Drip Bag Coffee Brewing Methods Are Hot and Cold Brew the Only Options for Drip Bag Coffee

Speaking of coffee bags, this reminds FrontStreet Coffee of convenient and simple drip coffee bags, but they're actually not the same thing.

In terms of operation steps, coffee bags are even simpler than drip coffee bags - you just need to place them in a clean container and add liquid, such as hot water, cold water, or milk. This is a coffee brewing method that has emerged in the last two years.

But looking at the purpose alone, it's actually very similar to the well-known drip bag coffee - both aim to get a cup of coffee more quickly, without needing any equipment or skills. As long as you have hot water, cold water, or milk, you can brew it. If you want to explore more possibilities, you can also follow FrontStreet Coffee's approach by using pure coconut juice, various fruit wines, mixed spirits, or other different liquids for soaking, allowing you to taste different flavors and thus experience the joy that coffee brings.

The principle of extracting coffee with tea bags is very simple: because the coffee powder is enclosed in the tea bag, it stays contained. Over time, the fine powder inside won't "escape" because water can only slowly penetrate from the outside in. The external coffee powder will inevitably be the first to be soaked and saturated, allowing flavor compounds to emerge. However, to achieve a richer coffee flavor, you need to gently stir the coffee bag during the soaking process to allow the powder layers to be extracted more evenly.

After discussing coffee bags, let's talk about drip coffee bags.

FrontStreet Coffee believes that drip coffee bags are equivalent to simplified pour-over coffee, with certain requirements for brewing time, temperature, and water amount. The water temperature for drip coffee bags is quite particular and is determined by the flavor characteristics and roast level of different origins. For darker roasts, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using 88°C water temperature, while for lighter roasts, 90°C to 92°C is best. However, friends don't need to worry about identifying coffee roast levels - FrontStreet Coffee's official account has published relevant knowledge about drip coffee bags and brewing methods, so everyone can purchase with confidence.

Many customers often come to FrontStreet Coffee shops to ask whether drip coffee bags can be reused for brewing. In fact, a small drip coffee bag typically contains 10 grams of coffee powder, which is generally only suitable for one brewing. When you try to brew it multiple times, you might notice that the coffee still tastes quite strong and seems drinkable. This is actually not the case because when you brew drip coffee bags for an extended time, the longer the coffee soaks, the more caffeine is released. This is because the coffee has been over-extracted. Over-extraction causes the bitterness and astringency in the coffee to be released, meaning the optimal flavor of this coffee is essentially gone. Even if the coffee is within its optimal tasting period, multiple brewings will diminish its best flavors. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee generally does not recommend customers reuse the same drip coffee bag multiple times.

If everyone purchases drip coffee bags to brew at home but fails to extract the optimal flavor, then the drip coffee bag is wasted. Therefore, everyone must brew during the coffee's optimal tasting period. To brew the best flavor from drip coffee bags, you need to pay attention to brewing parameters. Although the process of brewing drip coffee bags is similar to pour-over, FrontStreet Coffee suggests not simply copying the method. Because compared to V60 design, drip bags are not conducive to heat preservation, so the actual temperature will be lower. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends increasing the water temperature by 1 degree when brewing, which is more conducive to extracting the optimal flavor from the coffee.

If you visit FrontStreet Coffee, you'll find that our baristas typically use 15 grams of coffee powder to brew 225 milliliters of coffee when making pour-over for customers. They never reuse previously used coffee grounds to brew coffee for customers because FrontStreet Coffee wants to serve every customer a cup of coffee with optimal flavor - this is the founding principle of FrontStreet Coffee.

Additionally, FrontStreet Coffee would like to share a tip on how to determine whether purchased drip coffee bags are fresh. First, when purchasing drip coffee bags, look at the roast date on the packaging. The roast date indicates when the coffee beans were roasted. When we talk about coffee freshness, we generally look at the roast date rather than the expiration date. This is because freshly roasted coffee undergoes a self-fermentation process within a week, making the flavor more perfect. After this stage, the coffee begins to oxidize and volatilize, and its characteristic aroma becomes less noticeable.

Generally, if coffee packaging doesn't indicate a date, it might be drip coffee bags that have been stored for a long time. Although the general shelf life is much longer than the optimal tasting period, passing the optimal tasting period doesn't mean it can't be consumed. FrontStreet Coffee believes that once coffee has passed its optimal tasting period, the brewed coffee's flavor and texture won't be as good. This is because when brewing coffee during its optimal tasting period, the brewed coffee will have very rich oils, carry the characteristic sweetness of coffee, and emit an aroma that is truly delightful.

Then, when everyone brews drip coffee bags, if the coffee is fresh and within its optimal tasting period, the middle of the coffee powder layer will bulge when hot water is added - the fresher it is, the more obvious this phenomenon. This is generally called "hamburger brewing." Generally, lightly roasted beans don't expand as obviously as dark roasted beans.

Also, FrontStreet Coffee recommends that when purchasing drip coffee bags, try not to buy ones that were made more than five days ago. Because once coffee beans are ground into powder, the coffee quickly loses its characteristic aroma, greatly reducing its flavor. Just like customers who come to FrontStreet Coffee to buy coffee beans, we would recommend that customers ideally grind their beans just before drinking. However, many customers don't have grinders at home and will have the beans ground at FrontStreet Coffee, but FrontStreet Coffee still recommends trying to consume the coffee within its optimal tasting period.

Once you've decided to purchase drip coffee bags, the question that might trouble you is how to choose the right brand for you. FrontStreet Coffee suggests purchasing seasonal drip bags from specific origins. For example, FrontStreet Coffee's seasonal drip bags mainly feature coffees that best represent the flavor characteristics of their origin from seven regions, somewhat similar to FrontStreet Coffee's daily beans.

For example, if you like coffee with citrus fruit notes, FrontStreet Coffee would recommend purchasing Ethiopian Yirgacheffe drip coffee bags; if you prefer sweeter coffee flavors, such as sweet orange or honey, you could try FrontStreet Coffee's Guatemala Huehuetenango drip coffee bags; if you like the rich nutty and chocolate flavors characteristic of American coffees, then FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Cerrado, Colombia Huila, and Costa Rica Tarrazú drip coffee bags would be most suitable for you.

If your taste preferences are more intense, you can boldly try FrontStreet Coffee's Indonesian Mandheling drip coffee bags - their wild herbal and medicinal notes will be unforgettable! If you can't accept Mandheling's unique flavor profile, why not try FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan Xiao Li drip coffee bags? Their light fruity tea-like sensation is somewhat similar to drinking tea. If you have trouble making decisions, why not visit a FrontStreet Coffee shop when you have time and let our baristas help you choose a drip coffee brand that suits you.

Drip Coffee Brewing Method

The Brewing Process for Drip Coffee Bags

1. Warm the Cup

Prepare your cup and first pour some hot water to warm it. The purpose is to prevent the brewed coffee from cooling down too quickly. As the temperature drops, the flavor of coffee continuously changes. If it cools too quickly, you'll miss many different taste sensations.

2. Water Temperature

The brewing water temperature is very important. We recommend a temperature between 85°C and 90°C. If the brewed coffee is too bitter, you can try lowering the water temperature. Conversely, if it's too weak or too astringent, you can increase the water temperature, but still keep it within the 85°C to 90°C range.

3. Hang the Coffee Bag

First, gently shake the drip bag to let the coffee powder settle, preventing it from scattering when you tear it open. Then pour out the hot water from the cup. After tearing open the seal on the drip bag, unfold the paper "ears" on both sides and shake to level the coffee powder, finally hanging it on the rim of the cup.

4. Pre-wet

The amount of water for the first pour should be just enough to wet the coffee powder - too much or too little will affect the flavor. Then wait 20 seconds to let the coffee powder fully absorb the water. The coffee's strength can be adjusted by the pre-wetting time - extending it to 40 seconds will yield stronger coffee.

5. Pour Water

For the second pour, you can fill to about eight-tenths full of the filter paper. It's best to use a thin stream of water. When the water level drops to the pre-wet height, you can continue pouring to eight-tenths full until you've extracted 150-180cc. Once extraction is complete, you don't need to wait for all the water in the filter paper to drain - you can discard it directly.

6. Enjoy Your Coffee!

Remember that you can taste different flavors as the temperature changes!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473