Filter Coffee

Filter coffee gives you a clear view of what is in the cup. Our filter specialty coffee is roasted with a lighter profile to hold onto the aromatics, acidity and origin character of each lot, making it ideal for pour over, AeroPress, Chemex and batch brew. From expressive single origins to rotating releases, these coffees are made to be enjoyed black and brewed with a little more water and time. Not because filter is the connoisseur’s option, but because it lets you taste more of what the producer created.
Komothai Riakahara Komothai Riakahara

Komothai Riakahara

KENYA

From $25.00
Linarco Rodriguez - Pink Bourbon Linarco Rodriguez - Pink Bourbon

Linarco Rodriguez - Pink Bourbon

COLOMBIA

From $28.00

Why Filter Roasting Is Different

The difference between filter and espresso coffee starts with how it is roasted.

At Axil, filter coffees are generally roasted for a shorter time and to a lower final temperature than espresso coffees. The aim is to preserve more of the delicate aromatics, acidity and individual character that comes from the variety, origin and processing method.

Espresso needs to produce sweetness and body through a short, concentrated extraction under pressure. Filter brewing works differently. Water stays in contact with the coffee for longer and, with methods such as V60 and Chemex, passes through a paper filter before reaching the cup.

That creates greater clarity and less body, allowing finer flavour details to come through.

It also explains why putting a light filter roast through an espresso machine does not always work. The shorter extraction can struggle to pull enough sweetness from the coffee, leaving the shot tasting thin or sour.

Our single origin coffees are selected and roasted according to how we believe each lot will show its character best, rather than assuming every coffee needs to work for every brew method.

Choosing a Brew Method

There is no single right way to make filter coffee. The best brewer is the one that fits the kind of cup you enjoy and the amount of attention you want to give it.

V60

A V60 produces a clean, clear cup and gives you plenty of control over the result. Grind size, pouring speed and water temperature can all shift the flavour, making it a good choice if you enjoy experimenting with your brew.

It asks for a little attention, but once you have a recipe you like, the process becomes surprisingly simple.

Chemex

Chemex brewing uses a thicker paper filter, creating a particularly clean cup with a lighter body. It works well when you want delicate flavours and aromatics to stand out, and its larger sizes also make it useful when brewing coffee for more than one person.

AeroPress

AeroPress is quick, flexible and forgiving.

Because you can change the grind, brew time, ratio and technique so easily, it can produce everything from a clean filter style coffee to something fuller and more concentrated. It is an easy weekday option when you want good coffee without a long brewing routine.

Plunger

A plunger, or French press, keeps things simple. Coffee steeps directly in the water before being separated by a metal filter, giving you more body and texture than paper filtered brewing.

It requires very little equipment or hands on pouring, making it a reliable choice for mornings when you would rather let the coffee do most of the work.

Batch Brew

Batch brewing is built for convenience and consistency. Add your coffee and water, start the brewer and let the machine handle the rest.

It is ideal for busy mornings, households drinking multiple cups or anyone who wants the character of filter coffee without manually pouring each brew.

Explore our brewing equipment if you are looking for a setup that suits the way you like to make coffee.

And if you want the simplicity of filter without any brewing equipment at all, our drip bags make it easy to brew a cup wherever you have hot water.

Water Matters More Than You Think

Most of a cup of filter coffee is water, so what comes out of your tap can have a surprisingly large influence on what you taste.

The minerals in water help extract flavour from coffee. If your water contains very little mineral content, the cup can sometimes taste muted or underdeveloped. At the other end, heavily mineralised water can soften acidity and make delicate flavours harder to distinguish.

Water that carries a noticeable chlorine taste or odour can also show up in the finished cup.

You do not need to turn brewing water into a chemistry project.

If your tap water tastes good on its own, start there. If the coffee consistently tastes flat despite adjusting your grind and recipe, try brewing the same coffee with filtered water and compare the two.

A basic water filter can help remove unwanted tastes and odours. For people who want to take things further, coffee specific mineral sachets added to purified water offer another way to create more consistent brewing water.

The important thing is balance. You want enough mineral content to help extract flavour without the water overwhelming what makes the coffee distinctive.

Why Axil Coffee?

We have been roasting coffee in Melbourne since 2010. We are proud to hold two World Barista Championship titles and seven Australian Barista Championship titles. That competition experience has given us another way to understand how variety, processing, roasting, water and brewing come together in the cup.

The work starts much earlier than the brew. We buy specialty grade green coffee close to harvest and work directly with producers around the world, with some relationships extending beyond a decade. Those relationships help us understand the people, places and decisions behind each coffee before it reaches the roastery.

Our coffee is roasted to order rather than pulled from long held roasted stock in a warehouse.

The coffees coming through our roastery are also served across Axil venues, keeping our roasting and café teams close to how they perform once they reach the cup.

For single origin filter coffee, that connection matters. Each lot has something different to show, and our job is to roast it in a way that gives you the best chance of tasting it.

Brew Something Better

Choose a coffee that sounds like your kind of cup, match it to your favourite brewer and see what comes through.

One lot might be bright and floral. The next could lean towards stone fruit, berries or something richer. That movement is part of what makes filter coffee worth exploring.

If you would like a new coffee to discover with each delivery, our Single Origin Filter Roast Subscription gives you a rotating filter release chosen by the Axil roasting team.

You can also explore our coffee subscriptions if you have found an everyday coffee you would rather keep coming back to.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is filter coffee?

Filter coffee is made by brewing ground coffee with hot water and separating the liquid from the grounds using a filter or brewing device. Methods include V60, Chemex, AeroPress, plunger and batch brew. Filter roasting generally uses a lighter profile than espresso to preserve more of the coffee’s aromatics, acidity and origin character.

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What is the difference between filter and espresso roast?

Filter coffee is generally roasted for a shorter time and to a lower final temperature, helping preserve delicate flavours and acidity. Espresso coffee receives more roast development to build the sweetness, body and solubility needed for a short extraction under pressure. The coffee bean itself is not a different type. The difference is how the lot is selected and roasted for the intended brew method.

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What coffee to water ratio should I use for filter coffee?

A ratio of around 60 grams of coffee per litre of water is a useful starting point. For one cup, that could mean 15 grams of coffee to 250 grams of water. From there, add more coffee for a stronger brew or reduce the dose if you prefer something lighter.

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What grind size do I need for pour over?

Start with a medium grind for most pour over methods. If your brew runs through very quickly and tastes thin or sour, try grinding finer. If it drains slowly and tastes bitter or dry, move slightly coarser. Small adjustments are usually more useful than trying to find one universal grind setting.

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Can I use filter coffee in an espresso machine?

You can, but it may be harder to get a balanced result. Filter coffee is roasted with less development than espresso coffee, so a short espresso extraction can taste sharp, thin or sour. If you want to experiment, you may need to adjust your grind, temperature and brew ratio to help extract more sweetness.

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Why does my filter coffee taste bitter?

Bitterness can come from over extraction. Your grind may be too fine, the coffee may be brewing for too long or your water may be too hot for the particular coffee. Try grinding slightly coarser first and keep the other variables the same. If the bitterness remains, adjust one part of your recipe at a time so you can tell what is making the difference.

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