Coffee Knowledge | Reasons why hand-brewed coffee is popular

When you walk into a coffee shop, the barista asks you kindly, "Do you want Italian coffee or pour-over coffee?" You look up at the menu and find that besides the familiar Italian coffees such as latte and cappuccino, there is an additional column next to it - "Pour-over coffee".

"What is Italian style and what is pour over?"

"What are those utensils of various shapes on the bar used for?"

"Kenya, Guatemala, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, how do I choose, what does it taste like?" ... I silently accumulated a hundred questions in my mind. (The customer next to me has already placed his order and sat down to drink coffee)

I know you have been asking these questions for a long time.

This time, I want to talk to you about "What is hand brewed coffee" and why more and more people are keen on exploring the wonderful flavors and even buying different utensils to enjoy the fun of brewing coffee at home.

1Instant vs. Pour-over: Why do you need to filter brewed coffee?

When I was a student, I had to drink 1+2 to study late at night. The slogan was, "Every drop is fragrant, and you will never get enough." At that time, my understanding of coffee was fixed on coffee powder + hot water, and stirring it would turn into a cup of sweet and milky "coffee".

It wasn't until college that my roommate brought home a bag of "coffee powder" by chance. I scooped a spoonful and added hot water to stir it, but it didn't dissolve! Not only did a lot of coffee grounds remain in the cup, but it also tasted bitter and astringent! (I thought it was so strange at the time, was the coffee powder bad? Why didn't it dissolve and taste so bad! Looking back now, I was really too young and too simple)

Because instant coffee is extracted from coffee extract, it can be dissolved directly in water.

What about the coffee we usually drink?

As mentioned before, coffee beans are the seeds of coffee fruits. They need to go through a series of processing and baking, and then grind the roasted coffee beans into uniform fine coffee powder using a grinder. Only then can the aroma and flavor contained in them be released through water and become drinkable coffee liquid.

After the extraction is completed, the coffee grounds that are insoluble in water naturally lose their function!

It is the same as brewing tea. After the good substances in the tea leaves are extracted, the tea leaves must be filtered out, otherwise you will be unhappy if you drink a mouthful of dregs.

2One picture to understand: What is hand-brewed coffee?

The essence of hand-poured coffee: extraction & filtration

In order to drink clean coffee without grounds, smart humans invented filter paper to separate coffee liquid from coffee grounds.

<Coffee filter paper was invented by Ms. Melita in Germany in 1908>

But then there is another problem. The filter paper needs something to support it so that it can better separate the coffee grounds from the coffee liquid. We call this device that can hold the filter paper and coffee powder a "filter cup".

With a filter cup, filter paper, a hand brewing pot, and a bottom pot to hold the coffee liquid, the equipment for hand brewing is basically complete!

The filter supports the filter paper, pour the freshly ground coffee powder into the filter paper and gently flatten it, then use a kettle to pour hot water into the filter paper containing the coffee powder: after the hot water fully contacts the coffee powder, the good ingredients in it are extracted, and then the coffee liquid is separated from the coffee powder through the filter paper.

All coffee brewed in this way can be called "hand brewed coffee".

3Why is hand brewed coffee so popular?

For me, the most important reason is of course that it tastes good!

Just use hot water to extract the good substances in the coffee beans without adding anything else. This simple and direct brewing method makes it easier to taste the flavor of the coffee itself!

The ever-changing coffee flavors brought by different varieties/different origins/different processing methods are the reason why more and more people are fascinated by hand brewing.

A cup of delicious hand-brewed coffee is clean, balanced, rich in layers and has a distinct flavor. You can fully experience the personality of different coffee beans. African beans have a bright acidity that is as dazzling as the sunshine there; while Indonesian coffee beans have a strong aroma and low acidity.

In addition, there are well-made, delicate and elegant hand-poured kettles, filter cups of various shapes and materials... The dazzling array of hand-poured utensils are pleasing to the eye just by being placed there, revealing the good taste of the owner.

In the morning, if you can prepare a hearty breakfast for yourself and make a cup of delicious coffee, I believe your good mood for the whole day will be brightened!

Weigh the coffee beans, grind them into powder, enjoy the happiness of being surrounded by the aroma, gently wet the filter paper, pour in the coffee powder and flatten it, then patiently add hot water, and finally drip filter and serve.

Hand brewing allows people to have a rare calmness and concentration. Our fast-paced life needs healing so much~

4It’s actually not that troublesome, anyone can do it!

Is it difficult to make coffee by yourself? Actually, it is not.

If you are willing to spend 3 minutes to make a pot of tea, then making a cup of coffee is not difficult.

For example, the process of brewing tea can be as simple as just a glass and hot water, or it can be as elaborate as having a covered bowl, a scented cup, and a fairness cup. The same is true for brewing coffee.

Hand pouring is simple and scientific.

To put it simply, as long as the coffee powder-water ratio is mastered and the water flow is controlled with a certain stability, the coffee maker can control whether it is strong or weak, bitter or sour.

As for the utensils, if you think it is too cumbersome to bring a bunch of utensils when you go out, then the drip coffee bag only needs hot water and a cup! The "drip coffee bag" can be understood as the simplest "hand-brewed coffee".

The bag of the drip coffee bag itself is the "filter paper", and the small ears that we often forget to fold are a simple support (still have to be long-winded, remember to fold the small ears before hanging it on the cup when drinking drip coffee bags). Add hot water and the coffee will be brewed quickly. Although there will inevitably be some loss of freshness and flavor, it is really convenient.

I say science because hand brewed coffee is like an interesting experiment that constantly awakens your inner spirit of exploration. As your understanding of coffee deepens, you want to understand the degree of grinding of coffee beans, water temperature, water quality, water flow, extraction time, and even the method and timing of water injection. Every tiny change in factors will affect the final flavor.

Therefore, drinking more, comparing more, and practicing more can make the cup of coffee in your hand closer and closer to what you want.