We Aussies are definitely a nation of coffee lovers. Many of us make regular trips to our local coffee shops and even more of us have invested in equipment to make coffee at home. But if you’re a coffee lover, do you know the difference between your drip coffee and other brews such as espresso? We tell you all you need to know about drip coffee.
Even if the term drip coffee isn’t that familiar to you, you’re likely to have had a cup of drip coffee at some point in your coffee drinking life. In its simplest terms, drip coffee is coffee that’s brewed in the type of coffee maker that allows water to drip onto ground coffee and then through a filter into a jug below. Drip coffee also requires a lot of coffee beans, so we recommend if you’re making coffee by the pot, that you try one of our coffee subscriptions.
How is drip coffee made?
As mentioned, drip coffee gets its name from the way in which it’s made. Generally, drip coffee is made in an automatic coffee maker. The process is extremely simple.
- A filter is placed into the filter holder and filled with ground coffee
- The water reservoir is filled with water to the level required
- A heating element in the coffee maker heats the water and forces it upwards
- The water then flows into a spout from where it drips onto the filter of coffee
- The liquid flows through the coffee and filter holder and into the jug below.
- Usually, a hot plate will keep the coffee at the required temperature.
How is drip coffee different from coffees made using other methods
Drip coffee machines rely on thermally induced pressure to move the water up through the machine and then on gravity to drip the water down onto the coffee grounds. With this method, less volume of the coffee grounds is dissolved, and if paper filters are used, they tend to trap some of the oils that would be present in coffees brewed by other methods. However, it’s a simple and practical way to make coffee and the coffee machines can be relatively inexpensive to buy.
How about cold drip coffee?
In a similar way to the hot version, cold drip coffee is made by allowing ice cold water to drip through freshly ground coffee. The water is absorbed by the coffee grounds and passes through into a separate vessel. Making cold drip coffee is an extremely slow process as it can take anywhere from 3.5 to 12 hours depending on the amount of coffee required. It also means that the resultant coffee has a fuller, richer body than coffees made using other methods. Cold drip coffee is usually served over ice as a shot, or it can be served with milk and sweeteners as desired.
What kind of coffee makes the best drip coffee?
You can use any of our coffee bags to make drip coffee, including packs of ready ground coffee. However, if you want to make it extra special, you may prefer to grind your own coffee beans to ensure the freshest flavour. Drip coffee brews at a slower rate than espresso coffee, so it’s often recommended that you choose a medium-course grind for a smooth, refreshing taste.
Buy your coffee from Bun Coffee
To ensure your drip coffee is as fresh as it can be, buy your coffee from us here at Bun Coffee. All our single origin coffee is freshly roasted and ground to order right here in Byron Bay.