Preparation with a hand filter

How to make the perfect coffee from a hand filter

The classic hand filter is celebrating a revival, as this preparation method is quick, uncomplicated and exudes the charm of the old days, when grinding and making coffee was still done by hand. Coffee from the hand filter is visually clear, it tastes full and rather strong, particularly fine aromas are emphasized.

You need:

  • Filter coffee of your choice
  • Hand filter, e.g. size 101
  • Paper filter (available in our Tchibo stores)
  • Scale
  • Kettle
  • Coffee grinder, e.g. our hand grinder

Amount of coffee per cup

6-8 g per 150 ml

Grinding degree

fine to medium (level 4-5, if 1 is fine & 10 is coarse)

Brewing time

3-4 minutes

Insert coffee filter

The preparation

Place the hand filter on a suitable coffee pot and insert a paper filter into the funnel. Pour some warm water into the filter so that it is evenly moistened (then empty the pot).

Did you know?

The quality of the water contributes a lot to the taste of your coffee. The softer the water, the stronger the coffee acids will be, while hard water tends to neutralize the fruit acids in the coffee. The full coffee aroma develops best in fresh water with a medium degree of hardness.

How much coffee in the filter?

The amount of coffee

The more coffee powder you put into the filter per cup, the stronger the coffee will taste. We recommend 6 g of coffee for 100 ml of water. A normal coffee measure holds 7 g of coffee powder. If you like it stronger or drink from a mug, use more coffee powder per 100 ml.

Did you know?

It is even easier to prepare coffee directly in the cup than in a hand filter. Simply pour 2 heaped teaspoons of coffee into a cup with 150 ml of hot, no longer boiling water, stir and leave to stand briefly. That's it!

Fine as sand

The right grind

The coffee aromas are locked away in each individual coffee bean. These aromas are only released when the beans are ground into coffee powder. The grain size of the grind has a significant influence on the taste. With the wrong grind, coffee can taste thin and sour or too strong and bitter.

For preparation in a hand filter, a fine to medium grind should be selected so that the coffee has roughly the consistency of sand.

Full aroma in circular movements

The preparation

Pour the coffee powder into the moistened filter so that the surface is as even as possible. Then pour in some water until it is approx. 1 cm above the coffee powder. Allow the coffee to swell for about 30 seconds (so-called blooming).
Once the water has run through, slowly pour in the remaining water from the center outwards in a circular motion. Finally, pour a thin stream into the center to keep the water level in the filter. The optimum throughput time is 3 to 4 minutes.

Did you know?

An even surface of the coffee in the filter after brewing is an indication that the ingredients have been evenly extracted - the grind was perfect and the fine particles of the coffee powder were evenly moistened.

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