Want to be mindful of the environment while still enjoying a great brew? Try coffee sock brewing!
In a day and age where coffee pods or capsules are the primary caffeine fix method for a large population, it seems quite subversive to suggest that you choose an alternative way to brew your cup of joe. After all, with 42 percent of U.S. households owning a single-serve coffee machine, how easy can it be to shun the method in favor of another way to make coffee? Maybe just as easy as presenting science-based facts that prove your coffee pods and even paper-based coffee filters aren’t that great for the environment.
According to statistics, millions of coffee pods end in landfills each year. Those that are recyclable are still bad for your health in the long term. That is why several cities are banning coffee pods left, right, and center, all in the name of the environment! You can also consider the carbon emissions coming from coffee pods and bleached paper filters production, and that might turn you away from using them for good. But before you think of the very worrisome aspect of abandoning your daily dose of caffeine, alternative options such as coffee sock brewing make their presence known to save your preference for coffee – the environmentally friendly way.
To understand what is coffee sock brewing and how can it provide you with delicious cups of coffee, again and again, we are here with a definitive guide that will answer all your burning questions in an easy to understand way.
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Coffee sock brewing refers to using cloth-based coffee filters to make your cup of joe instead of utilizing coffee pods or paper filters.
Originated from Costa Rica’s use of cloth-based coffee filters in its chorreador coffee maker, the method has become popular in the U.S. by Austin-based firm, CoffeeSock. While other providers also sell these cloth-based filters, the ones sold by CoffeeSock are the most famous due to the company’s idea of using them in modern coffee makers. These coffee sock brewing filters are made from reusable cotton. They are gaining traction due to their sustainability, as well as their efficacy in making a flavorful cup of coffee.
CoffeeSock and some of its competitors, such as Doppeltree, are also known for making their cotton coffee filters organically, which adds to their appeal for sustainability. All of this adds to a pocket-friendly and environmentally mindful method of brewing your coffee in a simple way.
These Coffee Filters Promise Greater Taste and Convenience
Even when you use the most high quality yet unbleached paper filters, there is a chance that the slightly woody flavor will seep through into your coffee. On the other hand, when you use bleached or processed paper filters, they have a significant impact on the environment. Whereas, coffee pods are an all-around mix of being bad for the planet.
But when you use coffee sock filters for brewing
your coffee, you are turning away from the paper taste as well as any adverse
effects on the planet. Since the cotton used in the coffee sock brewing filters
doesn’t have a lingering taste of its own, you can enjoy a richer, clearer, and
smoother taste of the coffee.
At the same time, understanding what is coffee sock brewing and using the method the right way also keeps you clear of pesky coffee grounds that could come from other filtration options, such as French Press.
What Kind of Coffee Can You Make with These Filters?
Available in various sizes and variations, cotton coffee filters can be used to make both hot and cold brews easily. The coffee sock brewing method has also proven quite easy to use. Use these filters with a cup, carafe or coffee maker of your choice to make your coffee, and you would be able to enjoy the signature taste of your chosen coffee beans while being mindful of the environment.
At the time of writing, you can use these coffee filters for a variety of hot brews such as pour-over or drip coffee. With different sizes that fit upon ceramic and specialty coffee makers such as Chemex and Hario, you can make your coffee just as you used to do with paper filters!
With that, these cotton coffee filters can be utilized with cold brews, as well. You can buy special kits with mason jars and filter bags to prepare a cold brew, or purchase coffee filters that fit a regular mason jar of your choice. Since coffee sock filters are designed to let the flavor shine through but contain the grounds within, they prove to be quite efficient for this method.
How to Use Coffee Sock Filters?
Most of these cotton coffee filters would need to be boiled in water to be adequately cleaned, while also going through the shrinking method that is inherent to cotton fabrics. Once you have boiled your cotton filters in water, you could use them effectively in methods such as pour-over, drip, or cold brew. After each usage, you can rinse your coffee filter in water thoroughly.
For effective hygiene, you can boil your filters in water after a week of coffee sock brewing. This makes sure that they stay clean of any oils gathered through the brewing process. Some people prefer using their cotton coffee filters with the gathered oil intact, but that is something that depends upon your preference
Should I Even Use These Filters?
After learning more about what is coffee sock brewing and how to use it effectively on a day to day basis, choosing to use these coffee sock filters is also dependent upon your discretion. In terms of advantages, you can enjoy a clearer, richer taste that comes without any adulteration. You could be more environmentally friendly, and you can save more money in the long run.
When it comes to shortcomings, you can think about the additional washing and cleaning, and the thought of letting go of the convenience of pod coffee machines. After considering the benefits and disadvantages with an objective frame of mind, you can easily conclude whether to use these cotton coffee filters or not.
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We don’t know about you, but helping the environment, even if it’s just a little bit, has sold us. We’re going to give the sock brewing method a try! Let us know in the comments below how your experience goes!
Brush up on these coffee brewing method guides by Coffee Sesh, before testing them with your new coffee sock: Brew Guide: Cold Brew Coffee, Brew Guide: Chemex Coffee, Brew Guide: Aeropress Coffee.
We’ll brew ya later! ☕️
