If you’ve been to a high end coffee shop in the past few years and had an amazing cup of coffee—one that truly transcended coffee you’ve had in the past—it’s likely it came from fresh roasted, high quality beans that were made manually, one cup at a time.
Manual—or “pour over”—brewing has become popular in the world of craft coffee, because it gives full control over all of the variables in the brewing process. More control means you have the ability to adjust and perfect your recipe to better highlight the nuanced flavors found in today’s high-quality craft coffees.
Manual Coffeemaker, or MCM, is a slow dripper that that lives on the countertop in a home or office, like a low-tech appliance. Hot water is gradually poured on top of a cone of fresh ground coffee, and brewed coffee slowly drips into the carafe, or even directly into your mug.
The sculptural glass form of MCM provides full visibility of the process, while the “double-wall” design effectively retains brewing heat. The wooden base is intended to develop a patina over time, similar to a well-aged cutting board.
MCM takes inspiration from manual coffee brewers of the past, but completely redesigns the experience with a new form. Other manual brewers have more in common with pitchers or kitchen funnels, while MCM is designed to be a beautiful freestanding appliance—an appliance you truly love to see on your kitchen counter day after day.
Because it brews by the cup, it’s also ideal for use in a small office or studio, when you’re just making a fresh cup for yourself.
In a world ever focused on speed and convenience, the act of preparing coffee manually and by-the-cup is a chance to really slow down and enjoy the moment. As you master a manual brewing method, the ritual of preparing coffee becomes just as pleasurable as drinking it. Manual Coffeemaker was designed to celebrate this ritual of daily craft through a considered experience, a thoughtful interaction, and an understated design.
Since the beginning, the good folks at Gaslight Coffee Roasters—a top notch micro-roaster and coffee shop in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago—have been supporting this project through testing, feedback, coffee, and moral support.
Retail wall at Gaslight Coffee in Chicago
SUPPORTER—$25
Not ready to commit to manual brewing, but still love coffee? You’ll receive a large (12 oz) bag of single origin coffee custom-roasted by Gaslight and ‘User Manual’ zine #1. Free US shipping.
EARLY RISER—$70
You are one of the first 100 here, so you get a chance to get in with a discount! You’ll receive one ‘first run’ MCM, a small bag of single origin coffee custom-roasted by Gaslight, starter filters, and ‘User Manual’ zine #1. Free US shipping.
FIRST RUN—$80
You’re in on the first production run of MCM. You’ll receive one MCM, a small bag of single origin coffee custom-roasted by Gaslight, starter filters, and ‘User Manual’ zine #1. Free US shipping.
SECOND RUN—$90
You’re first in line for the second run of MCM, which will follow the fulfillment of the first run. You’ll receive one MCM, a small bag of single origin coffee custom-roasted by Gaslight, starter filters, and ‘User Manual’ zine #1. Free US shipping.
SUPPORTER—$250
Show a little extra support to Manual, and you’ll receive a 3 month bi-weekly coffee subscription. You’ll receive a 12 oz bag of Gaslight-roasted single-origin beans every other week for 3 months (that’s 6 total bags). I will be working with Gaslight to make the selections—I promise they’ll be ace. You’ll also have your name personally thanked in the zine.
Additionally you receive all of the FIRST RUN rewards: one MCM, a small bag of single origin coffee custom-roasted by Gaslight, starter filters, and ‘User Manual’ zine #1. Free US shipping, US only reward.
INDUSTRY PATRON—$500
This is a great fit for a coffee shop, restaurant, or other commercial customer interested in using Manual in their business: we set up a 1 hour conversation via Skype to discuss your needs and applications. Think of this as a way to start an exclusive relationship with Manual that gives you the opportunity to have a dialogue about how you might outfit your space with MCM, and discuss customization opportunities. This also guarantees priority access to multiple unit commercial orders after the campaign ends.
You’ll also get your name/business name personally thanked in the zine and one of each of the current Manual product line (Pinch salt & pepper set, Sharpener Jar, see manual.is for details)
Additionally you receive all of the FIRST RUN rewards: one MCM, a small bag of single origin coffee custom-roasted by Gaslight, starter filters, and ‘User Manual’ zine #1. Free US shipping.
INDUSTRY PATRON + WORKSHOP—$750
This is a great fit for a coffee shop, restaurant, or other commercial customer interested in using Manual in their business. This reward gets you and 5 of your colleagues/friends a half-day Brewing Workshop at my studio in Chicago. Depending on your group’s needs, we can cover anything from instruction on use to experimentation with the pre-production samples. I’ll provide a tasty lunch, tons of coffee, and all the tools we need. Think of this as a way to start an exclusive relationship with Manual that gives you the opportunity to have a one-on-one dialogue about how you might outfit your space with MCM, and discuss customization opportunities. This also guarantees priority access to multiple unit commercial orders after the campaign ends.
You’ll also get your name/business name personally thanked in the zine and one of each of the current Manual product line (Pinch salt & pepper set, Sharpener Jar, see manual.is for details)
Additionally you receive all of the FIRST RUN rewards: one MCM, a small bag of single origin coffee custom-roasted by Gaslight, starter filters, and ‘User Manual’ zine #1. Free US shipping, US only reward.
Photo via Sight Unseen
Who is behind Manual?
Manual is a new brand by Craighton Berman—a designer, illustrator, and creative director based in Chicago. Craighton has work in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago and was the first designer to use Kickstarter to launch a product. Based on this background of high concept design and DIY attitude, the aim of the Manual brand is to design products that celebrate the aesthetic experience of food while providing essential utility.
I’ve been more than causally into coffee ever since I started using “fueledbycoffee” as my name around the web over 15 years ago. But after working at a design firm that produced the retail beverageware sold by a certain Seattle-based coffee company, I began to get much more interested in independent coffee shops and the pursuit of higher quality coffee. What started as experimenting with equipment, buying better coffees, and trying more progressive coffee shops, turned into an obsessive need for the freshest beans, searching for the best shops in every city I visit, a collection of brewing tools bigger than my kitchen pantry, roasting beans at home, and keeping a Tumblr named Overextracted where I obsess and overanalyze the world of coffee.
MCM Prototypes
After hacking a pour-over stand to quickly make coffee at my studio, I designed a prototype and had two made for a show during Design Week in NYC last June. The show response was huge, and it was covered in publications like Gizmodo, Dwell, Sight Unseen, PSFK, Mocoloco, and coffee insider favorite - Sprudge. Since then I have been refining prototypes, working with manufacturers, and—the best part—brewing a lot of coffee.
After prototyping, developing, and funding MCM on my own for over a year, I’ve now lined up mass manufacturing and need your support to get my minimum order quantity high enough to do a full production run.
For those that are already familiar with manual coffee brewing techniques, we offer a few more meta details:
What’s the flavor profile like?
In testing MCM has had a slower extraction speed than that of a Hario v60, more similar to that of a Chemex. This means the body of the cup is a bit more developed with the slower time, without sacrificing too much clarity. By adjusting the grind size of the coffee and the pouring technique, you can speed up the flow to change the profile to your linking.
What kind of coffee ratio do you use?
I tend to use a 15:1 ratio, so for a 10oz cup, I use roughly 20g of coffee and 300mL of water. For even extraction I recommend a burr grinder that yields a consistent grind. I use a Baratza Virtuoso on setting 27. You may need to dial in anything from 20-30 and adjust your dosing to dial in various types of coffee.
Why not integrate a kitchen scale?
One of our goals with MCM was to make pour-over more accessible to the less obsessive coffee drinker. Measuring volume (in mL) is just as accurate as grams, and much more likely to be utilized with each brew. Less equipment, simpler life.
What other kind of filters can it fit?
MCM can fit any 60º filter, such as Chemex, but we recommend the Hario filters for best results.
Can MCM make Japanese iced coffee?
The only iced coffee that matters.
Japanese iced coffee in the MCM
Manual Coffeemaker is not a ready-made product—the images on this page and in the video are prototypes that I will be taking into mass production over the following months. I have been working with a manufacturing agent based in Chicago and his partner in China who has direct contact with the factory. We have selected a vendor to produce MCM who has produced prototypes that will be refined for final production. The design of MCM’s components will generally stay the same, except for some minor adjustments that happen when preparing for a production run.
Below is a projected production calendar:
Early April - Production samples received
April 16 - Kickstarter funding
May - Travel to China to help guide factory
June - Final production samples
July - “First run” production
August - “First run” on freight
Early September - ”First run” received in Chicago
Mid September - Early Risers, Supporters, and Patrons fulfilled
Late September - “First Run” fulfilled
September - “Second Run” production
October - “Second Run” on freight
November - “Second Run” received in Chicago
December - “Second Run’ fulfilled
These dates are optimistic: when producing physical goods it’s reasonable to expect that there could be some delays. We promise to be open and honest in our communications in timing and design changes.
Green beans at Gaslight Coffee in Chicago
MCM is the embodiment of the way I believe we should engage with what we eat—to slow down, respect ingredients, get our hands dirty, and enjoy the process. My hope with the Manual brand is to continue to create objects that celebrate rituals, reward labor, and create beautiful experiences out of every day activities. If you do too, I hope you’ll join me.
Learn more about the brand at Manual.is
Check out my coffee journal at overextracted.tumblr.com
Hit us on Twitter at @manualgoods
We’ll be Instagramming at @manualgoods
See the rest of my work at craightonberman.com
Home photography: Michael Kiser of Good Beer Hunting
Video shoot/audio recording: Johnathan Crawford
Music: “Veaquis” by Nitemoves, from the album “Themes“. You should buy it.
Coffee & Support: Gaslight Coffee Roasters
Logistics, support, food styling, brand manager: Emily Berman
This post was originally published on this site
