Illy Drip Coffee Recipe

Measure and heat

Weigh 34 g (0.034 kg) of illy medium roast whole-bean coffee. Bring 600 ml (0.6 l) of fresh filtered water to a boil, then let it sit for 30–45 seconds to reach a brewing temperature of approximately 93–96°C (200–205°F).

Grind

Grind the coffee to a medium-coarse grind slightly finer than sea salt — appropriate for most cone drippers (adjust if using an automatic drip or a finer filter). The grind should be even with no large chunks.

Set up filter and preheat

Place the paper filter in the dripper and position the dripper over the carafe or cup. Pour the 100 ml (0.1 l) of hot water through the paper filter to rinse it and warm the dripper and server; discard the rinse water.

Add coffee

Place the ground coffee in the rinsed filter and gently level the bed. Tare the scale with the dripper and carafe in place so you start from zero.

Bloom (30–45 seconds)

Start your timer. Pour 68 ml of hot water (approximately double the weight of coffee; 2:1 water:coffee for bloom) evenly over the grounds to saturate them completely. Let the coffee bloom for 30–45 seconds to allow CO2 to escape.

Main pour (1:15–1:16 brew ratio)

After the bloom, continue pouring in slow concentric circles, keeping the water level steady and avoiding pouring directly on the filter. Add water up to a total of 500 ml (0.5 l) of water (this is roughly a 1:15 ratio — 34 g coffee to 510 g water; use 500 ml for a slightly stronger cup). Aim to finish pouring by 2:00–2:30 minutes total brew time.

Drawdown

Allow the water to drain through the grounds. The final drawdown should finish around 2:30–3:00 minutes after starting the pour. If drawdown is much faster, use a finer grind next time; if much slower, use a coarser grind.

Remove the dripper and discard the grounds and paper filter. Swirl the carafe gently to mix and pour the brewed illy drip coffee into a cup. Taste and adjust future brews by changing grind size, total water, or coffee dose to reach your preferred strength. Serve black or with milk/sugar to taste.

Estimated yield: about 400–450 ml of brewed coffee (depends on retention in grounds and filter), enough for 2–3 standard cups.