Filter coffee is making headway across the country, On-Trade Progress explores why this is.
Filter coffee isn’t just for diner scenes in American sitcoms; filter coffee has become the sensation that is sweeping across the nation.Filter coffee isn’t just for diner scenes in American sitcoms; filter coffee has become the sensation that is sweeping across the nation.
The public is pushing for fresher coffee now. Especially with the revelation that drinking at least six cups of coffee every day could decrease your risk of early death, a study from UK Biobank revealed earlier this year. This is far more than the often recommended two or three cups per day.
Nonetheless, good coffee is becoming the focus of all venues; from bars to hotel lobbies, industry’s coffee offering needs to be stepped up a notch. One way industry can do this, is through the adoption of filter coffee.
Filter coffee is becoming a preferred alternatively to instant coffee, which can tend to have very dull flavours.
Bigger benefits
The UK has always aligned its coffee culture with that of Europe, and while everyone enjoys sipping on a sumptuous espresso after dinner, there seems to be a demand for the more Americanised filter coffee.
There are a number of benefits that a venue can find by adopting a filter coffee approach. For one thing, filter coffee means you can offer a more varied coffee experience; whether you’re using beans from Columbia or Kenya, each and every region has a different flavour to offer your customers.
It’s also cheaper to use filter machines; not only do you not need to worry about purchasing pods, but the many filter machines are lower tech that classic pod-based offerings. Moreover, coffee pods are one of the worst single-use plastic products for the environment.
No to oil
One of the key benefits to filter coffee is that the filter traps an oily substance known as diterpenes. There are two core diterpenes found in coffee (cafestol and kahweol). These arise in your coffee through coffee granules and will float around in the cup. The consumption of these oils blocks a cholesterol-regulating receptor in your intestines. Ultimately, this causes your blood cholesterol levels to rocket. The filter in the coffee seeks to reduce coffee-related cholesterol.
When it comes to deciding the best filters you can be using for your coffee; the overwhelming consensus is that paper filters are better. This is due to a couple of reasons; the major one being convenience; once a paper filter is used, it can be thrown away easily. Moreover, paper filters are more effective at stopping diterpenes than cloth filters and the latter requires more maintenance and need to be cleaned regularly.
The only downside of the use of paper filters is that they aren’t as great for the environment than more permanent counterparts.
Complex coffee
Nearly every hospitality venue will have a different approach to its coffee offering. Small to mid-size cafes will often pride themselves on a quality-led approach; developing a menu that prioritises flavour. Mainly because they know that most of their clientele will be visiting their venue specifically for that beverage.
While this is standard; the millennial generation is veering towards a general coffee preference over alcohol; with many young people preferring to socialise over a cup of joe than a beer. As a result, all venues, from bars to restaurants to hotels need to begin re-evaluating their coffee offering. A part of this latest offering can be filter coffee; which is no longer simply an American favourite.
Cost benefit
Hospitality venues also need to consider the costs when it comes to choosing which coffee machine suits them best. For more quality-focused venues, perhaps the classic pod machine works best; this way, staff are able to craft and make quick espresso-based beverages without much work.
However, quantity-led establishments, such as large franchise restaurants, may prefer to use filter coffee machines. With these machines, the venue can ensure they are working quickly to deliver coffee and also that they can offer promotions around their coffees effectively. For example, certain venues in the USA will offer unlimited refills on filter coffee. This is particularly easy for filter coffee machines that can be made quickly and kept warm throughout a long period of time
No matter what coffee you choose to serve in your establishment, make sure it’s the right one for your customers. By prioritising their needs and preferences; you can’t go wrong.
