Filter coffee is back — and guests are happy to pay for it

At Maalwerk on the Kattendijkdok, one in four guests now orders filter coffee. “Two years ago it was one in twenty,” says owner Ruben Aerts. “People want to taste where a bean comes from, and that works better in a cup of filter than in a cappuccino.”

Faster than you think

The biggest advantage is behind the bar. A batch brewer makes two litres in six minutes, and pouring a cup takes five seconds. On a busy morning that takes the pressure off the espresso machine.

A better margin

With no milk and less coffee per cup, the cost price is lower than for an espresso drink. Yet most venues charge three to four euros for it, especially when they chalk up changing origins on a board.

Aerts' tip: start with one good bean, tell its story and let guests taste for free. “Anyone who drinks it once comes back for it.”✦