A slow guide to filter coffee

28 September 2026

Good filter coffee needs three things: fresh beans, a scale and some patience. Everything else is detail.

I use 15 grams of coffee for 250 grams of water, ground to the texture of coarse sand. The water is just off the boil, poured in four small rounds, and the whole brew takes about three minutes.

If it tastes sour, grind finer or pour slower. If it tastes bitter, grind coarser. Change one thing at a time and write down the result.