Base Coffee Method for Brewing Coffee: Paper Drip Edition

When people hear "brew coffee," many probably imagine a scene like this... This is "paper drip," one of the easiest ways to brew coffee, by pouring hot water over ground coffee using a device called a dripper and a filter. This task, with its stylish pouring technique, seems simple but is actually quite profound. Even if you brew with the same recipe, the flavor of the coffee can change significantly depending on the type of dripper and how you pour the hot water. While each dripper has its own brewing points, this time we will introduce the basic common points of paper drip and Base Coffee's method for paper drip.

How to use and key points of Base Coffee's paper drip method

The paper drip brewing process is divided into three steps: Set the filter and beans ➡ Pour a small amount of hot water and let it steep ➡ Pour more hot water to extract

Items needed for paper drip

Coffee beans (medium grind)

Hot water (90-95℃)

Dripper

Filter

Kettle (with a narrow spout)

Step 1: Set the filter and beans

Set the filter in the dripper. At this time, don't forget to fold the seam of the filter (alternately for trapezoidal ones). This allows you to firmly adhere the filter to the dripper. This adhesion stabilizes the filter, allowing the hot water to pass through the grooves etched into the dripper, which is its correct path. After setting the filter, add the ground beans and gently shake to level the surface.

Step 2: Steaming (Blooming)

To brew delicious coffee, the preparation stage of "steaming" is crucial. Pour a small amount of hot water to thoroughly moisten the beans. By "steaming," the coffee particles swell, allowing the coffee essence to be thoroughly extracted during brewing. At Base Coffee, we steep 14.5g of coffee for 30 seconds and 25g for 50 seconds.

Step 3: Extract

Once blooming is complete, it's time to extract. Slowly pour hot water in a spiral motion, like drawing the hiragana character "no," aiming for the center and making a circle about the size of a 500-yen coin. For 14.5g of coffee, pour hot water until the total amount, including the water poured for blooming, reaches 235ml. For 25g, pour until it reaches 450ml. While some drippers require pouring hot water in several stages, the "Melitta" brand, which Base Coffee also uses, lets the water drip at a constant speed. Therefore, you just need to slowly pour the required amount once and then wait, making it recommended for beginners!

Step 4: Pour into a cup

When 200ml of coffee liquid has been extracted from 14.5g of beans, or 400ml from 25g, it's time to stop. Remove the dripper. Once the coffee is extracted, first stir it gently. Freshly brewed coffee has varying concentrations of coffee components, so it's important to stir it to equalize. Finally, pour the coffee into a preheated cup, and it's complete.

Avoid these! Paper Drip Don'ts!

While there are various points to consider depending on the dripper, there are three common "don'ts" that you should avoid. Let's be mindful of these points.

Breaking the coffee bed.

When brewing coffee, a donut-shaped "coffee bed" forms inside the dripper. It might feel wasteful to break this bed, but this is a no-no! If you pour hot water while breaking this bed, the water will fall straight through without touching the coffee, resulting in a weak coffee where the coffee components are not properly extracted. Also, the coffee bed itself acts as a filter, removing harsh flavors from the coffee, so avoid breaking it and pour the water into the center.

Pouring too much water after the first pour.

Some drippers require pouring hot water in multiple stages. When using these, it's a no-no to pour carelessly without paying attention to the rising water level after pouring water the first time! It's important to ensure that after the first pour, you don't pour water above the coffee bed that was formed at that time. If you exceed the bed, just like when you break it, only the water will flow down the outside. If you pour water up to about 70% of the dripper's height the first time, be careful not to exceed that height in subsequent pours!

Letting it drip until the very end.

It's tempting to extract until no coffee drips out of the dripper at all, but this is also a no-no! The good components of coffee start to drip out in the first few milliliters, and as extraction progresses, undesirable bitter notes increase. Therefore, if you lift the dripper before it completely drips out, when a little hot water is still left in the dripper, you can prevent those bitter notes from reaching your cup. Some drippers are designed so that the bitter parts don't drip out even if left alone!

Pros and Cons of Paper Drip

Paper drip is arguably one of the most widely used coffee extraction methods in Japan. Here, we will look at the advantages of "paper drip," which has gained such popularity, and its corresponding disadvantages.

Advantages of Paper Drip

Easy cleanup

A major advantage is the easy cleanup, as the spent coffee grounds can be discarded along with the filter. Also, the equipment is simple and doesn't require disassembly, making it easy to wash, which is another good point of paper drip.

Equipment is easy to get

No special machinery is needed, and drippers and filters are relatively inexpensive compared to other equipment, making it an approachable method for those looking to start their coffee journey. This is a key factor in attracting new coffee enthusiasts.

Can tailor to your preferred taste

One of the characteristics of paper drip is that you can control the outcome by adjusting the steeping time and the speed of pouring hot water. As you get more accustomed, you can adjust your brewing method based on the beans and tailor the coffee to your preferred taste.

Disadvantages of Paper Drip

Adsorbs coffee oils

Because the filter adsorbs coffee oils, which are one of the coffee's components, it can make it harder to experience the direct taste of the beans. If you want to retain more coffee oils during extraction, we recommend "French press."

Taste varies depending on the brewer

Depending on the dripper, the taste can vary depending on the person brewing and their method. While it's a benefit that you can achieve your preferred taste, as mentioned in the pros, it requires considerable practice to consistently brew the same coffee, making consistency a difficult aspect of paper drip.

Paper drip allows you to enjoy the rising aroma of coffee while brewing, and cleanup is easy. Finding a dripper that suits your preferences or exploring different brewing methods allows for a deep dive into the craft, which is probably the most enjoyable aspect of this brewing method for enriching your coffee life. We hope to explain the different types of drippers someday, so please look forward to it!