Dip-style coffee, not to be confused with drip-style coffee, gives anyone the ability to make delicious coffee anywhere. Much like with tea, you steep an individual coffee bag in hot water and wait a few minutes. The end result is a refreshing cup of coffee without the hassle of single-serve drip packets or the lackluster flavor of instant coffee.
No special tools are required for dip-style coffee — just a cup and some hot water — so you can enjoy it at home, in the office, on the road, and outdoors.
If you're still not convinced, keep reading. Japan's world champion barista, Tetsu Kasuya, will walk you through the steps to make a delicious cup of coffee, even from a bag.
Why Should You Listen to Tetsu Kasuya?
In 2016, after only three years in the coffee industry, Tetsu Kasuya became the first Asian barista to win the World Brewers Cup title. Each year at this event, top professionals worldwide compete to win over judges by creating a superior cup of black coffee.
It was there that Tetsu unveiled his now-famous 4:6 Method, a unique and innovative drip technique that controls the coffee's flavor profile through a formula of numerical values. It proved so popular with the international community that top baristas and coffee lovers worldwide have adopted the method that is simple enough to let anyone easily brew delicious coffee at home.
Since winning the world championship, Tetsu has been helping baristas across the globe, including as an active coach to the 2018 World Brewers Cup champion, Emi Fukahori.
In 2017, Tetsu established Philocoffea, a specialty coffee shop and roaster based in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture. He personally selects and roasts premium coffee beans while ensuring that Philocoffea's products live up to the standards of the world champion barista.
How to Brew Delicious Dip-Style Coffee
It's as simple as brewing tea. All you need for great dip-style coffee is three things:
- Dip-style coffee bags
- Hot water
- Your favorite mug
Of course, a saucer and a timer would also be helpful.
Basic Brewing Instructions
1. Place the bag in the cup
2. Pour in a single serving of hot water
3. Steep for four minutes.
Based on Tetsu's research, four minutes results in the best tasting experience.
Tetsu Kasuya's Recommended Brewing Instructions
Here's how Tetsu brews Philocoffea's dip-style coffee bags to extract the most flavor.
- Pour 50 g of hot water into the cup
- Wait 30 seconds
- Pour 130 g of hot water into the cup
- Dunk the bag up and down around 10–20 times
- Let the bag steep for 3 minutes
- Remove the bag
Recommended water temperature: 90°C (93–95°C for Philocoffea's Geisha-variety dip-style coffee bags)
You can adjust the number of times you dunk the bag according to how strong you prefer your coffee.
Tetsu's Tips for Making Delicious Dip-Style Coffee
From Philocoffea's world champion brewer, here are a couple tips to keep in mind when making dip-style coffee.
1. This method is an easy way for anyone to make a delicious cup of coffee. Still, if you want to add even more flavor to your cup, it's essential to pay attention to the beans you use and the water temperature.
2. Each person has his or her own preferred taste for coffee, and the trick is to choose a dip-style coffee that suits your taste based on acidity, bitterness, and richness.
012 Rudder Blend Medium
A well-balanced taste with a natural sweetness and pleasant acidity.
013 Rudder Blend Medium Dark
This is our go-to recommendation for those who want just the right balance of acidity and bitterness.
014 Rudder Blend Dark
The taste differs depending on the blend, but the aim is to consistently achieve a deep, rich sweetness and a sharp, clean bitterness.
Our blends are "Funabashi Selection" certified and popular as local specialties in our own coffee shop.
Geisha
This variety of coffee beans has an elegant floral aroma reminiscent of jasmine and lily of the valley. This gentle sweetness soaks into the body and flavors like eating ripe fruit.
- 90°C for 012 Rudder Blend Medium
- 88°C for 013 Rudder Blend Medium-Dark
- 85°C for 014 Rudder Blend Dark
- 93°C for Geisha
Why Dip-Style Coffee Makes the Perfect Gift
Our dip-style coffee sets make for the ideal gift. They are easy to carry or ship, they don't need any special equipment to brew, and you never have to worry about whether you should buy whole beans or ground coffee.
At Philocoffea, we have mastered the concept of easy brewing, having produced more than 100,000 dip-style coffee bags so far. Each day we sell over 100 of them to new and repeat customers eager to enjoy this new style of making coffee.
In 2020, we released the high-end Black Dip-Style Coffee line, which has proven to be very popular due to its use of Geisha beans. It's ideal if you want to give a slightly more luxurious yet still affordable gift and a thoughtful choice for several reasons.
Geisha is internationally renowned as a high-grade variety of coffee beans that every connoisseur has heard of and wants to try. However, with such a special bean, how do you brew it without making a mistake? Our dip-style bags let you easily enjoy premium Geisha coffee without any fuss.
Also, over time, after the beans are ground, coffee gradually loses its flavor. However, since our dip-style bags are nitrogen-filled (oxygen content in each individually sealed package is less than 1%), the flavor's depth is preserved. This means your recipient need not feel rushed to use them.
