How to Make Drip Coffee
When I was in my first year of university, I had the privilege of working in a Nepali cafe/restaurant in the suburban area of Izu, a beautiful ocean area of japan. (You can read about how I found the job here!)
I would wake up every morning to the fresh breeze of sea salt scented air and the smell of freshly baked bread with brewed coffee. The master of the place, knew what he was doing and had a preference for every selection made. I instantly admired his knowledge, experience and charisma.
One day, he took me to his kitchen and made me my own glass of ice coffee. After I had my first sip of that ice cold delicious glass of coffee, he asked me what I thought the coffee taste like. An instant adrenaline rushed. “What should I say, what does he want me to say, should I say something unusual to make an impact?“ Millions of nervous thoughts rushed through my mind but it was no difficulty for the master to figure what was going on.
“Kid, there’s no right answer. Just tell me how the coffee tastes like to you.
You see, coffee changes taste in every situation. Who are you with? Are you with your boyfriend or your family?
Are you feeling sick today? Is it hot outside or is it cold? Are you feeling emotional? Are you feeling nervous? “
All these different factors in addition to where the coffee beans are from, how it was roasted, grounded and how it was produced, create the taste of the coffee.
For someone like me, who was always focused on getting the right answer, it was completely mind-blowing. Just as coffee, there is not always one singular right answer, or path we need to take. Since then, coffee has become a monument of flexibility for me. Something that perhaps Japanese society especially could use sometimes.
With that being said, I would like to introduce the way I like to drink my coffee. No right or wrong answer, but I do have experience of brewing coffee for 3 years at a local cafe and have been studying it as well. So please feel free to use it, and change it around a bit to your liking:)
What you need
Coffee Grinder
Coffee Dripper (I use a singular hole type, just cause I like my coffee pretty strong and slowly brewing it allows the strength to come out)
Good amount of coffee of your liking (10g per 180ml is recommended.)
*By the way, the more amount of coffee beans you use doesn’t make the taste strong. It actually does the opposite if anything.
Coffee filter (Reusable ones are recommended to save paper! I just don’t have one cause I’m too lazy.)
Mug Cup
Hot Water
Step 1. Boil your water and prepare your coffee beans.
If you want to make your coffee pretty strong, grind the coffee to a finely state. This time I used a rather roasted type of coffee so I grounded it very mildly.
Once you finish setting up your coffee and boiling your water, let the boiled water cool for a bit whilst pouring a little bit of it, into the mug cup. It’s good to warm the cup before hand as brewing the coffee directly into a cold cup might change the taste.
Step 2. Prepare your coffee filter and grounded coffee.
If you are using paper filter, fold the paper on different sides so it doesn’t unfold itself during the process.
Create a center in the grounded coffee beans so you know where you’re going to aim.
Step 3. Start pouring your hot water!
Start by only pouring boiled water to the surface of the coffee to even out how the taste comes about. Wait around 40 seconds here to balance it out.
Next, start pouring the hot water but try not to exceed the first line you make, as this will allow the taste of the paper filter to go through just boiled water and no coffee.
AND, Voila! Your freshly made hot coffee is ready.
Step 4. Find a cozy corner in your room to chill and drink up:)
Cozy coffee Music
The Only Thing/ Sufjan Stevens
