Have you ever wondered what exactly steeped coffee is and how it differs from normal drip coffee? If so, you’re in the right place! Steeping coffee is the same process you use to make tea in most cases. The key difference is that you let your coffee sit and soak instead of letting it drip through a filter.
Few are willing to deviate from their preferred cup of coffee. I mean, why mess with something if it isn’t broken, right? However, stepped coffee has become a trendy practice in recent years and many people have taken the leap of faith. Anyways, back to the question at hand – what is steeped coffee? In short, steeping is a coffee brewing method that involves soaking the beans in hot water to create a high-quality flavor. In this post, we’ll explore the world of steeping coffee and help you decide if it’s something you want to try!
What is Steeped Coffee?
In the most basic sense, steeped coffee is when you let your coffee grounds sit directly in hot water.
Standard coffeemakers and Keurigs brew coffee via a drip filtration process. The coffee sits in a paper filter or Keurig cup and hot water drips through the grounds to brew a pot or cup of coffee.
Steeped coffee, on the other hand, is when you let your coffee grounds soak directly in the hot water. If you’ve ever brewed tea, then you’re familiar with steeping because you always let the tea bag or leaves sit in hot water.
The Science of Steeped Coffee
Now that we’ve covered the basics of steeped coffee, let’s dive a little deeper into the science. When you steep coffee, you essentially rehydrate the grounds with hot water. In doing so, the soluble compounds within the coffee are able to release into the water. The caffeine, flavor, and color are the primary compounds that the water unlocks and that you expect in a hearty cup of coffee.
When you opt to steep your coffee instead of brewing it via the traditional drip method, you will not get the most out of the coffee grounds you brew. With a standard drip coffeemaker, the speed of the water flow dictates how the coffee will taste.
Another downside to drip brewing is the use of a paper filter. While the coffee seeps through the filter, it can lose a good portion of its flavor profile and weaken your coffee. Most coffee gurus use a metal strainer to remove the grounds from their steeped coffee. Doing so allows for the full flavor profile to remain in the water.
In summary, steeping yields a strong cup in a short period of time if done correctly. Next, let’s outline the right way to steep coffee so that you can have the perfect cup of joe!
How to Steep Coffee
The most common way to steep coffee is to use a French Press. French presses are designed specifically to steep coffee, which makes them the ideal tool to steep your coffee. However, a French press is not required to make steeped coffee.
French Press
- Boil your water with an electric kettle or a stovetop kettle.
- Measure one tablespoon of coffee grounds per cup of steeped coffee.
- Place the grounds at the bottom of the French press.
- After the water boils, pour the boiling water onto the coffee grounds – you can use less water if you want a stronger cup or more if you want weaker coffee.
- Steep the coffee for four to five minutes – the longer you steep, the strong the coffee.
- Separate the grounds from the water by pressing the metal filter into the French press.
- Pour your steeped coffee into your favorite mug and enjoy!
Without a French Press
- Boil your water.
- Measure one tablespoon of coffee grounds and place them in a heat-safe container with room for boiling water.
- When the water boils, pour the water into the container and vigorously mix the grounds with the water.
- Set a timer and let the mixture steep for four to five minutes.
- Use a fine strainer, such as a kitchen or tea strainer, and pour the water and grounds into it with your favorite mug beneath it. This step can be messy!
- Restrain with a smaller strainer if necessary.
- Enjoy your steeped coffee once all the grounds have separated from the water.
Closing Thoughts
Some novice coffee nuts use coffee bags, which are similar to tea bags, to steep coffee. However, this is not recommended since you lose some of the flavor profile due to the paper bag.
