Let's explore why the filter coffee has become so beloved by guests and baristas.
Reason 1: Filter coffee saves time
It takes about 20 minutes to prepare 10 servings of Americano, while only a minute is needed to prepare 10 servings of filter coffee. This results in a time-saving of 20-fold.
On average, a barista spends 1 to 3 minutes making espresso on a coffee machine: pouring water through the portafilter, wiping it with a cloth, grinding the coffee, leveling and tamping the grind to create a uniform coffee puck, removing excess coffee from the edges and ears of the portafilter, inserting it into the group head, and starting the extraction for an average of 28 seconds, and then serving the beverage to the guest.
When multiple orders for espresso-based drinks are placed simultaneously, guests have to wait for about 10 minutes.
The brewing process for a 2-liter batch of filter coffee takes 6 to 8 minutes: the barista rinses the thermos where the coffee will be extracted, wets the paper filter, grinds 120 grams of coffee, pours 2 liters of water into the coffee maker, inserts the filter into the coffee maker, and brews the coffee for 8 minutes. Then the thermos is moved to a stand next to the cash register.
A 2-liter batch is sufficient for 10 servings of 200 ml each, and the taste of the beverage in the thermos with a glass carafe remains unchanged for 6 hours. Even a non-barista can pour the filter coffee, taking just 5 seconds - no waiting time for the guest.
Reason 2: Filter coffee enhances the flavors of coffee
Thanks to filter coffee, specialty coffee becomes more accessible and understandable for coffee lovers.
Espresso and Americano use coffee beans that are roasted darker. As a result, the beverage has a dense body with bitterness and strength. It is more difficult to perceive all the flavor and aromatic properties in such a drink.
Lighter roasts used for filter coffee fully reveal the taste descriptors, allowing one to recognize the country of origin and the processing method of the beans.
Reason 3: Time saved on grind adjustment
The grind adjustment for filter coffee is done once, whereas for espresso, it needs to be adjusted for each preparation of the beverage. The taste of filter coffee remains consistent, minimizing the influence of human factors.
To prepare espresso, a barista adjusts the grind multiple times a day based on the number of orders and the conditions in the coffee shop, which takes from 1 to 30 minutes of the overall working day.
For filter coffee, it is sufficient to adjust the coarse grind once, which suits various light-roast coffee varieties. The same coffee grinder used for alternative brewing methods can be used. Coffee shops can offer guests a wide variety of coffee flavors without significant time investment in their preparation.
Reason 4: Reduced coffee consumption for grind adjustment
Espresso requires regular grind adjustments, resulting in the wastage of 50 to 200 grams of beans per day. With filter coffee, it is enough to select the coarse grind once, similar to that used for French press.
Reason 5: Low equipment cost
On average, the cost of equipment for filter coffee preparation is limited. If you already have equipment for brewing Hario, Chemex, or Aeropress in your coffee shop, the introduction of filter coffee would cost much lower as you already have a coffee grinder.
Reason 6: No need to overpay for coffee varieties suitable for filter coffee
Often, good-quality light-roast coffee for filter coffee is priced higher than darker roasts for espresso, where it is easier to mask flavor defects. However, excellent options of light-roast coffee can be found at the same price point. Additionally, the convenience and speed of using a filter offset the small premium for the beans.
Reason 7: Development of coffee culture
The filter coffee was primarily used in hotels, as it was more convenient for staff to prepare a large volume of coffee for all guests at once without relying on a barista's assistance. However, filter coffee has gained a new life thanks to the development of specialty coffee culture in Russia. It does not require much time and effort for brewing, as with a funnel or Aeropress, while often matching them in terms of flavor qualities.
In terms of convenience and flavor characteristics, we would like to see cappuccino, espresso, and filter coffee occupy the top three positions in the popularity ranking of coffee beverages in the future. And if desired, variations such as flat white, latte, and signature drinks can be added to the menu.