What Is Coffee Steeping?
Find out about coffee steeping and how can you achieve the best results using this brew method. Steeping is a popular brewing process all over the world and in every culture.
For a lot of us making coffee is a very basic process (usually straight from the coffee bottle to the cup with some hot water, maybe some milk and/or sugar added.) Give it a stir and voila – a perfectly suitable cuppa!
So when someone says they steep coffee you may go a bit blank and wonder what that entails!
We will explain this brewing process to you and show you how simple it really is.
So In A Nutshell – What Is Steeped Coffee?
There are many ways nowadays for you to prepare your coffee.
There is drip filtration, percolation, pressurized infusion, and vacuum filtration to name just a few. Steeping is simply one more preparation process you can use to enjoy a cup of coffee.
If you are the owner of a coffee maker or coffee machine – you are preparing your daily morning coffee using the process of steeping through the process of drip filtration.
Some coffee connoisseurs will draw a strict distinction between immersion (steeping) brewing and pour-over brewing (drip filtration). For the purposes of this article, we will include drip filtration with steep brewing.
Coffee Steeping Meaning
Steeping is the process of soaking something in water or another liquid to soften, cleanse, or extract an element.
In the case of coffee, it is the process of soaking ground coffee in hot water for a few minutes to get a hot cup of flavorful brew.
You can also steep coffee for several hours. This long brew coffee process is used for making cold brews.
It is the same process by which you prepare a cup of tea by using tea bags or loose leaves.
What Are The Best Brands For Steeped Coffee?
Most homes around the world where coffee is enjoyed more than just as a “pick-me-up” will have a French Press in the kitchen.
The following are the recommended brands according to coffeeble.com for the perfect brewing of coffee:
Blue Bottle Coffee Giant Steps
Best Chocolatey Coffee Bean Blend for French Press
Barbarossa Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee
Best Floral & Fruity Beans for French Press
Equipment For Coffee Steeping
So what is steeped coffee made with? We showcase the 3 most popular methods.
One of the most commonly used pieces of equipment for preparing a steeped brew of coffee is the French Press.
French Press
Your coffee maker or machine gradually adds hot water to ground coffee held in a paper filter.
The French Press uses a metal filter with a plunger to separate the grounds from the water.
The components of a typical French Press are:
- A reinforced glass beaker with a handle
- Molded lip for pouring
- A plastic or metal lid containing a plunger to which a metal filter is attached
Once brewing is complete you push the plunger down. This separates the coffee grounds from the water.
Then simply pour out fresh brew into your cup or mug.
Clever Dripper
Another piece of equipment that tries to combine the best features of drip filtration and immersion brewing is the Clever Dripper.
A typical Clever Dripper consists of a cone-shaped plastic container into which you place a cone-shaped paper filter.
Once the brewing process is complete, you place the Clever Dripper over your cup or mug.
Simply open the valve at the bottom and allow the brewed coffee to drain out.
It is as simple as that.
You have a beautifully brewed cup of coffee.
Aeropress
A piece of equipment that is very popular with coffee enthusiasts is the Aeropress.
Your typical Aeropress consists of two cylindrical plastic tubes, one of which precisely fits into the other.
A metal filter can be screwed onto the device allowing you to filter the coffee grinds from the water.
While you physically press down on one end the brewed coffee exits from the opposite end.
If you are really serious about your brew, optional extras to the above pieces of equipment should include:
- Powered or manual coffee bean grinder
- Electrical or mechanical scale
- A thermometer
How Do You Make Steeped Coffee?
Whether you are making your cup of coffee using the French Press, Aeropress, or Clever Dripper, the core process of steeping or soaking coffee grinds in hot water remains the same.
Immersion brewing or steeping gives you control over the brewing process, unlike some of the other coffee brewing processes. Steeping allows the brewer the opportunity to experiment, especially while using the Aeropress.
It is for this reason that there can be a diversity of taste and flavor from coffee steeping method. Generally speaking one can expect a fuller, more rounded flavor from a brew prepared using this method.
For the purposes of this article, how to steep coffee using the French Press will be explained.
One of the easiest and most widely used pieces of equipment to prepare a cup of steeped coffee is the French Press.
The French Press Explained
Using the French Press:
Begin by removing the lid and plunger with the attached metal filter.
Bring some water, preferably mineral-free, to a boil.
If you use gas to boil your water, you can make your morning cup of coffee without the need for electricity. Perfect for camping, but just be very careful transporting your glass-walled French press.
Pour a little of the hot water into your French Press, replace the lid and plunger, and shake it. This both cleans and warms up your French Press before brewing.
Discard that water.
For best results use coffee beans that have been freshly roasted.
If you are not fortunate enough to have a supplier who sells freshly roasted beans, then buy a good-quality bag of coffee grounds. Make sure they have been ground specifically for the coffee steeping method.
If you are going to grind your own beans at home – make sure to grind a slightly coarser ground. There are lots of good-quality manual grinders that will allow you to get just the right grind size.
The water to coffee ratio is important. An incorrect ratio can result in coffee that is either over-extracted (dull and bitter) or under-extracted (under-developed and acidic).
Many coffee enthusiasts recommend a coffee to water ratio of 1:17 or 50g of coffee to 850g of water.
Now you know why that scale becomes useful.
Pour the coffee grounds into your French Press.
Add boiling water.
Start a timer for 4 minutes (your smartphone is perfect for this) and slowly pour in your hot water.
While freshly boiled water is perfectly fine, enthusiasts recommend water heated to between 90 – 96 degrees Celsius (195 – 205 degrees Fahrenheit).
After a minute gently stir the top layer of grounds into the water so that all the coffee becomes soaked.
Replace the lid with the plunger pulled back to help conserve heat.
Wait 3 – 4 minutes for the coffee steeping brewing time to complete.
Push the plunger down slowly to separate the coffee grounds from the water.
Pour into a waiting cup or mug.
How Long To Steep Coffee For?
The optimal brew time for steeped coffee is 4 minutes if you use a coffee to water ratio of 1:15 or 1:17.
If the equipment you are using recommends or only allows for a certain quantity of water to be used, simply divide that number by 15 or 17.
1ml of water weighs 1g so this will give you the weight of coffee beans or grounds to use.
What Factors Determine Coffee Steeping Time?
Size Of The Grounds
A fine grind needs less brewing time and conversely, a coarser grind needs more brewing time.
If you are using the French Press to prepare your cup of steeped coffee, be careful not to use a ground that is too fine. This can result in a clogged metal filter that is difficult to plunge.
A little experimentation is needed here.
If you are using a fine grind, try reducing your brew time by 30 seconds. If you are using a coarser grind, try increasing your brew time by 30 seconds.
How Strong Do You Like Your Coffee
The best cup of coffee is one that is evenly balanced.
An over-extracted cup of coffee will taste dull and bitter. An under-extracted cup will taste over-powering and acidic.
Experiment with the brewing time by 30-second intervals. Or, adjust the coffee to water ratio to get the taste that most appeals to you.
Which Method You Are Using
How long does coffee need to steep if you are using a French Press and the Clever Dripper? The factor that lends most weight to the steeping time is how fine or coarse the grounds are.
Remember, the finer the ground the less brewing time needed, and vice versa.
Generally, this only applies if you are manually grinding your own beans. A good quality brand of manual grinder will come with a variety of settings and detailed instructions.
If you prefer to buy your coffee already ground. Most brands will offer a variety of choices. They stipulate on the package which brewing method is best.
The Aeropress offers more flexibility due to an added variable, namely, pressure.
Besides simple brewing time, the use of the Aeropress forces water through the coffee grounds. This process adds to the extraction process.
This allows the brewer to experiment with the coffee to water ratio. Ultimately, this can alter the final taste in his or her cuppa.
Does Steeping Coffee For Longer Make It Stronger?
If the correct coffee to water ratio is used, the coffee steeping time is only about 4 minutes to brew completely if using the steeping method.
If strength is determined by the intensity of taste, then the strength of your cup of coffee has more to do with the quality of the bean and its roast level.
It is true that the longer you steep coffee the more you extract from the grounds. However, longer does not mean better.
For a stronger more intense flavor with a good taste, you need to use more grounds for the same volume of water rather than steep the coffee longer.
Different Roasts Explained
Light Roast
A light roast retains most of the bean’s complexity. A cuppa prepared with these beans will have the following flavor profile:
- Crisp acidity
- Floral and fruity flavors and sweetness
- Light body
- Bright aromas
- No bitterness
Medium Roast
A medium roast is a good middle ground. This still retains most of the bean’s complexities, but with the “edges” trimmed off. Its flavor profile is generally:
- Smooth acidity
- Floral and fruity flavors
- Honey or caramel sweetness
- Medium body
- Rich, rounded aromas
- Light pleasant bitterness
Dark Roast
A dark roast retains the least amount of the bean’s flavor complexity but is still not plain or boring. Its flavor profile is as follows:
- Mellow acidity
- Deep spice, earth, and woody flavors
- Molasses or chocolate sweetness
- Heavy body
- Rich, deep aromas
- Pleasant bitterness
Conclusion
Coffee steeping is easy to do and with the correct equipment and a good quality bean, you can create a perfect steeped coffee every time.
