Drip / batch brew
also: batch brew, filter coffee, automatic drip
Automatic gravity brewing of coffee through a paper or metal filter; the everyday machine method.
Drip, or batch brew, is automatic filter coffee: a machine heats water and showers it over a bed of medium-ground coffee in a flat-bottom or cone filter, and gravity pulls the brew through into a carafe below. It is the everyday method behind most home and office coffee.
Why it matters: drip is essentially a pour-over done by machine, a percolation brew where water flows through the grounds once. The trade-off is convenience for control: you cannot manage the pour by hand, so results depend on the machine’s water temperature and spray pattern. Good batch brewers heat water to roughly 90 to 96 C (194 to 205 F) and wet the bed evenly; cheap ones often run too cool, which leaves coffee weak and sour.
How it shows up: a clean, easy cup, lighter in body than immersion methods like French press because the paper traps oils and fines. To brew well, use the right ratio (around 60 g per liter is a common starting point), a fresh medium grind, and good water. Batch brewing is also how cafes make large volumes consistently.