Intro:
Hi all,
I am designing a cold brew coffee system and would like to get some feedback on my research before I begin my design phase.
I am going to crowdfund my design and have it manufactured in the US. I am leaning towards designing it to be ceramic and produced through slip casting as there are several good ceramics producers in the us and it is a relatively straightforward process.
Let me know what you think! thanks
Project: Create a cold brew coffee system that is simple and easy to use.
Constraints: The product must be made in the US at a competitive cost to customer.
A little background on cold brew:
The cold brewing process:
- Coarsely grind coffee.
2.mix cold water and coarsely ground coffee
3.let set 12-16 hours
4.strain coffee from grounds
5.store/dilute/serve
Advantages to cold brewing coffee:
- Less acidic coffee creating a smoother sweeter tasting cup of coffee
- Cold brew concentrate can be kept in a fridge and used for up to 2 weeks
- The coffee can be drank as a concentrate or used in a beverage
Use case: cold brew can keep in a refrigerator for several weeks. Brewing a batch of concentrate and using it through the week is a great option for the person that wants quality combined with convenience. This person preps their meals and food throughout the month.
Current solutions:
DIY:
Many people use a mason jar as a brewing container and then strain out the coffee grounds using a cheesecloth and strainer.
This method is pretty messy, cumbersome, and inconvenient.
commercially available:
Takeya Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker: This Cold brew maker makes use of a removable mesh filter to contain the coffee grounds for brewing and disposal. While it is a very good solution it lacks in aesthetic appeal. Overall a little generic.
Toddy T2N Cold Brew System:
This is one of the original cold brew systems. It is a drip system as opposed to immersion. It uses a specialty filter. the brewing container is quite large and top heavy.
French press :
Many people use a French press to make cold brew. they press the coffee to filter out the grounds and pour the coffee into another container to store.
Design Opprotunities:
• Coffee to water ratios vary from recipe to recipe.
Solution: Add water/grounds markings to the brewing carafe indicating higher and lower strengths
• The process can be messy especially when deal with grounds(both wet and dry)
Solution: the way the filter interacts with the brewer should make loading and clean up easy
• Coffee grounds benefit from a large area of water to disperse and mix
Solution: provide a large filter to mix the grounds and water
• the carafe must fit in a refrigerator easily
Solution: create a foot print that can fit easily into a refrigerator door
Trend:
The aesthetic of the cold brewer should reflect the familiarity and comfort of the morning coffee ritual and also be trendy
let me know what you think!
Thank you for making it to the end of my post!