Discover the peculiarities of the Flower Dripper infusion cone by Cafec

After several years of research,CAFEC – a Japanese coffee accessories company set up the Flower Dripper. This object could, at first glance, look like any other infusion cone. However, there are some subtleties in the design that tend to optimize the brew and bring out the best in the coffee.

Three ways to differentiate it:

Flower-shaped ridges allow a sufficient layer of air to be maintained between the paper filter and the infusion cone. Thanks to this free space, the coffee can then expand and expand completely on contact with water.

A single serrated opening ensures water flow at the bottom of the cone. Its shape is designed to provide an always-stable brew and to allow the delicious flavors to express themselves in distinct ways.

Arita porcelain that the Flower Dripper is made of has over 400 years of history. High quality clay mixed with stone powder forms the cone. The piece is fired at a high temperature: 1300C to be exact. The Flower Dripper is a solid object that retains heat well during infusion, in addition to being distinguished by its choice of pastel colors..

An unsuspected infusion method: the Osmotic-Flow

Invented by the founder of CAFEC, Shigeji Nakatsuka, the Osmotic-Flow infusion method is above all suitable forFlower Dripper. However, it can be used with all other types of infusion cones. At first glance, the technique proposed by Nakatsuka may seem surprising, since it requires not to submerge the entire bed of the coffee, unlike the most famous methods. Instead, water is poured into the center of the grind, then around the fine bubbles that arise on the surface, to create continuous osmotic pressure. The latter is produced when two solutions containing a different concentration of solute are separated by a semi-permeable membrane. This concentration imbalance causes, through the membrane, a transfer of solvent molecules from the solution at low concentration to the solution at high concentration. This transfer will take place until a balance between the two solutions is reached.

When brewing coffee, there is a difference in concentration between coffee powder and water. The properties contained in the coffee powder are transferred to the water, which in turn has a lower concentration. Thus, the method proposed by CAFEC allows the water to pass through the filter layer of the ground coffee and induce a convection movement, so that the liquid only absorbs, by osmotic pressure, the pleasant components of the ground beans. .

These few steps can guide you to experience the Osmotic-Flow method

1. Gather the materials and prepare the brew.

As with other manual brewing methods, heat water to a temperature between 85C and 94C (185F and 201F), depending on your preference. Place your filter in your Flower Dripper (or other infusion cone). Be sure to fold the marked edge of the filter to match the exact shape of the cone. Thus, during brewing, the filter will not bend in the passage of water, in addition to creating a uniform surface at the bottom. This will allow you to ensure a constant flow when brewing coffee. Rinse the filter. Add the very coarsely ground coffee inside. Shake the cone so that the coffee forms a flat surface. Place your infusion kit (cone, coffee and carafe) on a zeroed scale.ro. View filters

2. Make the bloom.

The idea is to first pour water into the center of the surface of the coffee in a spiral shape (small circles getting bigger and bigger). As the gases in coffee are released on contact with water, you will see the coffee powder expand and form a dome. The bloom allows the porous membrane of the coffee to open up and water to enter. Wait about 30 seconds, until the surface of the coffee cracks.

3. Brew the coffee.

Once the bloom stage is complete, slowly pour water into the middle of the coffee bed until bubbles rise. It is important at this point in the brew to limit the amount of water to avoid total immersion. Make the water flow out of your kettle spout in a thin stream. When you see fine bubbles appear, stop for a few seconds until the water is completely filtered. The bubbles will subside slightly and you can pour a small amount of water again, still in the center of the coffee dome. Repeat this until you reach one third of the desired volume of coffee. The final taste in the cup depends on this step.

See the kettles

4. Adjust the density and volume of the coffee.

The last step is to pour water around the edge of the bubbles. The idea is to take it slow to avoid bursting them. Follow the circular shape of the dome until you get the final amount of coffee you want. Shake the carafe to mix the coffee well and enjoy in your favorite cup.See the infusion containers

Remember that for a successful infusion with the Osmotic-Flow method, you must not pour over the edges of the coffee surface or completely submerge the coffee bed. The important thing is to maintain a steady flow of water through the coffee powder and to make sure it is filtered as it goes.

Note that the Flower Dripper comes in two sizes: one cup and two to four cup sizes. Matched with a paper filter or a reusable filter, it can become a must for the preparation of your filter coffees.

La Société des Cafés is a Canadian distributor of productsCAFEC. For more information, visit the official CAFEC website.https://cafec-jp.com

See all CAFEC manual brewing products

Research and writing: Chloé Pouliot