A hand filter is a device used for the traditional preparation of coffee. With a hand filter, you can slowly pour the water over the coffee grounds so that it penetrates the coffee grounds and then slowly drips into the cup. By controlling the speed of the water flow, you can influence the taste of the coffee and make the drink to your own preferences. However, it takes some practice to achieve this.
To prepare coffee with a hand filter, first bring water to a boil and grind the desired amount of coffee beans. The grind should be slightly coarser than for espresso, but can vary according to taste. Then prepare the coffee filter by bending the filter paper and placing it in the hand filter. The filter paper is rinsed with hot water to remove its inherent taste. Then, you put the ground coffee powder into the filter and place it as centered as possible. Now pour about twice as much water as coffee grounds into the filter to let the coffee powder swell slightly. Then pour the remaining water slowly over the coffee in a circular motion. Ideally, the water should be poured into the hand filter as quickly as it drips out of it into the pot. To ensure good taste, the entire brewing process should take about 2.5 to 3 minutes.
The choice of coffee for preparation in the hand filter depends on individual preferences. The coffee grounds should be coarse to medium coarse. Since the hand filter method produces a clear and aromatic coffee, roasts with pronounced aromas are particularly suitable.
