If solely good espresso had been obtainable within the Wild West, there might need been fewer gun fights.
Hitting the highway not means abandoning good espresso or your sustainability values. Because the specialty espresso trade grows, so, too, have firms creating the gear wanted to serve that market. For instance, WACACO, named for an amalgam of its founder’s final names, debuted a collection of brewing merchandise particularly designed for coffee-loving vacationers.
Based in Hong Kong in 2013, WACACO sells important gear for the out-of-home (and workplace and resort room) espresso expertise, each for neophytes and consultants. I examined two of their half dozen “platforms,” together with the only vessel of their line-up, the Cuppamoka, and its extra advanced cousin, the Pipamoka.
The Cuppamoka brews a pour over from wherever on this planet. Simply add espresso and scorching water.
The Cuppamoka is an all-in-one pour over brewing system requiring simply floor espresso and scorching water. At $38 retail, it compares favorably in worth to the Aeropress, particularly when contemplating that it features a 300 ml (just below 11 ounces) chrome steel double-walled thermos which may maintain the espresso scorching (bear in mind, this can be a pour over) for roughly 2 hours. The ultimate comfort, a versatile sipping gap cowl that may seal the thermos, guarding towards spills, is especially helpful in a automotive or on the transfer.
The one disadvantage to the Cuppamoka, from a comfort standpoint, is its reliance upon paper filters – which it sells at 200 for below $15. WACACO’s are pure unbleached wooden fiber, nevertheless it’s not a proprietary design, so V-shaped filters, resembling a V60 dimension 01 will work. A future iteration with a steel display to interchange the paper filter, together with a cleansing brush, would render the Cuppamoka the go-to mountaineering or tenting brewer. These considerations had been addressed with my different pattern, the Pipamoka.
The Pipamoka brews below vacuum seal.
The Pipamoka serves as a bridge from filter brewing to brewing below stress, on this case, a vacuum seal. Just like the Cuppamoka, the Pipamoka is a single serving system which delivers the identical almost 11 ounces or 300 ml of espresso, nevertheless it shaves roughly one minute off the previous’s 3-minute brewing time by means of its utility of stress.
The Pipamoka holds grinds in a stainless-steel mesh cylindrical compartment which seats on the backside of a chambered, threaded sleeve. To start the extraction, twist a rotating collar which unscrews the chamber up from the thermos, forcing water by means of the grinds over the course of roughly a minute. The resultant cup is arguably a extra balanced and constant brew than achieved by means of the Cuppamoka – and most pour overs. In contrast to the Cuppamoka, the Pipamoka lid doesn’t have a sipping gap, however its tighter seal can maintain espresso scorching for effectively over 3 hours.
I’ve solely coated essentially the most accessible expertise WACACO affords. Whereas they exemplify the corporate’s engineering capabilities in compact, sturdy, and unique design, their different merchandise, all centered on guide espresso, are the place their ingenuity and creativity lie. There are a number of patents concerned, together with the power to realize 18 bars (twice the 9-bar threshold that defines espresso). Keep tuned for these evaluations.
Within the meantime, vacationers can skip the in-room pod machine or the moment espresso abominations, lukewarm batch brew within the foyer, and the takeout kiosk automotive line snaking across the nook, all which contribute to 16 billion espresso cups disposed of used yearly.