A coffee sock is a versatile coffee brewing tool you should have in your pantry.
It can be used regardless of your coffee preference; specialty coffee or nanyang kopi.
Cloth coffee filters like the coffee sock allow a good amount of coffee oils through without letting the microfines into your cup. Hence, you end up with a cup with pronounced aromatics that are lost on a paper filter.
We provide coffee socks for brewing kopi and a frequently asked question we get is:
How do I clean and care for my coffee sock?
Here’re three quick tips:
- Wash with food grade detergent after every use.
- Dry thoroughly.
- Boil regularly.
Wash with food grade detergent after every use
Coffee beans / coffee grounds contain coffee oils, they are responsible for the aromas in our final cup.
As you filter your coffee through the coffee sock, some of these coffee oils may get retained on the coffee sock. Over time, these coffee oils could become rancid if left uncleaned on the coffee sock.
If you find your coffee tasting off, it is often times due to the build up of such coffee oils on the sock.
After each use, we recommend that you flip your coffee sock over and give it a good wash immediately using food grade detergent, such as dishwashing liquid.
To increase the lifespan of your coffee sock, wash the sock immediately after brewing. This reduces the buildup of coffee oils in your sock.
Alternatively, if you prefer to enjoy your coffee before washing up, soak the sock in some detergent water in the meantime.
Dry thoroughly
Another common issue with using cotton or cloth coffee filters is the damp, musky smell that forms after a while. This smell usually occurs when the cloth filter is not kept dried and they will affect your final cup. Unfortunately, they also tend to be more prominent if you’re brewing specialty coffee using the coffee sock.
Make sure to dry your coffee sock thoroughly before storing it away.
If the sun is out, you can hang your sock out to sun dry. Do not dry your sock in a dryer.
Bonus Tip: If the weather is bad, soak your coffee soak in water and leave it in the fridge, away from foods with strong smells.
Also, if you are brewing both specialty coffee and traditional kopi, consider using separate coffee socks.
Boil Regularly
To increase the lifespan of your coffee cloth filter, boil it on a regular basis.
As a guide, if you brew daily, boil your coffee sock once a week with detergent. If you brew less frequently, boil your coffee sock either once fortnightly or once a month.
How to boil your coffee sock:
- Fully submerge the coffee sock in water, in a pot.
- Add a drop of dishwashing detergent.
- Bring it up to a boil, leave it for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Rinse off detergent.
- Dry thoroughly.
Conclusion
A coffee sock filter is a good coffee brewing tool to have in your repertoire. We provided three ways to maintain and care for your coffee socks above.
I hope these tips are useful, leave a comment below if you have more questions!
If you want to start brewing kopi at home, here’s a niffy guide to start with: How to brew your own kopi at home
