The Coffee Shot in 2019

#1: Post by **coffeemmichael** » March 3rd, 2019, 7:12 pm

2100+ days on from the 2013 WBC in Melbourne, and the brewing of "filter" coffee via an espresso machine hasn't taken over the world.

Yes, some cafes are reported to be doing this quietly (have heard-- but cannot confirm-- that you can order these at Kuma and Cat & Cloud) but the pour-over is far from dead.

What happened?

#2: Post by **guydebord** » March 3rd, 2019, 7:18 pm

it is so freekin impractical, messy and pressure profiling machines appeared in the scene, which arguably let you play more than with a paper filter...

#3: Post by **happycat** » March 3rd, 2019, 8:26 pm

My guess

If you sell mostly espresso-based drinks, you won't want to change settings to make a coffee shot sometimes

It's way easier to make an americano or long black by adding water to espresso or draw from a batch brewer... more predictable and economical and controlled

And I doubt people want to spend the higher price for a "cup of coffee" made by the shot process

Besides, it's all about showing off and the pourover dance looks impressive (even when the resulting coffee is far from it)

#4: Post by **baldheadracing** » March 3rd, 2019, 11:31 pm

coffeemmichael wrote:2100+ days on from the 2013 WBC in Melbourne, and the brewing of "filter" coffee via an espresso machine hasn't taken over the world.

Yes, some cafes are reported to be doing this quietly (have heard-- but cannot confirm-- that you can order these at Kuma and Cat & Cloud) but the pour-over is far from dead.

What happened?

Cat&Cloud do by-the-cup. They have that espresso machine set on a much lower pressure.

#5: Post by **samuellaw178** » March 4th, 2019, 2:54 am

I don't see it being offered much in Melbourne as well. Perhaps as mentioned, it takes specific equipment and skills to do it right (EK, pressure profiling machine that can handle large brew water volume, well/specially-roasted light roasts, refractometer etc). Also, most constomers probably didn't know it's a thing and therefore the lack of demand. I see almost every 'decent' cafe here now has an EK43 though, even if it is sitting unused!

#6: Post by **TomC** » March 4th, 2019, 5:34 am

If the vast majority of the filter coffee consuming world cared, it would be common.

The barista comps and innovations vastly service our own little "bubble" of coffee nerds, not blaze trails for the general public.

#7: Post by **lagoon** » March 4th, 2019, 6:37 am

Just an observation: here in Australia, a lot of specialty cafes have an EK43 sitting on their bench along with their other equipment.

The weird thing, is that I never see them get used. Ever. Not even for bag grinding.

Maybe they all bought in a few years ago when the long espresso was a thing?

Any other theories?

March 4th, 2019, 7:13 am

Do these cafes not offer batch brew or drip? If so then what grinder are they using for this apart from the EK?

#9: Post by **lagoon** » March 4th, 2019, 8:37 pm

Mrboots2u wrote:Do these cafes not offer batch brew or drip?

Many of the decent places are equipped for it, but no one seems to ever order it.

As to why? I wasn't sure either, so I did some googling, and it seems locals associate anything drip with North American diner style coffee.

https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/201 ... onal-beans

"[Drip] had an uphill battle in Australia because we tend associate it with 'horrible coffee Mum and Dad used to make' or American diner coffee. We're still an espresso culture but people are starting to come around."

Interesting that the article says they think it's still a chance of taking off here, but I can't see it.

March 5th, 2019, 6:07 am

It is also due to the milk drink obsession that drives specialty coffee