What's the best way to make a good filter coffee?

I spent a long time making filter coffee however I wanted until I realized that the details really do make a difference. The most important thing is the grind: it should be neither too fine nor too coarse, kind of like powdered sugar. If it's too fine it doesn't flow well and becomes bitter, too coarse and it's weak and flavorless. The ideal is to grind your coffee right before brewing, not hours before, otherwise the aromas escape.

Then you need to use water at the right temperature, around 90-95°C. Water straight from boiling kills the coffee, it's way too hot. The coffee-to-water ratio matters too: about 60g of coffee per liter of water is a good starting point, but after that it's down to your taste. You fill your filter, pour a little water first to "wake up" the coffee (let it sit for 30 seconds), then pour the rest slowly in regular pours over a minute or two. That's called the "bloom" and it helps extract the good flavors.

The last thing is not to overlook water quality. If you've got really hard water at home it really affects the result. And don't wait an hour before drinking - filter coffee is best hot, within 10-15 minutes after brewing. If you let it cool down it becomes acidic and tastes pretty unpleasant.

Whatever you do, don't pour boiling water straight onto the ground coffee - it burns the grounds and you end up with something bitter and gross. The trick is to let the water cool down a bit after it boils (like 30 seconds), then pour it slowly and let the coffee soak for a few seconds before topping it up. Use a quality filter, a decent grind that's not too fine, and most importantly fresh ground coffee or beans that you grind the same day - that's really the key to getting something drinkable.