Last week, we got our hands on the new Bro coffee brewer. We received it in a package sent to us by Emanuelis Ryklys, the founder and owner of Crooked Nose and Coffee Stories. We were really excited to try it ourselves since the product was one of the top five products in our ECT Awards.
Crooked Nose and Coffee Stories are coffee enthusiasts and coffee product creators based in Vilnius. They also roast micro batches of speciality coffee from all over the world, later on brewing them on their brew bar, using diverse brewing devices, such as their Bro brewer.
Not only are they creators, they also organise coffee events, such as the annual Dark Times conference, which hosts international guests, they participate in educational activities, or organise cuppings.
Testing the Bro
We unpacked the square, colourful designer paper box and explored the beautiful brewer. First of all, it is really light and has got only two essential parts that come with it: the wooden cone—the actual body of the brewer, and the cloth—the linen filter you can use repeatedly.
The cone is made out of two wooden pieces glued together. There is no inner lining inside the cone, nor any ears to hold it. It is just a natural material in a simple form. This minimalistic design makes it a nice feature for your kitchen or a nice present. But what does the coffee taste like?
We brewed for the first time with the Bro, following the recipe recommended by Emanuelis, using El Salvadorian beans from Rebelbean, the Roaster of the month.
Procedure
Wet the linen filter
Dry the excessive water with a towel
Insert the filter into the Bro brewer
Use 18g of coffee (6g per 100ml)
Pre-wet the grounds and let them bloom
Pour slowly until you reach the total amount of water
Slightly tap the cone
Let it drip until the end
We really like the design of the Bro. It is interesting to taste the differences between multiple brew methods, especially when they have some similarities. The Bro quite comparable to a V60 cone, the linen filter makes the coffee actually a bit heavier, with a rich mouthfeel and a thicker body, and perhaps a slightly dusty finish. We shall experiment with the brewer a bit more, to find the right nuances and tweaks in our recipe. Nevertheless, the brewer is a beautiful device that is easy to use.
We really love the sustainable aspect of the brewer. With a reusable cloth and natural materials, it is a little step towards a better treatment of the planet. But the advantage is also its downfall. The reusable cloth is not the fastest one to wash, hence not very handy for travelling, or brewing many brews at a time.
Nevertheless, we find it a nice brewing device that is made especially for the moments of sharing a coffee with a friend or your family and actually enjoying the time you put into brewing it. For that it really is perfect.
Let us know if you like it, have it, enjoy brewing with it and if you want to buy it, check it online!
