The craft and skill of preparing filter coffee have prevailed since the rise of the third wave movement in the late 1990s and early 2000s. But over the last decade, as automation has increasingly infiltrated the coffee landscape, the push for consistency and efficiency has reshaped filter brewing. Automated single-serve pour over systems have become standard in specialty coffee shops, moving the industry away from the artisanal elements of hand brewing. 

It will undoubtedly play a key role in the future of filter coffee, but innovation won’t stop at automation – especially with price rises set to drive at-home consumption up this year. Simultaneously, we can expect to see inventive brewing gadgets, premium brewer materials and eye-catching designs, and more research-backed recipe development influence the ways we prepare and drink filter coffee.

I spoke to Yu Yue (Fish), the co-founder and head of product design at Timemore, Dr Samo Smrke, Deputy Head of the Coffee Excellence Center, and Martin Wölfl, the 2024 World Brewers Cup Champion and managing director at Wildkaffee Austria and 25grams Coffee, to gain their insight.

You may also like our article on why customers won’t wait forever for pour overs.

Precision as standard

Filter brewing methods have long played an integral role in different coffee-drinking cultures around the world. In many Latin American countries, customary wooden chorreador brewers and cloth bolsita filters are still prevalent today, while traditional drinks like Touba coffee are popular in different parts of Africa.

Pour over coffee as we know it today can be traced back to early 20th-century Germany when Melitta Bentz fashioned a brewer out of a brass pot and paper filter. Her invention sparked a new wave of filter coffee brewers and machines, including the iconic Chemex and Hario V60 – both ubiquitous with third wave and specialty coffee culture.

As consumption of higher-quality coffee increased throughout the 2000s, baristas and home brewers focused more of their attention on precisely controlling different extraction variables – dose, yield, grind size, brew time, and level of agitation, among others – to manipulate coffee flavour. By doing so, they could highlight specific attributes to enhance the overall drinking experience.

“Fundamentally, the way we brew coffee has not changed in the last decade,” explains Dr Samo Smrke, Head of Coffee Transformation at the ZHAW Coffee Excellence Center. “Dose in, water-to-coffee ratio, TDS (total dissolved solids), yield, brew control chart – all terminology used ten years ago.”

What has changed, Samo says, is that the number of people who factor in these variables has massively increased. Brewing without a scale is no longer an option, and some coffee shops and home baristas regularly use TDS meters to analyse extraction data.

He adds that the tools and techniques we leverage to achieve exceptional results have also evolved. Grinder technology has dramatically improved, and more advanced brewers, accessories, and methods are available, such as zero bypass brewers, different paper filters, and post-extraction chilling.

Consistency is the goal

Through this hyper-focus on precision, baristas aim to extract the best results from each coffee in every cup. Simultaneously, they can create repeatable recipes that ensure consumers experience the same flavour profile, mouthfeel, and level of quality, leading to consistent customer experiences.

But with manual brewing, invariable conditions like human error and varying levels of barista experience have their own impact on the results in the cup. To avoid these issues, coffee shops have increasingly automated their operations, including filter coffee brewing, to prioritise consistency and efficiency.

While automation has undoubtedly benefited specialty coffee, especially at a time when staff turnover rates remain high post-pandemic, it inevitably pits automated single-serve brewers against the craft of manual brewing. Once considered a staple of third wave coffee culture, it has become increasingly common to see coffee shops move away from hand-brewed pour overs in a bid to improve operational efficiency, arguably pushing the industry further away from its core values.

“From manual pour over in the early 20th century to being replaced by machines, then back to manual brewing with the rise of specialty coffee, and now to automated devices that replicate set brewing parameters – it’s cyclical,” says Yu Yue (Fish), the co-founder and head of product design at premium coffee equipment manufacturer Timemore. 

“The underlying logic relates to two aspects that coffee professionals and enthusiasts desire: Playfulness and control. A good automated brewer must balance the two.”

Manual vs automated: The ongoing debate

Since its inception, the specialty coffee industry has exemplified a conflict between an appreciation for artisanal craftsmanship and the pursuit of scientific excellence. The barista often takes centre stage in cafés, showcasing their skills and talent for brewing exceptional filter coffee. 

However, there is still an emphasis on precision and consistency, often at the expense of human touch. In some cases, the barista is relegated to operating a machine that carries the majority of the extraction process out for them – fundamentally changing their role in the industry.

“Automated brewing has greatly increased coffee quality in recent years. I believe that today, the best automated brewers can match the quality of a hand brew but with better consistency,” Samo says. “Of course, there is the craft and personal touch of the hand brew that a machine can’t deliver; however, purely objectively, the quality is there.”

The juxtaposition of craft and automation has led some to believe that the industry is at a crossroads – and the only way forward is to choose between the two. But with specialty coffee consumers demanding both convenience and authenticity, it raises the question of how the two can co-exist.

Manual brewing becomes premium

Even with the proliferation of automated brewing systems, manual filter coffee brewing methods have still prevailed in cafés around the world. The familiar sight of a hand-brewed pour over set up on bar is a comfort for many industry professionals and consumers who seek to hold onto the craft element of specialty coffee.

Perhaps in a bid to compete in the increasingly automated world of filter coffee brewing, manual brewers are becoming more premium in their design and materials. Following the pandemic, at-home coffee preparation and consumption increased, and consumers are more interested in elevating the experience with high-quality equipment.

“Manual brewing equipment should not only function well but also look beautiful. It should feel premium and be made from premium materials,” says Martin Wölfl, the 2024 World Brewers Cup Champion and managing director at Wildkaffee Austria roastery and cold brew manufacturer 25grams Coffee. 

“This is becoming especially important because more people are sharing coffee-related posts on social media.”

Brewers like the Origami, AeroPress Premium, Graycano, and Hario Suiren combine functionality with form, serving as “Instagrammable” coffee equipment that also produces high-quality results.

Are brewing gadgets the future of filter coffee?

As demand for hand-brewed pour over persists, even in the wake of the ever-growing need to streamline operations, it brings with it a wave of new technologies and accessories that prioritise precision and control more than ever.

“We see innovation driven by differentiation in design, advanced technology, and completely new brewing techniques,” Samo says. “The segment where the most prominent change has occurred in the last decade is hand grinders. We have evolved from basically no sufficiently good hand grinders to manual grinders that can perform better than many electric models.

“I believe this trend isn’t over, and we will continue to see new advancements, particularly in home brewing.”

When the vast majority of coffee shops closed during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, consumers were forced to brew at home. Investing in premium equipment and online educational courses made the process easier, giving rise to a new era of “prosumers” committed to replicating a café-style experience at home.

“To achieve better precision and consistency, grinder technology needs to produce more uniform results. People used to say some five years ago that a uniform grind size would make the coffee taste overly clean, but the general trend toward more uniform grinding has been widely recognised,” Fish tells me. “For example, the Sculptor 078 has a high uniformity with a low number of fines, improving cleanliness and offering more control.

“We’ve also seen the coffee scale market grow significantly. Even for beginners, scales are no longer optional, helping them achieve the basic level of control needed for brewing filter coffee,” he adds. “Similarly, gooseneck kettles improve the ability to control water flow and temperature. Timemore’s products can maintain stable temperatures within ±0.5°C, for instance.”

New ways of preparing coffee

As with espresso, specialty coffee is constantly pursuing excellence in filter coffee extraction – and it won’t stop anytime soon.

Competitions such as the World Brewers Cup continue to lead innovation and serve as a springboard for future trends in the industry, showcasing the potential of pour over brewing.

“You can experiment with newly developed products like drippers at competitions; it’s like a beta test for new equipment,” Martin says. “The more we learn about the science of brewing and what happens during extraction, the more we can develop new brewer possibilities.”

Adopting more data-backed and research-driven approaches will fuel this learning curve and equip baristas and home brewers with the knowledge to exert more control over the extraction process.

“There is less of a focus on the fundamentals of brewing filter coffee compared to espresso extraction,” Samo tells me. “The industry needs to invest in more research on filter coffee brewing to understand the fundamentals behind the brewing process better.”

Automation will play a pivotal role in the future of filter coffee. But specialty coffee professionals and home brewers will still hold on to the craft of manual brewing – creating a dynamic interplay of efficiency, consistency, and skill that can lead baristas down different paths.

Whether coffee businesses prefer to go fully automated, retain a focus on hand brewing, or embrace both, ongoing innovation is set to reshape filter coffee preparation and consumption.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on where filter coffee is most popular.

Photo credits: World Coffee Events, Michele Illuzzi, Timemore

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This focus on beverage quality will always be central to the industry. But simultaneously, ever-evolving consumer preferences have pushed convenience to the forefront, especially with the inevitable retail price increases in 2025.

As customers become increasingly price-conscious and time-crunched, coffee shops have to balance customer wait time with beverage quality, especially for pour overs.

Technology has emerged as one of the most viable solutions. Automated single-serve brewing systems allow baristas to extract a carefully dialled-in cup of coffee at the touch of a button, reducing preparation time and freeing up their availability to focus on other tasks.

But even with automated pour over machines, these drinks will always take longer to prepare. Batch brew can be a happy medium; however, for coffee shops to fully address the challenges that pour over poses, taking a more strategic approach can be advantageous.

I spoke to Gemma Kiernan, head of marketing at Marco Beverage Systems, and Andy Sprenger, owner of Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters, to find out why.

You may also like our article on the ongoing evolution of pour over coffee.

Pour overs are fundamental to specialty coffee

For both baristas and consumers, one of the most appealing aspects of pour over coffee is the ability to enhance flavour clarity. The controlled, slow pouring process allows for optimal extraction, bringing out intricate notes and aromas that might otherwise be muted or even lost when using other brewing methods. 

“I believe the continued interest in pour over stems from the desire to experience coffee – whether it’s a specific variety, processing technique, or farm – in its purest form, with the clearest articulation of flavour possible,” says Andy Sprenger, the owner of Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters in Colorado, US. 

Pour overs also offer baristas and coffee enthusiasts a playground for experimentation, where adjustments to variables such as grind size, water temperature, and pouring technique can significantly influence the final product.

The process is visually captivating, too – especially when prepared by hand. Watching the coffee bloom and the careful pour of water over the grounds is an art form that draws customers into the craft of the industry. This level of engagement not only deepens their appreciation for coffee and barista skills but also creates a memorable experience for them, adding value to their café visits.

“There is beauty and art in a good pour over,” Andy says. “From the aesthetic of the brewer to the smells, sounds, and sights that hand brewing offers.”

But manual pour over brewing poses challenges

Despite being staple menu items, integrating manual pour overs into busy, fast-paced coffee shops can be difficult. One of the most significant hurdles is the time it takes to prepare them. 

“There are so many steps, from the minute the order is placed to when baristas can actually serve the next customer,” says Gemma Kiernan, head of marketing at Marco Beverage Systems, which designs and manufactures hot and cold beverage solutions. “They have to weigh and grind coffee and wet the filter paper before the actual brew even starts.”

Meticulous hand brewing can lead to longer wait times and potential bottlenecks during peak hours. For customers who are in a rush, these delays can easily detract from their overall café experience.

“After saturating the coffee bed with the first pour, the barista needs to wait for about 40 seconds before continuing to pour in concentric circles. So, while this may result in an excellent coffee, it takes the barista out of action for about four to six minutes,” Gemma adds. “The barista has to concentrate on the speed and flow of the water, so they can’t engage with their customers during the process, meaning there’s little meaningful interaction until they can serve the coffee.”

Consistency is another challenge. The quality of a pour over relies heavily on the skill of the barista. Proper training is essential to ensure that every cup meets the shop’s quality standards, yet this level of expertise takes time to develop. Variations in technique between baristas can inadvertently lead to an inconsistent product, impacting the shop’s reputation.

“A coffee shop will have several different shifts, with baristas at different experience levels, so naturally, there will be some variation in the final beverage quality from person to person,” Gemma says.

Convenience vs quality

Pour overs are synonymous with the craft and artisanry of specialty coffee; however, as the industry has matured and captured the attention of a mainstream audience, convenience has become more important.

Recent data indicates that a staggering 97% of consumers have abandoned a purchase that they considered inconvenient. For small independent coffee shops, this underscores the urgent need to integrate convenience into their operations – or risk losing a considerable chunk of their customer base. 

“Generally speaking, if a customer orders a pour over, they know it will take about five to six minutes, and they will be happy to wait,” Gemma tells me. “The real issue is the other customers who want to grab their coffee and go but may find their order delayed.”

According to data from a recent Perfect Daily Grind LinkedIn poll, 65% of people are willing to wait between five and ten minutes for a pour over, while less than 10% said they were happy to wait for more than ten minutes. 

“If a person doesn’t have their drink after ten minutes, especially at a peak time, they may not leave the shop (especially if they have paid,) but their overall experience will be strongly impacted, and they may choose not to visit again,” Gemma adds.

Even more significantly, 25% expected their pour over to be served in five minutes or less – indicating that quality and convenience are of equal importance to some consumers.

Coffee shops embrace automation

To adapt to these changing consumer expectations, automated brewing equipment dedicated exclusively to single-serve pour overs has emerged as a solution. 

“At busy coffee shops or cafés with limited space, there are automated pour over systems like the Poursteady, which can brew single cups with little attention needed after dosing the ground coffee,” Andy says. 

Baristas need to spend time carefully dialling in different coffees on these machines, which is often done during the morning shifts prior to opening. But once the coffee is dosed, ground, and dispensed into a pre-wet paper filter in the brew basket, these automated systems manage the entire brewing process using a pre-programmed recipe.

“Automation ensures routine tasks are done quickly and accurately, freeing up baristas to focus on quality control, customer engagement, and drink presentation,” Gemma says. “For example, if an automated pour over system like the Marco SP9 reduces barista focus time from six to two minutes, they can spend that extra time chatting with the customer, grabbing a croissant, or ringing up the order.”

With convenience at the forefront of consumer priorities – especially as retail prices are set to increase considerably in 2025 – coffee shops will continue to invest in automation as a solution to these challenges. This not only maximises efficiency but also maintains beverage quality, with these systems eliminating human error and improving extraction consistency.

“The Marco MilkPal is another great example of how investing in automated solutions directly addresses consistency in coffee shops,” Gemma adds. “By automating dispensing hot and cold milk and milk foam, the MilkPal ensures each drink is made with the correct milk texture and volume for each drink.”

The risk of losing the craft of brewing

There is concern that the move towards automation in pour over brewing could divert from the artisanal experience that customers demanded in the first place. For those few who are happy to wait over ten minutes, the hand-brewed process is likely to be an integral part of ordering a pour over, and they may be disappointed to see it disappear.

Ultimately, specialty coffee shops need to ask how much more time or money their customers are prepared to exchange for quality. In turn, they can decide whether it makes sense to switch to automated solutions fully or whether offering both automated and manual pour overs is the best way forward.

The answer lies in the type of customer experience coffee shops want to offer, which ties into a number of different factors. A small, busy location in a city centre, for example, is likely to fully automate its pour over programme, allowing baristas to quickly prepare drinks to high standards and keep up with customer turnover.

A neighbourhood café or a boutique coffee shop that focuses heavily on specific hospitality concepts, meanwhile, could find more success with manual pour over brewing, helping baristas to engage more deeply with customers.

Taking a strategic approach to pour over programmes

The pour over represents the intersection of tradition and innovation in the specialty coffee industry. Its ability to produce an exceptional cup, coupled with the craft and transparency of the process, ensures its relevance in cafés striving to deliver premium experiences.

But for pour overs to maintain their popularity in an increasingly fast-paced industry, coffee shops must embrace strategies that balance quality with the realities of modern customer service. By emphasising education, leveraging new technologies, and crafting thoughtful service approaches, coffee professionals can continue to highlight this brewing method while meeting the expectations of today’s discerning customers.

“Many of us love the idea of a hand-crafted cup of coffee that is made ‘just for us.’ There is ritual, technique, and specificity that can make the pour over you wait five minutes for much more special than whatever is quickly handed to you from the large container sitting in the corner,” Andy says.

People increasingly want higher-quality coffee, but should this come at the expense of convenience or price, then most consumers won’t be interested. The number of people willing to wait under ten minutes for a pour over that costs twice the price of a milk-based drink is already minimal and unlikely to increase any time soon – and specialty coffee shops need to bear this in mind.

Still, the small but growing market for high-end, exclusive micro lots brings with it the need to prepare these coffees with care and attention to detail. Otherwise, they can easily lose what makes them unique.

“The premium paid for higher-end coffees these days effectively demands these coffees be brewed one cup at a time,” Andy tells me. “Imagine finding a US $80/lb Gesha on batch.”

So what can coffee shops do?

Strategic menu design and premium pricing can position pour overs as a high-value beverage, helping to manage demand and customer expectations. For instance, only offering the three or four highest-quality offerings as pour over means baristas can spend more time developing recipes, helping them achieve better results in the long run.

It can also help to educate consumers more effectively. When customers understand that exceptional coffees require a more meticulous brewing method, they are more likely to appreciate the time and effort required. Cafés can use this as an opportunity to highlight the unique flavour profiles, justifying the longer wait times and adding value to the overall experience.

Setting up for success

Timing also plays a crucial role. Offering pour overs during quieter periods, such as mid-morning or late afternoon after busy lunch rushes, can alleviate pressure on staff while enhancing the experience for customers. Highlighting pour overs as a special feature during these times creates exclusivity as well, possibly encouraging guests to indulge in a premium beverage and increase their spend.

Another practical approach is to streamline preparation. Pre-heating water and setting up stations before peak hours can minimise delays, allowing baristas to focus on the brewing process when demand rises.

“Our pour over station at the roastery café has six scales, four kettles, and we pre-dose all of our coffees,” Andy explains. “There are also other efficiencies implemented, from pre-wetting filters to pouring two or more brews at a time to simple, repeatable brew recipes.”

Even in the face of convenience, specialty coffee wants to stay true to its artisanal roots – and pour overs are an integral part of that. The move towards automation is balancing the best of both worlds, but adopting a more strategic approach is also helpful.

The way in which coffee shops offer pour overs needs to be on brand. Whether it’s a meticulous hand-brewed approach or a modern automated set up, it should feel authentic to their values.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how long customers should wait for filter coffee.

Photo credits: Marco Beverage Systems, Five Senses Coffee

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The brewer has undergone significant changes in recent years. Following the launch of the AeroPress Go in 2019, the company unveiled the AeroPress Clear in May 2023 and the AeroPress XL only a month later, as well as the Go Plus and Clear Colours range earlier this year.

On 27 September, the long-awaited AeroPress Premium – the brand’s first glass and metal brewer – was released. With a bigger focus on premium design and materials, the model is set to impact the brewing experience in new and differentiated ways.

To learn more, I spoke to AeroPress’ Chief Marketing Officer David Cole and CEO Gerard Meyer. Read on for their insight on how brewing with the AeroPress has evolved.

You may also like our article on the evolution of the AeroPress.

Why consumers are demanding more premium manual brewers

Coffee professionals and enthusiasts alike are always on the lookout for the latest brewing gadgets and tools. Although out-of-home coffee consumption has reached pre-pandemic levels in countries like the US, the home still remains the most popular place for enjoying coffee. 

As more people have been preparing café-quality coffee at home in the years following the pandemic, interest in the latest brewers and accessories has only grown. To get the best results with their coffee, people are investing in more premium brewing equipment, including scales, kettles, grinders, and brewers themselves.

Gerard Meyer has been the CEO of AeroPress since November 2021, when the company was acquired and experienced a period of significant growth and innovation.

“Premium brewers transform the coffee-making ritual into something more meaningful,” he says. “Consumers today want more than just functionality – they’re looking for a product that reflects their dedication to the craft of making coffee.” 

Design, functionality, and materials are key components of coffee brewers, and all equally impact the brewing experience. To meet consumer demand for more premium products and elevate their daily coffee-making routine, manufacturers are increasingly focusing on higher-quality materials and unique designs.

In late September 2024, AeroPress unveiled its eagerly anticipated Premium brewer made from glass, stainless steel, and aluminium. In the months preceding, posts discussing the model’s release were a common sight on coffee internet forums – indicating significant interest in more premium manual brewers.

The evolution of the AeroPress

Officially launched at the 2005 Seattle CoffeeFest, the AeroPress quickly garnered a cult following. In its early years, the AeroPress underwent subtle changes, including the colour of the logo, design of the numbers, and materials.

In mid-2019, the brewer underwent its biggest transformation yet. The company launched the AeroPress Go – a compact version of the original AeroPress that reimagined how users could prepare coffee.

David Cole is the Chief Marketing Officer at AeroPress. 

“The AeroPress community is one of a kind in their loyalty. They essentially built our brand and there’s been a growing demand for a wide variety of innovation,” he says. “We owe it to them to cater to this demand – whether it’s new materials or accessories, better solutions for brewing on-the-go, or more premium designs.”

The Clear brewer launched in May 2023, marking AeroPress’ return to one of its first-ever design concepts. Shortly after, the company launched the AeroPress XL, which is double the size of the original AeroPress, further reinventing how baristas and home brewers can use the device to prepare coffee.

“The Premium was designed to elevate the brewing process by featuring high-quality materials like handmade double-walled glass and stainless steel, offering a more refined user experience,” David adds.

How the AeroPress Premium design & materials impact brewing

No matter which brewer you use, design and materials have a huge influence on the brewing process. Although it has the same brewing capacity as the original AeroPress, the Premium’s materials are designed to offer an entirely new user experience.

“The patented double-walled glass brew chamber, which is open-ended on both sides, is designed for better heat retention, and the borosilicate glass enhances its durability,” Gerard says. “The brewer maintains optimal brewing temperature while being cool to the touch.”

This helps baristas and home brewers exert more control over the extraction process. “The aluminium plunger is durable and offers a premium hand-feel, ensuring that each press is smooth and controlled,” Gerard adds.

Moreover, the glass brew chamber allows users to easily observe how ground coffee interacts with water, meaning they can quickly identify uneven extraction and make any necessary adjustments, such as dispersing dry clumps.

With a transparent brewer like the AeroPress Premium, coffee professionals and consumers can also see and test how different rates of agitation impact extraction by monitoring the height and speed of pouring water into the brew chamber.

While especially useful for baristas and home brewers who are new to specialty coffee, this also allows more experienced users to achieve the best possible results.

Elevating the user experience

As tactile and visual elements of coffee brewing have become increasingly important to both baristas and consumers, materials and design need to meet the growing demand for more experiential brewers.

“Premium brewers transform the coffee-making ritual into something more meaningful. With a product like the AeroPress Premium, users experience a tactile connection to the brewing process,” David says. “The feel of the stainless steel, the clarity of the glass, and the precision and weight of the press all work together to create a heightened sense of craftsmanship.”

For many industry professionals and consumers, the visual appeal, weight, and feel of manual brewing methods add to the overall experience, allowing them to interact with their equipment in new ways.

Why premium brewers will become more popular

Education plays an integral role in specialty coffee. As consumers develop their skills and knowledge, David believes demand for differentiated and experiential brewers will only increase.

“Both baristas and home brewers are becoming more discerning about the tools they use. They want products that not only perform exceptionally well but also reflect their passion for the craft,” he tells me. “Brewers like the AeroPress Premium meet that need by delivering on both quality and design, and we expect that interest in high-end brewing equipment will only continue to rise.”

Coffee professionals and enthusiasts are often in pursuit of the latest innovations, including brewers that offer more than just a way to prepare coffee. As AeroPress continues to develop new products, it showcases its commitment to meeting this demand.

“Our recent product launches are a direct response to what our community has been asking for,” David says. “It’s about giving users the variety and improvements they’ve been excited to see while continually delivering an exceptional coffee experience. At the same time, we’re finding ways to share the AeroPress experience with entirely new consumers through innovation.”

Coffee shops play an important role in this. Including the AeroPress Premium on a menu gives baristas an opportunity to attract and engage with consumers in new ways and showcase how high-end brewers can elevate the coffee experience.

The specialty coffee community had been demanding the AeroPress Premium for some time. With its glass chamber, stainless steel filter cap and accessories, and aluminium plunger, the new model is set to change the brewing experience.

Users exert more control over the extraction process, while the premium materials and design also elevate the overall coffee experience. “We’re excited to see how the Premium will inspire coffee enthusiasts around the world,” Gerard concludes.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how to make the AeroPress work on your coffee shop menu.

Photo credits: AeroPress

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As the wider coffee industry continues to evolve, so does pour over. Every year, we see a range of both manual and automated pour over devices launched on the market – helping to push the boundaries of extraction and flavour even further.

Many of these new brewers have been firmly embraced by the specialty coffee community, appearing on more and more coffee shop shelves and home brew bar setups. So with an increasingly wider variety of brewers and devices available, where could pour over be heading next?

To find out more, I spoke to Nicole Chabot, co-founder of Graycano, and Sasa Sestic, founder of Nucleus Coffee Tools. 

You may also like our article on a brief history of manual brewing methods.

Pour over coffee has come a long way

Although we often talk about pour over like it’s a relatively new brewing method, it actually dates back to the early 1900s.

One of the precursors in the evolution of pour over brewing was the launch of the Melitta brand in the early 1900s. After Melitta Bentz fashioned a brewer using a brass pot and a filter, the Melitta brand became one of the first to start selling commercially-available paper filters. This changed pour over brewing forever.

After the iconic Chemex launched in 1941, Hario debuted its Vector 60 (or V60) manual brewer in the early 2000s. The product was named for its 60° angle of the cone, which the company says helps to facilitate extraction.

The Clever Dripper also gained popularity in specialty coffee following its launch in 2008. This brewer combines both pour over and immersion-style brewing, which can enhance mouthfeel and texture.

In 2010, the flat bottom Kalita Wave entered the market and also became a coffee shop favourite. The device’s horizontal grooves help to reduce contact between the paper filter and brewer walls, which minimises extraction inconsistencies.

New brewers emerge on the market

Year after year, a range of new manual pour over brewers launch on the market. Each one has its own unique twist, with many different trends impacting design and functionality.

One of the biggest influences, however, is the World Brewers Cup – an annual competition where some of the world’s best baristas showcase their manual filter brewing skills.

While the majority of winners have used either the Hario V60 or the Kalita Wave in their routines, we saw 2023 winner Carlos Medina use the Origami and 2024 World Brewers Cup Champion Martin Wölfl win with the Orea V4. 

At the 2022 competition, Wölfl also used another new manual pour over brewer – the Graycano. This conical-shaped device has a big focus on design and materials, and has become increasingly popular at the World Brewers Cup.

Nicole Chabot is a co-founder of Graycano.

“Heat retention and design have become more important features of pour over brewers,” she says. “We wanted to combine modern design with unique materials to improve extraction efficiency.”

Each brewer includes an aluminium core and air pockets, which improve temperature stability and heat retention.

“The brewer also includes asymmetric ribs, which agitate the water,” Nicole adds. “In turn, you achieve a more even extraction and reduce the risk of channelling.”

The push to optimise pour over extraction

As a way of preserving flavour and aroma as much as possible, a growing number of baristas and competitors have started using techniques similar to flash brewing. In response, some equipment manufacturers have designed brewers with this in mind.

One example is Nucleus Coffee Tools’ Paragon, which was developed in partnership with researchers at the Zurich University of Applied Science (ZHAW). 

Sasa Sestic is the founder of Nucleus, as well as ONA Coffee and Project Origin. He is also the 2015 World Barista Champion.

“Studies have shown that when brewing temperatures are higher, we lose more aromatic volatile compounds,” he explains. “For instance, more volatile compounds are lost at 96°C (204.8°F) than 90°C (194°F).”

This research led Nucleus and ZHAW to explore the concept of “extract chilling”. The 2021 Australian Barista Champion Hugh Kelly most notably used this method (albeit for espresso rather than filter) in his routine at the world finals. 

With a focus on “post-extraction chilling”, the Paragon includes a cooled ice rock or ball that is placed underneath the pour over brewer for the first 20 to 30 seconds of extraction. 

“By rapidly cooling filter coffee just after extraction, we can capture more volatile compounds in the final beverage,” Sasa explains. As coffee comes into contact with the cooled ice rock, it instantly chills, which means fewer aromatic compounds escape into the surrounding environment.

Automation: A barista’s best friend

Alongside rampant innovation in manual pour over brewing, automation has played an increasingly important role in how we prepare filter coffee – both at home and in coffee shops.

The most obvious reasons are to improve the efficiency and consistency of extraction by minimising the risk of human error. And given that a 2019 survey by UCC Coffee found 80% of consumers value consistency when visiting a café above all else, this only further emphasises why specialty coffee has embraced automation.

Temperature stability and agitation are key elements of automated pour over brewers. Despite how skilled baristas or home brewers may be, leveraging the power of automation minimises the risk of human error. As a result, consumers receive higher-quality pour over – which is especially important considering the higher prices paid for these drinks.

Launched in early 2021, Marco Beverage System’s automated SP9 countertop brewer features a unique boiler system and recirculation chamber that ensures water temperature remains consistent throughout extraction.

The Moccamaster is another popular automated brewing system that is more widely used in homes. The machine maintains a stable temperature between 92°C and 96°C (197.6°F and 204.8°F) – helping home brewers and coffee enthusiasts to also achieve consistent results.

Further innovation lies ahead

It’s evident that there is an endless pursuit of higher quality when it comes to pour over in specialty coffee, and this is undoubtedly influencing the future of filter coffee preparation.

“With new pour over innovation, we can get more out of coffee,” Sasa says. “The more innovation there is, the more we can understand about how to extract desirable characteristics and reduce the negative ones – improving everyone’s experience.”

The design and shape of manual pour over devices – as well as the materials used to manufacture them – will also continue to shape trends. There has been a clear shift towards more aesthetic and visually-appealing brewers in recent years which still optimise extraction, but also catch people’s attention on coffee shop shelves.

Looking at brewer material in particular, manufacturers are investing in more innovative ways to improve temperature stability. Glass, plastic, steel, and ceramic are no longer the only options, which affects how we extract coffee – potentially opening up new ways to experience flavour, mouthfeel, and aroma.

Will automation remain on top?

Ultimately, it seems automated solutions will continue to dominate the market as both coffee shop operators and avid home brewers choose to prioritise consistency and efficiency.

At the same time, the skill of manual brewing will undoubtedly also play a key role in the future of pour over. The fact remains that manual brewing methods often add to the consumer experience, and showcase craftsmanship and skill in ways that aren’t always possible with automation.

But the general shift towards automation has many benefits. Automated brewers can be useful talking points for baristas to engage with customers, and showcase just how far technology has advanced in the coffee industry.

More importantly, however, baristas can focus more of their attention on enhancing the customer experience, while automated brewers manage coffee extraction for them. Undoubtedly, this could change the barista-customer interaction in specialty coffee shops forever.

In recent years, design, shape, and materials have become increasingly important factors for pour over brewers – changing extraction and therefore flavour. But there’s plenty more room for further innovation.

Time will only tell how pour over brewing will continue to change. So with new manual and automated devices launched on the market year after year, it’s an exciting time for specialty coffee.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on what coffee shops need to know about the future of pour over.

Photo credits: Graycano, Sinan Muslu, SCA Germany, Specialty Coffee Association

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In recent years, we have witnessed immense change across the board – even including how we prepare coffee. Manual brewing methods have been popular for some time now, but as the specialty coffee sector has grown, pour over coffee has become especially prominent. 

With the launch of pioneering and beloved brewers like the Kalita Wave, the Chemex, and the Hario V60, the craft and art of brewing coffee became more important to consumers than ever before.

And still, there continues to be even more change. As the specialty coffee industry embraces automation, more and more coffee shops and roasters are turning to technology to improve both the consistency and quality of their products. 

One of these more noticeable shifts is the growing use of automated pour over brewers – which is undoubtedly changing how coffee shops need to operate.

To find out more, I spoke to John Smethurst, a trainer at North Star Coffee Roasters in Leeds.

You may also like our article on how cold coffee beverages are changing.

Pour over coffee: An ongoing evolution

For centuries, people the world over have been making filter coffee in various different ways. It was only until the turn of the 20th century, however, that pour over brewing was invented.

Dissatisfied with percolator brewing, German Amalie Auguste Melitta Bentz developed the first-ever pour over brewer prototype – simply by punching some small holes in a brass pot and using blotting paper as a filter.

In 1908, Bentz filed a patent for paper filters, and the Melitta brand was established. A few decades later and the company launched its cone-shaped manual brewer – the first-ever commercially-available pour over brewer.

Since then, many other brands have followed in Melitta’s footsteps. These include:

• German chemist Peter Schlumbohm, who invented the iconic Chemex in 1941
• Japanese company Hario, which launched the pioneering V60 in 2004
• Another Japanese brand – Kalita Co – which has been manufacturing coffee equipment since the 1960s. Its flat-bottom Kalita Wave brewer launched in 2010

Moreover, in the past few years alone, we have seen an even more diverse range of pour over brewers on the market – such as the Origami, Graycano, and GINA. Whether it’s their aesthetic design or focus on improving extraction efficiency, these new innovative brewers are quickly gaining the interest of both consumers and industry professionals.

Why are pour overs so popular?

As the specialty coffee market has grown over the past two decades, so too has the focus on coffee quality – and pour over brewing has been a big part of this.

In addition to buying higher-quality beans to improve the customer experience and better showcase terroir, roasters and coffee shops also want to exert as much control over the extraction process itself. Whether it’s espresso or filter, tightly managing and tweaking different brewing variables means consumers are able to experience the most desirable characteristics of a particular coffee. In turn, consumer loyalty and trust increases, and coffee businesses are much more likely to be successful.

Many baristas – and even consumers – are drawn to the immersive experience of manual pour over brewing. With greater care and a higher level of attention to detail required, these brewing methods have instilled a sense of appreciation for the craft of specialty coffee.

Simultaneously, with such a big focus on controlling extraction as much as possible, pour over brewing has also become something of an exact science.

“The industry as a whole has certainly become more and more scientifically driven in its pursuit to brew better pour over coffee,” John tells me. “Baristas and coffee professionals are influenced by the likes of leading figures like Jonathan Gagné and Samo Smrke, to name a few.”

Not only has this deepened specialty coffee’s understanding of how different variables impact extraction, it has also encouraged more experimentation – pushing quality even further.

“We want to obtain greater control over numerous brewing parameters and variables to extract the more desirable attributes of a particular coffee,” John adds.

Automation is continuing to shaping the future of pour over brewing

An overall growing appreciation of the skills required for manual pour over brewing has undoubtedly benefited specialty coffee. But as automation becomes a bigger and bigger part of the industry, we can’t ignore its influence on pour over coffee.

Naturally, manual pour over methods are prone to human error. What’s more, with different baristas preparing drinks in a café, there will inevitably be some inconsistencies in beverage quality – despite how well trained staff may be.

To address these issues, automation is becoming an integral part of pour over brewing. Today, walk into any coffee shop or roastery, and you are likely to find many automated pieces of equipment for roasting or brewing coffee.

“Taking a more automated approach to brewing in particular can place more emphasis on maintaining and improving the quality of both coffee and water,” John explains. “It also allows baristas to focus more on different variables, such as grind size and coffee-to-water ratio.”

The rise of automated pour over brewers

Although manual pour over brewing methods are still popular, more and more coffee shop owners and baristas are turning to automated options – which can brew both single servings and larger batches of coffee.

John tells me one of these automated systems is the Marco SP9, which allows for more precise control over extraction variables, including brew time, temperature, and water dispersion.

“By eliminating gradual temperature fluctuations – which you can often experience when using gooseneck kettles which don’t have either a temperature control or hold function – it’s one less variable to worry about,” he says.

Moreover, he adds that the SP9’s undercounter boiler maintains a more consistent brewing temperature by continuously circulating water between the top chamber and the boiler.

“The Marco SP9 brewer uses pulse pour control to dispense water over the coffee bed,” John tells me. “The brewer includes nine evenly-spaced and distributed spouts for different pulse cycles. These are calculated according to adjustments made to either the total yield weight or extraction time.”

He further explains that the higher number of pulses and shorter distance between the spouts and slurry helps to increase the contact time between the ground coffee and water – and thereby increases extraction. In turn, baristas can grind coarser (which can mean less coffee used, and therefore less waste) and improve flavour profile clarity.

In addition to regulating brew temperature and water dispersion, automating as many extraction variables as possible gives baristas more freedom to focus their time and attention elsewhere – especially towards providing excellent customer service.

So what do coffee shops need to know?

Many industry professionals and consumers would agree that automation is the future of the coffee industry, including pour over brewing. Based on research from World Coffee Portal, one-third of UK consumers would be open to a fully-automated coffee shop experience with no human interaction at all. 

While this doesn’t mean the end of baristas in cafés, it clearly shows that businesses need to incorporate automation into their operations – and automated pour over brewers is one of the most logical steps.

And as consumers become more and more educated about specialty coffee, demand for and interest in pour overs is likely to keep rising. So if coffee shop owners and baristas want to maintain their quality standards, investing in automated brewing solutions will become even more essential.

It’s not just about improving beverage quality, however. There are a number of benefits to leveraging the power of automation. 

“Automation is one of the few ways that you can offer a range of pour overs on your menu while also freeing up more time for your team of baristas,” John says. “This means you can potentially avoid turning away customers during peak service periods, and provide even better service.”

For many coffee businesses, this can lead to higher customer and staff satisfaction, better efficiency and workflow, and more streamlined operations. 

Knowing how to best implement automated brewing systems

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t important considerations for coffee shop owners to bear in mind. For instance, ongoing staff training on how to use automated brewing systems properly and efficiently is critical – especially when dialling in new coffees. 

Moreover, the flavour profile of coffees will inherently change over time, so different variables such as grind size and brew temperature may need to be adjusted accordingly.

In short, to operate automated pour over brewers as effectively as possible, you need highly trained and intuitive baristas, 

“Systems like the Marco SP9 can be easily used by baristas of different abilities, while also going beyond the limited functions or capabilities of larger batch brewers,” John says.

The future of pour over is undeniably linked to automation. By embracing technology, coffee shops can deliver a more consistent and high-quality coffee experience, all while increasing staff efficiency and productivity. 

It’s not simply about just relying on automated solutions to do all the work, however. To get the best results, coffee shops need to know how to work in harmony with their automated brewers – and streamline operations as much as possible.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how coffee shops can use automation to improve extraction.

Photo credits: Marco Beverage Systems

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This includes pour over brewing methods. In recent years, we have seen some major changes in how coffee shops and competitors prepare pour overs – largely with an overarching focus on controlling as many extraction variables as possible.

In line with this, a much wider range of manual and automatic pour over brewers are now available – with some models designed to impact brewing variables in different ways.

So it’s clear that pour over coffee is changing. But what might the future hold?

To find out, I spoke to Dušan Matičič, the head roaster at GOAT STORY, Carlos Medina, a barista and the 2023 World Brewers Cup Champion, and Erik Freudenberg, the 2023 German Brewers Cup Champion. Read on for more of their insight.

You may also like our article on the future of espresso.

A brief history of manual pour over coffee

Around the world, filter coffee is immensely popular. In some countries and regions, consumption of filter coffee dates back centuries:

• In Latin American countries like Costa Rica, many people still use traditional wooden chorreador brewers and cloth filters (or bolsitas)
• Touba coffee (or Sufi coffee), which is prepared similar to pour over, is common in Senegal and other West African countries

One of the precursors in the evolution of pour over brewing, however, was the launch of the Melitta brand in the early 1900s. After Melitta Bentz fashioned a pour over brewer using a brass pot and a filter, the Melitta brand became one of the first to start selling commercially-available paper filters. This, of course, revolutionised modern pour over coffee.

Following this, many other companies started to design different variations of manual pour over brewers. In 1941, German scientist Peter Schlumbohm invented the iconic Chemex – which was named “one of the best-designed products of modern times” by the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Other notable manual brewers include the Hario V60 and Kalita Wave. In 2004, Japanese company Hario designed its revolutionary V60 brewer, which quickly became more popular in specialty coffee following the 2010 World Brewers Cup.

The flat bottom Kalita Wave, meanwhile, was officially launched in 2010 by Japanese brand Kalita Co. – which also helped to further elevate pour over brewing methods.

How has pour over changed?

Over the past decade or so, the number of manual pour over brewers available on the market has only continued to grow. Although the V60 still remains one of the most popular, specialty coffee shops are now using a wider range of manual brewers – including the Origami, GINA, Graycano, and Orea, to name a few.

Given the increasing diversity of pour overs, brewing methods are also changing. One of the most noticeable developments has been a much bigger emphasis on precision and controlling as many extraction variables as possible.

Effectively, specialty coffee has become more “scientific” about brewing filter coffee (and espresso), which has helped to deepen our understanding of how certain brewing variables impact extraction. 

Erik, who also works part-time as a barista and is an avid home brewer, explains how people have become more willing to experiment with different variables.

“We now know more about how many different brewing variables affect the extraction of flavour, so we therefore feel more comfortable to play around with them,” he says.

The influence of advanced processing methods

Since the early 2000s, specialty coffee has developed a clear preference for single origin coffees – which has thereby influenced filter brewing methods.

In more recent years, however, the increasing popularity of experimental processing methods is also changing how we prepare pour overs.

Dušan roasts coffee for GOAT STORY, which manufactures the GINA coffee maker. This brewer – which was famously used by 2018 World Brewers Cup Champion Emi Fukahori – utilises three different extraction methods (including full immersion, pour over, and cold drip) by turning a valve located at the bottom.

“When I look back to six years ago, as an industry, we were much more focused on clean and crisp washed coffees,” he says. “Pour overs are still the preferred brewing method to best highlight these characteristics. 

“Today, however, the diversity of processing methods is much wider,” he adds. “This helps to bring coffees to life. With coffees that have more intense flavour profiles, you need to fine-tune your brewing recipes.

“Generally speaking, it’s simply a matter of how to tone down or enhance complexity,” Dušan continues. “This can be done in so many different ways, from trying different pour over brewers to experimenting with different grind sizes.”

Carlos agrees, and explains how he tweaks his pour over recipes based on the processing method used.

“Heavily fermented coffees are more sensitive, so you have to adapt your recipe to fit,” he tells me. “For instance, I have roasted and brewed coffees which have been fermented for up to 720 hours. In this case, I had to grind coarser and use a lower brewing temperature to avoid extracting undesirable flavours.”

Blends

Despite single origins dominating the specialty coffee market, blends have made something of a comeback in recent years. While we mostly associate blends with flavours more suited to traditional coffee drinkers, there has been renewed interest in higher-quality blends – including at competitions.

This was most noticeable at the 2021 World Barista and Brewers Cup Championships:

• The 2021 World Brewers Cup Champion Matt Winton used a 60:40 blend of naturally processed Coffea eugenioides from Finca Inmaculada in Colombia and washed Catucai from Hacienda La Florida in Peru
• Andrea Allen and Hugh Kelly, who respectively placed second and third at the 2021 WBC, both used blends which included eugenioides
• Additionally, 2022 WBC Japanese competitor Takayuki Ishitani – who placed fourth – used a blend of robusta and an anaerobic fermented Gesha in his routine

Simply put, the process of developing blends has become much more thoughtful and deliberate to create new flavour experiences.

“Single origin coffees are a great way to showcase how terroir and processing impact the final cup profile, but blends can create synergy between different coffees and offer something truly unique,” Carlos says.

Considering that different coffees have different solubility levels, blends certainly impact pour over recipes – meaning we need to tweak brewing variables accordingly to achieve the best results.

Erik used a blend for his 2023 WBrC routine, saying it created one of the most memorable coffees he’s ever tasted.

“I think we’ve reached a point where single origins have become so good by themselves that in order to create an even better experience, we have started to blend multiple exceptional coffees together,” he says. “Blends can shift our perception of flavour altogether.”

Different brewers, different extraction

When preparing pour overs, the emphasis is very much on the “experience” of making coffee – similar to the Slow Food culinary movement. Essentially, brewing a manual pour over allows you to take your time and become fully immersed in the process.

With so many brewers now available, coffee shops, consumers, and competitors have to change their pour over recipes accordingly to get the best results. Factors such as the shape, design, and material of different manual brewers all influence how coffee is extracted. 

“Each model of brewer will have an effect on extraction – whether it’s enhancing certain qualities or making it easier to brew specific coffees,” Carlos says. 

For instance, a brewer’s ridge or groove design (as well as the number of ridges it has) will significantly impact flow rate. The V60 has spiral-shaped ridges which help to prevent the filter from sticking to the walls of the brewer – and thereby ensure a more even flow rate.

In comparison, the Orea V3 brewer only has four ridges at the base – which means the flow rate is much quicker. To get the best results between these two brewers, it’s important to change several brewing variables, such as grind size, water temperature, and level of agitation, to name a few.

The role of automation

Although manual pour over brewers have evolved significantly in recent years, it’s been hard to ignore how automation has shaped filter coffee brewing for the long term.

Alongside the more scientific approach to pour over extraction, more and more coffee shops have started to leverage the power of automation to serve high-quality filter coffee.

Automated pour over brewing systems can manage a number of variables – such as brew time, temperature, and water dispersion – much more precisely than humans. 

“In a coffee shop, automated brewers definitely have an edge on baristas,” Erik says.

Not only does this help baristas to free up more of their time and focus on other tasks, it massively increases the consistency of extraction. In turn, whether you embrace it or not, automation has played a key role in improving the quality of pour over coffee.

Similarly, now more than ever, consumers are also turning to automated brewing solutions at home. We’ve seen more and more companies and brands design high-quality automated pour over systems with a number of features, such as prewetting and blooming functions.

How could pour over coffee evolve in the future?

Given the rapid rate of innovation in specialty coffee, pour over brewing could change in many ways in the years to come.

“We are seeing a growing interest in pour overs,” Dušan says. “People are continuing to explore new ways of brewing, including how to highlight different flavours.”

Carlos believes as the industry’s knowledge of extraction continues to deepen, filter coffee will continue to evolve.

“From automated to hybrid to no-bypass brewers, pour over coffee is sure to evolve to become so much more,” he says.

Erik also agrees, saying: “We will see more super-specialist tools, brewers, and techniques, and we will also gain an even better understanding of the impact of different brewers on coffee flavour.

“I think we will also become more resourceful in our quest to perfect brewing coffee,” he says. “I simply hope that filter coffee becomes even better in the future.”

Pour over coffee has come a long way over the past century or so. And with an ever-growing range of manual and automatic brewers – as well as evolving recipes and a deeper understanding of extraction variables – it’s sure to keep on changing.

“There are so many varieties waiting to be rediscovered or cultivated, so the future is bright for filter coffee,” Dušan concludes. “And with the impact of climate change potentially leading to the emergence of new origins, this could bring a new dimension to pour over coffee.”

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on the history of manual brewing methods.

Photo credits: Sinan Musly, SCA Germany, Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Events, GOAT STORY

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However, alongside this, your brewing water should also remain at a stable temperature throughout the entire process. This is a concept known as thermal stability – an essential part of manual brewing.

While temperature-controlled kettles can certainly help to improve thermal stability, your brewer also has an effect on it.

To learn more about how to maintain a stable brew temperature, I spoke with two coffee professionals. Read on to learn more on why thermal stability is so important. 

You may also like our article on how your dripper material affects your pour over coffee.

What is thermal stability?

There are many variables to keep track of when brewing filter coffee. These include coffee to water ratio, total brew time, grind size, agitation, and more. Temperature, however, is one of the most important.

When coffee is brewed, a number of soluble volatile compounds that contribute to flavour – such as oils and acids – are extracted. However, as different compounds are extracted at different temperatures, ensuring that you keep your temperature stable throughout the brew is key. 

Hyunhwa is the Head Barista at Nothin Coffee in Seoul, South Korea.

“Thermal stability in manual brewing means more consistency in your extraction,” he tells me. “Consistency helps to reflect the coffee’s inherent flavours and lets you prepare the best-tasting coffee.”

Any significant temperature fluctuations (3°C in either direction is significant enough) can result in either too many or too few compounds being extracted. Either way, this can have a notable impact on flavour.

If brewing temperatures are too high, the water extracts more volatile compounds, as well as increasing the rate of extraction – thereby reducing the total brew time. 

This makes it harder for the brewer to control the extraction rate, and can result in overextracted coffee, which tastes bitter and hollow.

Lower brewing temperatures, meanwhile, prolong the extraction process as the water molecules have less kinetic energy, meaning that they move around less. If your water temperature is too low, you risk underextraction, which means your coffee will taste sour and astringent.

Moreover, if the coffee bed is extracted with brewing water which is not at a stable temperature (for example, if the temperature of water decreases over the course of the brew time), some of the coffee grounds may be extracted more than others. This leads to coffee which is both underextracted and overextracted at the same time.

Explaining thermal stability

While maintaining thermal stability during manual brewing might seem easy enough with the aid of equipment like a temperature-controlled kettle, it can actually be more difficult than you might think. 

This is often because of the shape and material of the brewer.

Hyunjun Kim is the co-founder of Nothin Coffee and main developer of the Steadfast filter coffee brewer.

“The wide opening at the top of a standard filter coffee brewer allows more heat to escape into the surrounding air, rather than retaining it in the slurry,” he explains. “Therefore, manual brewing is more prone to heat loss during extraction. 

“This means the material of your brewer greatly affects thermal stability,” he adds.

Different materials used to manufacture filter brewers have different thermal masses. Thermal mass is a measurement of how much heat a material needs to absorb before its temperature increases. 

Materials like concrete and stone, for instance, have a high thermal mass, because they need to absorb a lot of heat before their temperature rises. 

“A filter brewer with a higher thermal mass requires more energy from the brewing water, which it absorbs through heat,” Hyunjun says. “This means it takes longer to warm up.

“On the other hand, materials with a lower thermal mass require less energy to warm up, and they absorb heat out of the slurry much more quickly.”

Hyunhwa, meanwhile, emphasises the importance of using a dripper which is made from materials that will retain heat for longer. This is because brewers which lose heat quickly can disrupt the temperature of the water, and therefore affect extraction.

“Typically, steel conducts heat much faster, while plastics absorb and emit heat at a slower rate,” Hyunhwa tells me. “This means that, generally speaking, plastic filter drippers are more insulated than metal ones.

“However, specially-insulated metal brewers like Steadfast conduct and retain heat more effectively for the best possible thermal stability.”

Comparing different brewer materials

We know different materials have different thermal masses, and therefore we know that they conduct heat at different rates.

But how significant is the difference? And what else should you consider for thermal stability?

Plastics 

Hyunjun tells me that most plastic brewers are made from “a range of polymers, commonly methyl methacrylate, which is also commonly referred to as acrylic”.

Plastics have a high thermal mass (around three times that of steel), which means it takes longer for the material to absorb heat from the brewing water.

In fact, plastics emit heat around 20 times slower than other materials, which helps to maintain a stable brew temperature for longer periods. 

Ceramic and porcelain 

Hyunhwa says ceramic and porcelain are popular materials for manual brewers because of their “high insulating qualities and visual appeal”.

Ceramic has a slightly lower thermal mass than plastic, which also makes it a good material for ensuring thermal stability.

However, since ceramic is a dense material, it absorbs more heat than plastic, even at the same temperature ranges.

“Ceramic brewers absorb around four times more heat from your brewing water than plastic ones,” Hyunhwa explains. 

Glass

Glass is another popular material for manual brewers. 

Alongside its visual appeal, it also has a significantly lower specific thermal mass than plastic and ceramic brewers, so it needs less energy to reach the right temperatures for brewing. 

“Glass filter brewers also tend to weigh around half as much as most ceramic or porcelain ones,” Hyunhwa says. “This means they are more insulated when it comes to the water temperature.”

Steel

Steel has a very low thermal mass compared to other materials, so it can heat up much more quickly. This means it requires much less time and energy to reach the optimal brewing temperature. 

“However, because of the thinner materials, steel brewers can absorb more heat from the brew and release it into the atmosphere,” Hyunjun says. 

As a result of this, he recommends using steel drippers for recipes which have a total brew time of three minutes or less. 

However, Hyunjun also points out that using an insulated steel filter brewer, such as the one made by Steadfast, means taking less energy and time to reach the ideal temperature, as well as better heat retention over time.

“The Steadfast coffee brewer is made from high-quality stainless steel (SUS304) and comes with an outer insulated leather jacket, which helps to stabilise the brewing temperature,” Hyunjun tells me.

“This means it can reach the target temperature more quickly because of the steel’s lower thermal mass, while the insulated jacket improves thermal stability throughout the brew,” he adds.

Hyunhwa explains that Steadfast recently carried out a study to compare plastic and ceramic brewers to their dripper.

“Among the three brewers, the Steadfast reached the target temperature the fastest, and maintained the temperature for longer,” Hyunhwa says.

He adds that alongside the insulated leather jacket, Steadfast is also specifically designed to maintain thermal stability during manual brewing.

The dripper has a trapezoid wedge shape, with walls which slope at a 31° angle (similar to a conical brewer like the V60). This helps to not only maintain brew temperature, but also improves flow rate during extraction. 

Can you improve thermal stability?

Hyunhwa tells me that when filter coffee is brewed, heat loss generally occurs across the surface of the slurry, because of the wide opening at the top of the brewer.

“Because of this, we recommend preheating your brewer to avoid losing too much heat from your brew water,” he adds.

Denser materials like ceramic and plastic should be more thoroughly preheated than steel and glass, as they take longer to heat up. This prevents them from absorbing too much heat during the initial phases of extraction.

Ultimately, using high-quality brewers made from durable materials helps you to achieve a consistent, stable temperature when preparing filter coffee.

“With the Steadfast, we focused on convenience, durability, and making sure people enjoyed brewing coffee with the dripper,” Hyunjun says. “To achieve all of this, we used SUS304 – a food-grade stainless steel known for its durability – and a leather jacket made from plant-based natural tannins.”

Your dripper material undoubtedly has an impact on thermal stability and brew temperature, which in turns affects extraction and the flavours you taste in your cup.

When choosing a brewer, consider the materials you use and how they can affect thermal stability. By selecting a brewer with a lower thermal mass, or one that is insulated, you are more likely to maintain the required temperature of your brewing water.

This way, you can focus on the many other extraction variables that are important for preparing high-quality coffee.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how temperature can impact your experience of coffee.

Photo credits: Steadfast

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In order to ensure the coffee is evenly saturated with water, two of the most commonly used techniques are swirling and stirring the mixture, which is often referred to as the “slurry”. But which is best?

To learn more about these two brewing practices, I spoke to three coffee professionals from across the industry. Read on to find out what they said.

You might also like What’s The Difference Between Filter Coffee And Americano?

Why Should We Swirl Or Stir During Brewing?

Andrée Rios is an SCA certified barista living in Barcelona. He says that in order to achieve even extraction levels, you need to agitate the slurry.

“The main purpose of stirring and spinning is to improve the distribution of water among the grounds in the coffee bed,” he says. “This minimises channeling and dry particle resistance.

“Ideally, we should try to get our coffee grounds to contribute collectively and evenly from the first droplet of poured water until the last.”

A more even extraction will result in better tasting coffee. Under-extracted coffee is generally sour and overly acidic, while over-extracted coffee tastes bitter and dry.

The final appearance of the wet coffee grounds (known as “the bed”) can help the brewer assess their extraction.

“A properly distributed, homogeneous, and flat bed with little to no particles [high up the filter paper] is what we should always look for in our brewer at the end of the extraction,” Andrée explains.

“A flat bed is an indicator of correct pouring. It will help us ensure consistency in our recipe by creating even resistance in our coffee bed, which allows all particles to contribute at a similar extraction rate.”

The Bloom

The first phase of brewing is known as “the bloom”. This is when the water first comes into contact with the ground coffee in your dripper. At this point, it starts to release the gases (mainly carbon dioxide) which were absorbed by the beans during roasting. To ensure even extraction, it’s vital that as many of these gases are released as possible.

Jens Crabbé is the founder of MOK Specialty Coffee in Belgium, which has two locations in Brussels and Leuven. He says: “I suggest agitating during the bloom, to make sure the bottom of the coffee ‘cone’ is evenly saturated. This should be done swiftly to make sure all the coffee extracts evenly.”

Blooming coffee makes the resulting cup more well-rounded and gives it a “fuller” flavour. In comparison, coffee that does not adequately bloom has a weaker, flatter flavour with more acidity. This is because the unreleased carbon dioxide molecules stop the water from fully extracting the aromatic flavour compounds in coffee.

“[You can agitate coffee] by swirling the filter holder or by making a hole in the coffee cone and stirring after you pour the water,” Jens says. “The exact method does not matter that much as long as you are consistent.”

Creating a “well” in the dry coffee bed before pouring will allow for more even saturation, as water has easier and quicker access to the bottom of the grounds in the brewer. 

Jens says: “By making it easier to saturate all our coffee grounds with water during the [bloom], particles will extract at a similar rate into the final cup.”

A number of experiments conducted by James Hoffmann on V60 brewing techniques found that swirling during the bloom, rather than stirring, provided better tasting results. His videos recommend that brewers swirl until the slurry looks completely mixed, with no dry clumps.

Scott Rao’s updated manual pour over technique also suggests swirling during the bloom, but also recommends stirring areas where the coffee bed bubbles, as this makes it easier for gases to escape.

Agitation Throughout The Brew

After the bloom, you should continually stir or swirl your slurry to ensure even extraction. This decreases the likelihood of channeling occurring. Channeling is where water finds the path of least resistance through the coffee bed, which results in uneven extraction.

“Pouring gently and consistently is important,” Jens says. “This helps you extract the coffee evenly. 

“In the first stage of pouring after the bloom, you can [swirl or stir] to make sure the coffee gets pushed down from the sides of the filter paper.”

The Specialty Coffee Association Brewing Handbook states that “the brewing water must lift and separate each particle” in order to achieve even extraction. Throughout the duration of the brew, the slurry increases in volume as more water is added. As a result, agitation needs to be more forceful as the brew continues.

However, if you’re too forceful, the larger coffee particles – sometimes known as “boulders” – will move towards the sides of the filter due to the centrifugal force that pushes them outwards. 

James adds in his video that stirring the slurry in one direction, and then the opposite, helps to remove boulders from the walls of the brewer. 

“After swirling, you can gently tap your filter holder onto your container or vessel,” Jens says. “This way you will get the flat bed you’re looking for.” This final step levels the coffee particles in the slurry to produce a flat layer of wet coffee grounds for the last few moments of the brew.

Is Too Much Agitation A Problem?

When increased centrifugal force pushes the boulders outwards, smaller coffee particles move further down into the slurry. This affects extraction in one key way.

Timothy Bruno is a coffee expert and the author of the upcoming book Procaffeination: A Coffee Lovers Dictionary.

“Smaller particles have a greater relative surface area, and are always extracted to a greater degree, resulting in more bitterness,” he says. “Ideally, you want to make certain that the individual particles are properly extracted neither too little nor too much.”

If you are experiencing too many fines in your ground coffee, Timothy recommends adjusting your grinder.

“The amount of fines is a function of the grinding process,” he says. “You will definitely get a less even grind using a blade grinder than you will using a burr grinder.”

Additionally, tests conducted by Scott Rao found that the actual duration of the agitation itself altered the total brew time. In his test, seven-second spins resulted in a total brew time of 5 minutes 18 seconds, while two-second spins saw a brew time of 4 minutes 28 seconds.

This increase of 50 seconds could be the difference between evenly extracted coffee or an over-extracted, bitter cup.

Best Practices With Swirling And Stirring

Andrée highlights the importance of using a sufficient water-to-coffee ratio when agitating the coffee bed, especially during the bloom: “Some people find a 2:1 ratio to be enough, but I personally find this to be insufficient to saturate all grounds.”

James Hoffmann recommends no higher than a 3:1 water to coffee ratio, noting that too much water may prevent enough carbon dioxide from being released.

“Practice your bloom and your pouring techniques,” Andrée says. “This will help you obtain consistent and controlled agitation. If possible, use a sifter.” The more consistent your agitation techniques are, the more you will be able to identify, track, and alter your brewing variables.

Experimenting by adding or removing stages of agitation is the best way to hone extraction when swirling or stirring the coffee bed. If you find that your coffee is under-extracted, then agitate your brew more, but in a controlled manner; stir one more time, for instance, or swirl for just one or two more seconds.

Likewise, if your coffee is over-extracted, then reduce the amount of stirring and spinning in the bloom as well as later phases of brewing.

Andrée also advises considering the role of your grinder in the agitation process: “Improve your grind size distribution [by] ensuring your burrs are properly aligned and sharp,” he tells me.

“Some beans are [more] prone to generating fines; try a grind setting [that is] not too coarse but not too fine, so that your particles are as intact as possible for proper extraction.”

Coarser grinds tend to allow for more agitation with less risk of over-extraction, as fewer fines are produced and the particles are more evenly sized. However, grinding too coarsely will result in under-extracted, watery coffee.

Ultimately, both swirling and stirring pour over filter coffee can result in a great tasting cup. There is no single right or wrong answer; either can bring the best out of your beans.

However, it is always important to exercise caution and make sure your technique evenly extracts the soluble flavours from your ground coffee. By switching your agitation variables, experimenting to find the best technique, and tweaking it in very small increments, you will be in the best possible position to brew great tasting filter coffee.

Enjoyed this? You might also like Everything You Need To Know About Brewing Great Pour Over Filter Coffee

Photo credits: Birgit Sterckx, Tasmin Grant, Neil Soque

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The post Swirl Or Stir? Achieving Even Extraction With Filter Coffee Drippers appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Nothing beats a barista-made coffee from your local café. However, when the coffee shop is closed or you’re at home in your pyjamas, being able to knock up your favourite drink in your own kitchen is wonderful.

So, let’s explore how you make cold brew, filter, and traditionally espresso-based drinks at home, using the iconic AeroPress.

Lee este artículo en español Cómo Hacer tu Bebida Favorita de la Cafetería Con el AeroPress

Credit: AeroPress, Inc..

Brewing Coffee With The AeroPress

The AeroPress’ versatility, affordability, and ease of use have made it a firm favourite of many coffee lovers. It’s comprised of a chamber, plunger, and a filter cap. You attach the filter cap and a filter to the chamber, add the coffee and hot water, insert the plunger, and then push. Some brewers also like to use the inverted method, where they leave the coffee to steep before plunging.

By playing with different variables, you can bring out different flavours, aromas, and mouthfeels from your AeroPress-brewed coffee. You can emphasise its body and chocolaty notes, or bring out its sparkling acidity and fruitiness.

This is because not all coffee flavours extract from the ground beans at the same rate. When you add water to dry coffee grounds, the bitter compounds are the first to extract, followed by the ones responsible for sweetness, juicy acidity, and then finally, astringency.

Learn more in Understanding Coffee Extraction

Here are some variables you can play with:

• Brew ratio: this is the ratio of dry coffee to hot water. The more dry coffee relative to the water, the greater the intensity – but the flavour could become unbalanced. With the AeroPress, you’ll probably want to use 14–16g of dry coffee for 250g of water, but you always change this based on your preferences.
  
• Grind size: the finer the grind size, the quicker the coffee will extract. This is because you’re increasing the coffee’s surface area so it can better interact with the water. A finer grind size usually correlates with fruitier, juicier notes.
  
• Brew time: the longer the coffee steeps, the more time it has to extract. For this reason, you’ll probably want to pair a longer brew time with a coarser grind size.
  
• Water temperature: the higher the temperature, the quicker the coffee extracts.
  
• Agitation: stirring the water will typically speed up extraction. Even more importantly, it will make sure that all of the coffee is exposed to the water. However, it can be hard to control.

Find out more in this video from the World AeroPress Championship YouTube channel:

You might also like How to Brew Coffee at Home: A Beginner’s Guide

Espresso

The espresso is the heart of many of the drinks you can order in a coffee shop: lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, macchiatos, and more. 

The AeroPress was designed to create an espresso-strength concentrate. AeroPress recommends that you use one scoop of fine or espresso-grind coffee and then add 175°F/80°C water up to the “1” on the chamber. 

Espressos often have an intense flavour and mouthfeel with a more chocolaty or toffee-like flavour, so that they taste good with milk. To achieve this, avoid exacerbating extraction through heavy agitation of the coffee. If you find that your brew tastes too fruity or acidic, reduce the grind size and increase the brew time to match.

You will probably also prefer a medium or medium-dark roast, as this is what is typically used for espresso.

Filter or Drip

Drip and filter coffee tend to have greater clarity and a less intense mouthfeel than espresso. This is because the filter traps much of the coffee’s oils, preventing them from entering into your cup. The thicker the filter, the less oil can seep through. 

The AeroPress is already a filter brewing method, but to increase your clarity and get more of that batch brew or drip flavour, try doubling up your filters. Although they are environmentally friendly, you should also avoid metal filters. 

Pour over brew methods, such as the Chemex, Kalita Wave, and Hario V60, are used in specialty coffee shops to highlight the fruity and floral notes of high-quality coffee. If you want this effect, aim for a fine grind, short brew time, hot water, and lots of agitation.

Of course, you won’t be able to extract citrus or jasmine flavours if they’re not present in the original coffee. Try light and light-medium roasts and check the flavour notes on the coffee bag.

Latte

Every coffee shop has its own recipe. However, a latte is typically around 8 oz/230 ml and made with steamed, stretched milk.

Start by creating your espresso-like concentrate in the AeroPress. Then, you’ll need to heat your milk. If using dairy, opt for fresh, full-fat milk. If opting for non-dairy milk, oat and almond are the two most popular types for coffee.

Read more in What’s The Best Non-Dairy Milk For Specialty Coffee?

You have a few options for the next step. You could use a milk steamer or frothing wand, or you could heat the milk on the stove or in the microwave before using a balloon whisk to aerate it. 

If using a milk steamer or frothing wand, make sure to keep the tip under the surface of the milk. This will prevent you from creating cappuccino-like foam. Tilt the jug or cup at an angle while steaming. And after you’ve done, tap and swirl the jug to disperse any large bubbles.

Finally, steadily pour the steamed milk over your espresso, and enjoy.

Cappuccino

Although often confused with a latte, a cappuccino is a smaller beverage that contains foamed as well as steamed milk. While steamed milk is silky and smooth, foam is drier and stiffer.

You may have heard that a cappuccino should be one-third espresso, one-third steamed milk, and one-third foam, that’s not necessarily true. Experiment to find out what you like the most.

You might also like What Is a Cappuccino & How Has It Developed Over Time?

To make a cappuccino-like drink with your AeroPress, start by brewing your coffee and heating your milk, just as you did for the latte. Then, to create the foam, you’ll want to introduce more air into the milk. If using a frothing wand, place the top just below the surface of the milk. Once you’ve got a good amount of foam, you can then dip it further into the milk to make sure it’s evenly heated.

When pouring your milk, hold the foam back with the spoon so that just the steamed milk runs into the cup. Then use the spoon to heap the foam on top.

Flat White 

Another milk-and-espresso beverage, the flat white is a great choice for those who want their coffee to taste stronger. Although recipes vary according to the coffee shop, it’s typically the same size as a cappuccino but with a double espresso shot and only a tiny layer of microfoam.

When brewing your coffee, you’ll need to use double the amount of dry grounds and water. Remember to keep the ratio the same to ensure that the flavour and extraction level don’t change.

Americano

An Americano, or espresso diluted with hot water, creates the rich flavour of an espresso but without the bold mouthfeel. It’s typically made with one-part espresso for two-parts hot water, yet there’s no need to stick to a hard-and-fast rule. Brew your espresso-like concentrate with the AeroPress and then experiment with different quantities of hot water to see what you prefer. 

While you should pay close attention to the water temperature you use in the AeroPress, the temperature of the hot water you then add to the brewed concentrate doesn’t matter. 

Cold Brew 

Cold brew normally takes 12–24 hours to make, since coffee needs a long time to extract in cold water. Yet the AeroPress official method is just two minutes long.

Take one scoop of finely ground coffee, add room-temperature water up until the “1” mark, and then stir non-stop for one minute to increase the extraction. Finally,press gently and dilute your drink with ice-cold water or milk.

Read more in How to Make Cold Brew Coffee in an AeroPress

The AeroPress might not be able to bring out as much crema on your espresso as a barista could, or create latte art-worthy steamed milk. 

However, by tweaking brewing variables such as grind size, brew time, and water temperature, you can bring out many of the different textures and flavours present in lattes, pour overs, and even cold brew. And that sounds pretty great to us.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your AeroPress and start grinding your coffee.

Enjoyed this? Read How to Store Coffee at Home

Please note: This article has been sponsored by AeroPress, Inc.. 

Photo credits: Credit: AeroPress, Inc.

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The post How to Make Your Coffee Shop Favourites With The AeroPress appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Lee este artículo en español Breve Historia de Los Métodos Manuales de Preparación de Café

Whether you’re a home brewer wanting to know more about which device to invest in, or a barista looking to better understand the origins of the device you use every day, you’ll benefit from knowing the history of the following manual brewing devices. 

Here’s how approaches to manual coffee brewing have changed over time, as well as the most popular devices that dominate the market today.

A kettle and thermometer, both used to brew coffee. Credit: Neil Soque

The Beginning of Manual Brewing

While there are no records that tell us exactly when or where people started consuming coffee, most agree that it originated in or near what’s now known as Ethiopia. According to Catherine M.Tucker’s book, Coffee Culture: Local Experiences, Global Connections, the first people to use coffee may have been ancestors of Ethiopia’s Oromo people, who according to early European travellers, mixed ground coffee cherries and beans with animal fat to create “long-lasting, calorically dense food balls”.

As the 15th century came to pass, Turkey’s Ottoman Empire expanded its reach to include parts of North Africa, Central and East Europe, and Asia. This allowed them to control the main trade routes between Asia, Africa, and Europe. It is here that they likely encountered coffee.

After being introduced to the drink, the Turks invented one of the earliest methods of manual brewing coffee. Roasted beans were ground using mortars, added to water, and then boiled in a pot called a cezve. Soon, this brewing method spread from the Sultan’s kitchen to wealthy homes across the Ottoman Empire, until the entire population was enjoying it.

While the Ottoman Turks attempted to keep a monopoly on coffee trade by banning its export, maintaining this proved impossible. The seed was smuggled out of the country and eventually enjoyed across Europe, where various European governments looked to African colonies to provide coffee to meet the growing consumer demand. 

As colonial expansion spread, so did the reach of coffee, and by the 18th century, it was a popular beverage drunk across the world. While at this point it was only enjoyed by the wealthy elite, time – and the invention of affordable and easy to access manual brewing devices – would soon result in it being enjoyed by all. 

You may also like Melitta, Chemex, & More: A History of Pour Over Coffee

Coffee being brewed on a V60 at a coffee shop in Berlin, Germany. Credit: Julio Guevara

Early Manual Brewing Devices

When coffee arrived in Europe, it was usually prepared by adding ground beans to water in a single pot and boiling it, which is similar to how the Turks enjoyed it. It entered the continent at the same time as the Industrial Revolution was taking place. At the time, most people drank beer or wine as a safer alternative to water. The introduction of coffee allowed people to participate in factory work unhampered by the usual side effects of inebriation. 

In the 19th century, the drip method of preparation was developed in France and became dominant. With this method, ground coffee was placed in a container situated between two chambers of a pot, with heated water added to the top chamber. It then percolated or dripped down through the coffee into the bottom serving receptacle. 

It was in this century that domestic preparation of coffee took off in earnest. In 1908, a German woman named Amalie Auguste Melitta Bentz invented the first coffee filter, which allowed her to brew coffee without sediments and with a clearer taste. She patented her paper filter idea and established the Melitta company in the same year.

Melitta and her husband presented her filters at the 1909 Leipzig Trade Fair, where it was successful. After some adjustments were made, a cone-shaped filter was created, which became popular due to its improved design.

A cup of black coffee. Credit: Julio Guevara

The History of the Moka Pot

As coffee spread its reach across Europe, France and Germany weren’t the only countries to dabble with creating manual brewing methods. While the 18th century saw large-scale mechanical espresso machines being patented, Italy’s 19th-century economic boom saw locals demanding ways to enjoy a similar quality coffee, efficiently, and at home. 

It was in 1933 that Alfonso Bialetti invented the Moka Pot. Designed for use on a stove, the pot had three parts. It passed boiling water that was pressurised by steam through a funnel and ground coffee into the top chamber. 

It was an instant success and is still produced by Bialetti today, even as the company experiences increased competition from coffee pod machines and other devices.

You may also like How The Moka Pot Influenced Coffee Consumption

A coffee carafe and cup on a table. Credit: Neil Soque

The French Press

Several years before Alfonso Bialetti invented the Moka Pot, two Frenchmen were creating an early version of the French Press. In 1852, Mayer and Deforge patented a design of this type of brewer, which differed significantly to the one we currently use, as it lacked a seal inside the carafe.

It was in 1929 that two Italians, Attilio Calimani and Giulio Moneta, patented a design for the coffee maker resembling the French Press that we know today. This version included a seal around the plunger disks, keeping them flush with the receptacle and making plunging more efficient.

It was only in 1958 that the most popular design of this brewer was patented, and it was done by a Swiss man called Faliero Bondanini. As it was manufactured in France, it grew in popularity there and was called the Chambord.

This particular version was a total immersion device, which means that the ground coffee is in full contact with hot water for around four minutes when the plunger is pushed down. During pouring, the filter keeps the grinds in the carafe, creating a clean and full-bodied cup of coffee.

While no single company dominates production of the device, the Danish tableware and kitchenware company Bodum has been manufacturing their version of it since 1974, with huge success. Their version is called the Bistro and is available from retailers around the world.

Learn more in French Press – The History & Brewing Guide

A cup of black coffee. Credit: Julio Guevara

The Chemex

In 1941, German chemist and inventor Peter J. Schlumbohm created the Chemex, which was one of many inventions he created in his lifetime. Having renounced his place in his family’s chemical business, his years spent earning a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Berlin formed the foundation for his future inventions. 

He first exhibited a prototype of the Chemex coffee maker at the New York World’s Fair in 1939 and formed the Chemex Corporation two years later to manufacture and market it.

Schlumbohm considered the appearance of his inventions to be very important, and his educational influence is apparent in the Chemex’s resembling chemical laboratory apparatus. Its style resembled that of Modernist designers, and it was endorsed by the Museum of Modern Art.

Using a pour over method, the Chemex works by passing water through a bed of coffee and a paper filter. As the filters are usually 20-30% heavier than typical filters, they retain more suspended oils during brewing and keep out more solids, resulting in a cleaner cup of coffee.

Learn more in Chemex – The History & Brewing Guide

A Chemex collar. Credit: Fernando Pocasangre 

The Kalita Wave

Kalita Co. is a Japanese company that has been producing coffee equipment and paper filters since the fifties. They created the Kalita Wave series of coffee drippers in 2010. The device looks similar to the V60 at first sight but has several key differences.

Unlike a V60, the Kalita Wave has a flat bottom with three extraction holes, which eliminates any channelling of water in the coffee bed and slows down the water’s flow through the coffee grounds, for a crisp cup of coffee. The dripper has little contact with the filter, keeping the temperature consistent and dispersing the water evenly. 

Thanks to its flat bottom, water flow is restricted in a more stable and predictable way than with other manual drippers. This creates a flatter bed of grounds, for a more even extraction of flavour. 

Available in metal, the Kalita Wave is stove-top friendly (like the Moka Pot). It is also available in glass and ceramic.

Read more: Kalita Wave: The Story & Brewing Guide

Coffee being brewed on a Kalita Wave. Credit: Neil Soque

The Hario V60

The Chemex isn’t the only manual brewing device to originate from a chemistry background. The Hario V60 was created by a Tokyo company that produced and sold physical and chemical-use glass products. It’s a relative latecomer to the manual brewing device industry, having only been invented in 2015, and it gets its name from the 60º angle of its cone. 

The V60 has three qualities that impact its brewing ability. Firstly, its cone shape lets the water poured over flow towards its centre, for longer contact time with the grounds. Secondly, its single hole means that the flavour of the coffee can be altered by changing the speed at which the water is poured in. Finally, the cone has spiral ribs on the inside, which allows more air to escape and maximises the expansion of the coffee grounds.

The V60 was first introduced in ceramic and glass, then plastic, and finally metal. It was also released in a copper version, for higher thermal conductivity. This allows for better retention of heat and therefore better extraction.

Read more: Hario V60: The History & Brewing Guide

Barista brewing pour over coffee using a V60. Credit: Fernando Pocasangre 

The AeroPress

The AeroPress was created by engineer Alan Adler in 2005 and is a notable brewer to come out of the USA. Made of polycarbonate, it contains no BPAs and phthalates and features its brand name lettering in gold, for easier detection of possible counterfeits. 

Adler’s invention was created out of a need for a less bitter cup of coffee. He realised that for this to happen, brewing time would need to be shortened. He created a closed chamber to increase the pressure required during brewing, which also resulted in a much faster brewing time, compared to most manual devices on the market.

Being compact, portable, and easy to clean, the AeroPress has carved out its own niche in the industry. It now has its own championship too, with the World AeroPress Championship drawing entries from across the world every year.

Coffee is brewed using an AeroPress. Credit: Fernando Pocasangre 

Manual methods have opened a path towards more experimentation for home brewers and coffee shops alike. For both groups, there are no hard or fast rules for how they’re used to brew coffee.

Knowing how each one was created and works will not only allow you to better enjoy the beverage but also to respect the efforts that have been put into creating each device – whether you’re enjoying it at home or using it to serve others.

Enjoyed this? Then Read Everything You Need to Know to Brew Great Pour Over Coffee

Written by Miguel A. Hernández Zambrano. Feature photo: Freshly brewed coffee in a carafe. Feature photo credit: Neil Soque

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The post A Brief History of Manual Brewing Methods appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.