteristics of single-origin coffees – speciality coffees, for example, whose flavour is the sum of their origin, quality, variety and processing methods. These are often arabicas from one plantation that are only available in small quantities. It’s an exciting experience for anyone who wants to delve deeper into the world of aromas and sensory evaluation.
