Kyoto Style Coffee — Top 5 Brewing Devices
Here is a breakdown of the most common devices for brewing Kyoto style, Dutch coffee, cold drip, slow drip, LA crack, and any other cold-water drip term you can think of. All of them have been hand-tested aside from the $20,000 device for obvious reasons. Enjoy!
- Yama — https://amzn.to/2Qy0gKn
The Yama Glass is our favorite, as it incorporates filtration and has precise flow control. Using a ceramic filter to capture any coffee sediment, the device eliminates the paper flavor that comes from the majority of coffee preparation methods. The glass coil leads each drop of coffee to the rest of the extract, which allows for a longer oxidation process that alters the flavor and aerates it, similar to how wine decanters operate.
2. Oji — https://www.o-ji.com/en/
Although very aesthetically pleasing, this is one of the more difficult-to-operate cold drip devices. The mechanics behind it are quite fascinating, where it uses two chambers of water in order to have better control of the water pressure and flow rate. The water is distributed in a more even manner through a diffuser with multiple heads, rather than the other systems that drip straight onto the bed of coffee. Overall, the Oji Tower does the trick but is expensive and fragile.
3. Bruer — https://amzn.to/2ObKoKn
This is a very user-friendly device without many bells and whistles. It is built out of thin glass and contains the important pieces to make a good cup of cold drip. The filters used here are paper and a mesh metal filter at the bottom, which seems to remove the majority of the coffee grounds and is easy to clean. This is a great entry-level device for home use.
4. PuckPuck — https://amzn.to/2OfG78K
After playing around with this device, we have seen that the water isn’t controlled very easily, meaning it’ll generally be a faster drip process and not extract as many flavors. You’ll also need to purchase the AeroPress, which means that you’ll have more pieces to assemble for every cup of coffee. The device is small and affordable which could be beneficial if you are just looking for a novelty cold dripper.
5. Dutch Labs — http://www.dutch-lab.com/product/gold-edition-steampunk-3000ml/
The towers offered by Dutch Labs are pieces of art that are inspired by different architectural pieces and stories. Some have been designed based on the Eiffel Tower, while others have been based on Alice in Wonderland. As the process is very time consuming, the designer’s belief is that they should also be visually satisfying. At the end of the day, these are showpieces, intended for hotel lobbies and extravagant displays.
BONUS: Dripdash — https://dripdash.com/
Dripdash is the only wholesale manufacturer of Kyoto style cold drip coffee in the US. Each 6 fl oz bottle contains 225 milligrams of caffeine. It has been featured in the San Francisco Coffee Festival and is currently available for purchase in several Bay Area grocery stores. Online sales are limited to a handful of West Coast states. Check them out if you want to experience this unique style without purchasing, assembling, and operating any equipment.