Hot or Cold Water for Rinsing Coffee Filters? The Brewing Mistake Most People Make
Before brewing coffee, most of us rinse the paper filter with a small amount of water. The purpose is simple: to soften the filter so it fits snugly against the dripper and works as intended. But here’s something many people overlook — the temperature of the water used to rinse the filter actually matters . Using water at different temperatures can subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) affect the final cup of coffee. Below are three key ways filter-rinsing water temperature can influence your brew. Impact #1: The Condition of the Paper Filter The first thing affected is, of course, the filter itself. As we know, water temperature determines molecular activity: higher temperatures mean faster molecular movement, while lower temperatures slow things down. A common example I often mention is extraction efficiency . When brewing with hotter water, coffee compounds dissolve more quickly; with cooler water, extraction happens more slowly. Paper filters behave in a similar way. When y...