Originally Posted by
seedsbelize
Again, in the case of the high cholesterol blood test, I ran my stovetop espresso through the paper filter, after making it the regular way. It was flat and not at all enjoyable. This morning's coffee, though so dark as to be barely seen through, had no flavor, though it did provide the desired buzz.
As a lay philosopher, farmer, general jack of all trades, I disagree with your take.
Well you taste what you taste, but perhaps I am right after all. It just could be that what you rely on for the taste you expect are the insoluble particles that the filter takes out. That is likely in the case of stovetop espresso made with ultra-finely ground coffee and not forced through a metal filter. That would explain it. It would be interesting to filter two portions of your usual brew through paper and metal. If they taste the same, then it is the loss of the fine particles you are noticing, not absorption of flavor by the paper.
Don't get me wrong; a paper filter can hold onto some soluble flavor species, but if you put 8 cups of coffee through a small filter, the capacity of the paper to hold back the flavor species will be quickly saturated. Only a small fraction of the flavor could be lost.