How to Brew Drip Bag Coffee So It Actually Tastes Strong

 Ever since many friends found out that the beans I sell online on Taobao and Tmall can be made into drip bags (you just need to message customer service in advance), requests for custom drip bags have been pouring in. Compared to grinding and brewing fresh coffee, the convenience of drip bags is definitely more appealing to them. They’re extremely easy to brew and super portable.

But of course, more drip bag customers also means more questions. Many friends often tell me that the coffee they brew from drip bags tastes nowhere near as good as what they drink in my shop. It’s clearly the same beans, but the in-store version is full-bodied and layered, while their drip-bag version tastes thin, dry, and flat—like it has no flavor at all. Some even ask whether the problem is pre-ground coffee. Obviously, that’s not the real issue.

Yes, drip bags do lose some aroma because the grounds are pre-ground, but that doesn’t stop you from brewing a delicious cup. The only real difference is that drip bags won’t be as aromatic as freshly ground and freshly brewed coffee.

The actual reason drip-bag coffee tastes bad is usually insufficient extraction. The flavor compounds in the coffee simply aren’t being pulled out, so the taste and texture end up weak and unimpressive. I mention this often when I talk about drip-bag brewing. That’s why using the right brewing parameters is extremely important. Even though people tend to treat drip bags with a “the simpler, the better” approach, your extraction parameters still shouldn’t stray too far from what you’d use for a regular pour-over. If they do, the coffee will most likely end up watery and tasteless.

For example, when I brew drip-bag coffee, I use the same parameters as a pour-over:
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15 — this gives the right strength.
Water temperature depends on the roast:

• Medium-light or light roast: 90–94°C

• Medium, medium-dark, or dark roast: 86–89°C
  Total brew time is around 2 minutes.

As long as you brew with these parameters, you should get a strong, flavorful cup—unless your extraction time is too short, or you missed certain small details. These are the things that cause under-extraction and bland drip-bag coffee.

Many friends tell me they still can’t brew good drip-bag coffee even after following these numbers. Most of the time, it’s because they used pour-over techniques on a drip bag.

Unlike pour-over filters, drip bags are made of non-woven fabric, which drains much faster—especially when you pour larger amounts of water in at once. Faster drainage means shorter contact time between hot water and the coffee grounds. The shorter the contact time, the fewer flavor compounds get dissolved. As a result, extraction is low, and the coffee tastes weak.

Fortunately, this is very easy to fix:
Simply split your water into multiple pours.
By pouring in stages, you extend extraction time and give the water enough opportunity to fully interact with the coffee grounds. This allows more flavors to dissolve. I’ve explained this in detail in previous articles, and I’ll also share the step-by-step process again at the end of this post.

Aside from short extraction, there’s another common mistake that makes drip-bag coffee taste bad: using a shallow cup. When you brew a drip bag over a shallow cup, the bag easily becomes submerged in the rising coffee liquid. Because the cup isn’t deep enough, the bag gets soaked as the liquid level rises. Once the grounds are submerged, extraction efficiency drops drastically—even if your brewing parameters are exactly correct.

Why?
Because liquid with a high concentration slows down the movement of flavor compounds out of the coffee grounds. Without longer contact time, the coffee will almost certainly be under-extracted.

So, always use a tall cup when brewing drip-bag coffee. This keeps the drip bag elevated and prevents it from soaking.

Alright—let me walk you through exactly how to brew a delicious drip-bag coffee!

Brewing Guide

For this demonstration, I’m using my Ethiopia Gesha Village “Flower Queen” drip bag, which is a medium-light roast. Each bag contains 10g of coffee.

Brewing parameters:

• Water temperature: 92°C

• Ratio: 1:15

• Extraction time: 2 minutes

• Pouring method: 4-stage pour

Step 1: Bloom

Use twice the coffee dose in water — 20ml.
Saturate the grounds and let them bloom for 30 seconds to release gas.

Step 2: Split Remaining Water Into 3 Pours

Split the remaining 130ml of water into three equal pours.
Use a small, gentle flow and pour in small circles.

Once the previous water has drained through the bag, begin the next pour.

After all the water is added, wait for the final drips to finish, remove the drip bag, and your coffee is ready.

As I always say, using this method brings the flavor of drip-bag coffee surprisingly close to a regular pour-over. My total brew time was 2 minutes and 5 seconds, and the cup leaned toward bright sweetness with a smooth mouthfeel—berry, citrus, oolong tea, and floral notes all came through beautifully.

If you still feel brewing is too much effort, you can also make drip-bag coffee by steeping, which I’ve covered in past posts. I won’t repeat that here.

And that’s everything for today—hope this helps you brew a fuller, richer drip-bag coffee at home!