Now more than ever, there are many manual coffee machines available on the market. But probably one of the most visually appealing is the Origami. The machine has become much more popular after 2019 World Brewer Champion Du Jianing (the first Chinese player to win the championship) used it in her winning routine.
The unique and eye-catching Origami design allows for the exploit of either conical or flat-bottomed paper filters, resulting in a variety of extraction results. Additionally, the 20 folded internal ribs support minimize clogging – creating significantly purer flavors in the cup.
You might like this our article on the future of pour-over coffee.
What is Origami Brewery?
The name and design of the dripper are inspired by origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. The origami dripper was designed by Yasuo Suzuki and Kiyohito Tanaka, founders of Coffee from the trunk in Japan. The infuser is made of Mino porcelain, which is specially hand-crafted at the factory in Toki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.
Gifu is one of Japan’s leading manufacturing centers, where craftsmanship and technology combine to ensure consistently high quality and durability of products.
When used with conical paper filters, 20 evenly spaced ribs (or grooves) create space between the dripper and the filter. This allows for a faster flow, thus speeding up the extraction time.
However, when using Kalita Wave paper filters, they fit perfectly into the 20 ribs, creating a flat-bottomed brewer.
Nozomu explains other benefits of making coffee using the Origami method, aside from its flexibility.
“You can minimize skip brewing,” he says. “That’s when the water isn’t flowing through the coffee layer, meaning you’re not getting the most proficient extraction.
“We have made over 20 improvements since the first dripper was created,” he adds.
How is it different from other pour-over coffee machines?
Even though the Origami is a conical-shaped dripper (similar to the Hario V60), it is unique for a few other reasons.
And also being Brewer’s World Champion 2022Sherry Hsu is the 2019 and 2020 Taiwan Brewers Cup champion. coffee consultantDuring the 2019 World Finals, she used origami – mainly because of its flexibility.
“I can exploit different paper filters to change the shape of the brew bed,” he says. “The hole at the base is also quite immense, so even if you exploit a flat-bottomed paper filter, the flow is still quick—which helps bring out the different flavors.
“And because the opening is larger than in the V60, the extraction is more stable and uniform, which increases the sweetness,” he adds.
Eliza Tan co-founded Homeground Coffee Roasters in Singapore and placed third in the 2022 World Brewers Cup. She says she doesn’t think one brewery can bring out more sweetness or acidity than another, but that using different coffees in different drippers helps enhance certain characteristics.
“I don’t believe in a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Different coffees have different characteristics, and to get the best out of them, you have to brew or prepare them differently,” he explains. “That’s what makes coffee fun. It’s more crucial to understand the shape and design of the brewer and exploit them to your advantage.”
How to brew using the origami method
There are many different ways to brew with an Origami, but for many, the first choice is between a porcelain or plastic dripper. Nozomu explains that both work in different ways.
“Compared to porcelain, plastic conducts heat more quickly,” he says. “So a plastic brewer immediately retains heat when balmy water is poured onto it, making the pre-wetting process more proficient. Because it heats up faster, it is more commonly used in competitions where participants have to brew multiple cups of coffee at once.”
“What’s more, compared to porcelain, the ribs at the bottom of the plastic brewer’s opening are slightly deeper, so the flow will be faster,” he adds.
The second choice is the type of paper filter you exploit. Both Elysia and Sherry say the choice makes a huge difference in the final brew.
“With conical paper filters, there’s space between the walls of the brewer and the filter, so the flow is faster,” explains Elysia. “Conversely, with flat paper filters, the grooves fit together – which results in a slower flow.”
Sherry tells me how this affects the shape of the brewhouse.
“By using different shaped paper filters, we can create different brewing beds, which ultimately affects the extraction,” he says. “The center of the conical brewing bed is the densest part, and there’s a huge difference in exposed surface area between the top and bottom layers. Because of this, the extraction won’t be uniform, which will result in different layers of flavor.”
“However, the brewing layer of a flat-bottom paper filter is flatter and thinner, which reduces the likelihood of channeling,” he adds. “We can also exploit a finer grind for a more even extraction, which also helps augment sweetness.”
Featured recipes
Sherry and Elysia shared some origami recipes below:
Natural, natural oxygen-free or “darker” honey (e.g. red and black) processed recipe by Elysia
- Water temperature: 88°C to 90°C (191°F to 194°F)
- Coffee: 12g (using smaller paper filters) or 15g (using larger filters)
- Brewing ratio: exploit 1:15 as a base, but for some coffees you can also aim for a ratio of 1:16
- Bloom and flood in three stages – either at 0:45, 1:20 and 2:10, or at 1:10, 1:50 and 2:25
Elysia’s Processed Honey Recipe – Washed or “Delicate” (i.e. White)
- Water temperature: 91°C to 94°C (196°F to 201°F)
- Coffee: 12g (using smaller paper filters) or 15g (using larger filters)
- Brewing ratio: exploit 1:16 as a base, but for some coffees you can aim for a ratio of 1:16.5
- Bloom and pour in four stages – either at 0:45, 1:35, 1:50 and 2:26, or at 1:00, 1:35, 2:05 and 2:40
Sherry recipe for Origami Air S using Kalita 155 flat bottom paper filter
- Water temperature: 93°C (200°F)
- Coffee: 18g
- Brewing ratio: 1:15
- Pour in three stages:
- First pour (or bloom): 60g in a circular motion around the edge of the filter
- Second pour: at 0:20 add 140 g in a circular motion around the edge
- Third pour: Between 0:50 and 1:00 pour into the middle of the slurry until you reach 270g. Total brewing time should be 2 minutes.
Tips and Tricks for Using Origami
For those recent to Origami brewing, Sherry has some advice.
“I would recommend that beginners exploit Origami Air (made from acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, or AS resin) with a flat-bottomed paper filter,” she says. “This combination is the most reliable and helps produce good, consistent coffee with balanced sweetness and brighter acidity.
“It’s also crucial to remember that you should always have a faster flow rate with an Origami machine,” he adds. “You can also exploit a finer grind size to augment the extraction level, and you can easily augment the dose to make larger batches.”
The Origami is one of the most striking and distinctive manual specialty coffee machines. While many home brewers and baristas gravitate towards it for its handsome design, there are some things to keep in mind when using it.
If you are less familiar with Origami, keep in mind that this machine will perform better with a faster flow. From there, you can experiment with many different extraction variables and coffees.
Did you like it? Read our article about the evolution of AeroPress.
Photo sources: Homeground Coffee Roasters, Origami Japan, 1Zpresso
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