When your sole focus each morning is to brew yourself a cup of coffee before you get too late for work, clean-up can feel like a dreadful chore.
But let’s face it, all good things take effort and enjoying cups of crisp Indian filter coffee is no different.
While the taste of the filter coffee has a lot to do with the beans and the process of brewing the coffee, the upkeep of the utensils also gradually weighs in on how your coffee tastes.
Here are some simple pointers to keep in mind about maintaining the quality of your traditional Indian filter coffee maker.
Understanding the Parts of the Indian Filter Coffee Maker
Traditionally, Indian coffee filters are available in two varieties - stainless steel and brass. The process of cleaning either is almost the same with a couple of minor differences depending on the material.
We offer custom-made high-grade 0.6mm steel filters in 2 styles - a glossy finish and a matte finish.
The entire setup consists of a filter and a dabara set. Although it’s not compulsory to use the dabara, take it from us, it just makes the experience more authentic.
The filter is the primary aspect of the maker and is like a closed-lid tumbler. It has 2 distinct halves where the lower container collects the decoction and the upper container does the magic of extracting the coffee from the grounds.
This upper container looks similar to the lower one with the only difference being that the bottom part of it is perforated to let the decoction drip down.
Then there’s the lid which is used to prevent steam from wafting out and keeps the coffee warm.
And lastly, the 4th element of the coffee maker is a handheld tool for tamping the coffee. This is a disc with holes in it. It not only evens out the coffee bed but also controls the amount of water that is let through.
How to Maintain the Quality of the Indian Filter Coffee Set
If you are used to brewing coffee with a coffee machine or a Moka pot, you’ll realize that using an Indian drip filter is somewhat different but also so rewarding.
Firstly, much like any vessels you use at home, it is important to rinse the drip filter after every use. It prevents build-up and discolouration in the long run.
A simple soap wash would do and most Indian drip filters are also dishwasher safe. So check the manufacturer instructions regarding the same.
Since the top container is the one that holds the ground coffee, there are chances that some residue could gather in the crevices. You can use a brush to lightly scrub and dislodge these granules.
The tamping disc can also have grounds stuck in it. Either a brush or a needle would help get rid of the same. This wouldn’t necessarily be an everyday occurrence; water will almost always get rid of the sediments. But these are just a few tips to keep in mind.
Once a week, it is also recommended to soak the parts of the drip filter in near-boiling water. What this does is wash out the inner walls of the containers to prevent any coating of the decoction.
Afterwards, use a dry cloth to wipe it clean and store the Indian filter coffee maker well.
Cleaning the Indian coffee filter is not as complex as cleaning a coffee machine, and the brewing method produces results that are certainly comparable if not better according to a lot of coffee enthusiasts.
Let us know when you got your traditional drip filter and how your experience using it has been.
Looking to gift an Indian coffee filter to a friend? We have a starter pack, complete with the dabara set and packs of our traditional flavour coffee - a hamper of traditional filter coffee bliss if you will.
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