Also known as drip coffee in the US, filter coffee has a longstanding history in the country and is vastly popular both in and out of the home. This sets it apart from many other majority coffee-consuming countries, where espresso-based beverages tend to hold top spot for out-of-home (OOH) consumption.

Furthermore, with the evolution of specialty coffee in recent years, filter coffee has been in the spotlight – and has become increasingly prominent in a number of major consuming markets. But how did it get here? And what happens next for filter coffee in the US? Read on to find out.

You may also like our article on which filter brewing method is best for you.

A history of coffee in the US

Robert Thurston is the Managing Director of Oxford Coffee Company and Emeritus Professor of History at Miami University. He is also the author of Coffee: From the Bean to the Barista.

Robert explains that while filter coffee as we know it might not have been popular decades ago, a percolation brewing method was still standard midway as early as midway through the 19th century.

“The old way of making coffee in the US was with the percolator,” Robert explains. “It definitely wasn’t using filter methods.” 

James Nason patented the first percolator in the US in 1865. Conversely, through the late 19th and early 20th century, espresso technology began to arrive in Europe – leading the two markets on two completely different paths.

Where does filter coffee come from?

Filter or drip coffee as we know it today can largely be traced back to Germany. Melitta Bentz launched a brewer in 1908. Within decades, stovetop percolators and filter coffee brewing became the two most prominent brewing methods in the country. 

They were so prominent, in fact, that GIs in Italy during the Second World War were forced to dilute espresso with water – the americano – to create a beverage more to their tastes.

This trend continued with automatic coffee brewers through the 1970s. The first home drip coffee brewer, Mr. Coffee, was launched in 1972, and famously promoted by baseball player Joe DiMaggio for decades.

“[Filter coffee’s popularity] is because of machines like Mr. Coffee on one hand, and on the other because coffee drinkers like the taste better than other brewing methods,” Robert explains. He adds that pretty much everywhere a coffee drinker would go in the US, they’d get filter coffee, “even at convenience stores”.

Fast forward to today, and while espresso-based beverages have gathered speed thanks to the rise of chain coffee shops like Starbucks, filter coffee still retains the top spot. 

“Drip coffee machines comprised 43% of all machines sold in the US in 2019,” Robert adds.

How did drip coffee become so popular?

So, we know how prominent filter coffee is in the US – but why?

To find out more, we spoke to Peter Giuliano, Executive Director at the SCA’s Coffee Science Foundation.

“It’s always tricky to speculate on why something is popular,” Peter explains. “However, coffee drinking became popular in the US during the 19th century, when many immigrants were coming to the US from places like Germany and Scandinavia. These cultures preferred relatively dilute cups of coffee.”

Peter adds that after this, the practice of filtering coffee became more prominent both in and out of home.

“With the launch of the paper filter in the early 20th century, it was popular among Americans making coffee at home,” he explains. “This was mainly thanks to its convenience during cleanup.

“Soon, large format paper filter machines were developed for restaurants, and the filtered cup of coffee became the standard both in the home and when ‘eating out’.”

Differences compared to other countries

Other historic and cultural factors also become apparent when we compare the evolution of coffee consumption in the US to other major markets. For example, coffee came to Europe as early as the 17th century, thanks to colonial influence overseas. This led to centuries of evolution in consumption, which saw coffee intermittently become a luxury and the centrepiece of debate in coffee houses. Coffee’s arrival in the US, meanwhile, was fundamentally different – which is perhaps linked to differences in how it has been consumed over the years.

There are also cultural differences in how consumers drink coffee today. Filter coffee – which can be brewed ahead of time in large quantities to be kept warm – caters perfectly to a growing focus on convenience and service speed in the coffee industry. And while this is a global trend, it is especially prominent in the US market. We only have to look at the growth of drive-thru coffee in the country as one major example.

Furthermore, while some European countries – such as the UK – exhibit the same focus on speed and convenience, others have a fundamentally different relationship with coffee consumption. In countries such as France and Italy, cafés and restaurants tend to be less predisposed to providing coffee to-go, for example. Sweden is another example, with its longstanding tradition of fika – a leisurely coffee break.

What happens next for filter coffee?

In view of filter coffee’s seemingly impenetrable status as the US’ favourite brewing method, it’s important to ask what happens next.

Peter explains that while espresso did broadly start to appear midway through the 20th century, its presence hasn’t grown tremendously in the last few years.

“Espresso began to make its broad appearance in the 1960s,” he says. “However, it really took off during the coffee bar ‘boom’ of the 1980s and 1990s.

“Since 2017, espresso and espresso-based beverages have kept a relatively stable market share – about 25% of all coffee drinks consumed.” 

What’s the future for espresso in the US?

Peter acknowledges that as the decades pass, filter coffee’s dominance may come into question. 

“For many consumers in the US, filter coffee is the default style of coffee brewing, while others are more ‘special’,” Peter says. “Many consumers drink filter coffee on a daily basis and other types as a treat.

“However, there is a stark age difference; younger consumers are more likely to favour espresso-based drinks over traditional filter coffee.”

Altogether, this shows that the short and medium term future for filter coffee is likely to be reasonably stable – with innovation in pour over brewing driven by third wave coffee. 

Furthermore, while in the long term, younger generations’ relationship with espresso-based drinks may prove to be more disruptive, it’s likely that filter coffee will still retain a solid presence at the top of the market. Espresso’s market share hasn’t grown significantly for the last few years, and it would be an incredible surprise if it was to dethrone filter coffee across the board.

Ultimately, all the evidence shows that the US’ fundamentally unique relationship with drip coffee will dictate its future. Beyond the next few decades, this could change, but at least for now – it’s not going anywhere.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on batch brew vs pour over: how long you should wait for filter coffee.

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Today, there are around 120 identified species of coffee, which means there is an almost endless number of different varieties – especially when we consider wild varieties which grow naturally. Hybrid varieties, which are cultivated by researchers and agronomists to improve both yield and quality, are also becoming more common.

And while these hybrid varieties aren’t technically genetically modified, their existence still leads to a pertinent question: can coffee be genetically modified? And if so, what are the advantages?

To find out, I spoke with the CEO of RD2 Vision, Dr. Christophe Montagnon, and Divisional Head of the Coffee Board at India’s Central Coffee Research Institute, Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra. Read on for more of their insight on GMO coffee.

You may also like our article on introducing climate-resilient coffee hybrids in Vietnam.

How does genetic modification work?

For centuries, humans have been selectively breeding plants and animals in order to produce higher yields and create more resilient and stronger livestock. This technique involves choosing plant or animal parents which have particular desirable characteristics. For coffee, this can include better resistance to pests and diseases, as well as more climate-resilient traits.

When breeding together two parents with desirable traits, it’s more likely that the offspring will also inherit them. In turn, this changes the plant’s or animal’s characteristics over time to be better suited for cultivation and breeding for human consumption.

Genetic modification, however, involves altering a plant’s or animal’s genetic material (or DNA) in a way which cannot occur naturally. Essentially, this means genetic modification can only take place in a controlled environment, such as a laboratory.

According to the World Health Organisation, the only genetically modified organisms (GMO) which are currently available have all been developed from plants. The most commonly grown GMOs are corn, soybeans, cotton, and canola plants, based on information from the US Food and Drug Administration.

There are a number of benefits to growing GMOs – for example, they can have higher yields and quality, as well as improving resistance to pests and diseases. Farmers can also grow GMO crops to reduce the use of their agricultural inputs, particularly fertilisers.

However, there are also several risks associated with cultivating and producing GMO crops. Arguably, the biggest concern is reducing the genetic diversity of a plant or animal, which can lead to a number of problems such as a higher susceptibility to a certain type of pest or disease.

“The exact risks associated with producing and consuming GMO crops are not yet fully known,” Manoj tells me – ultimately, more scientific research is needed to fully understand both the benefits and risks of GMOs.

Is it possible to genetically modify coffee?

Although a number of crops are genetically modified, is it possible to do the same with coffee?

According to the National Coffee Association, there is currently no commercially-available genetically modified coffee. However, the NCA also emphasises that certain ingredients which can be added to coffee products (such as flavourings and additives) could be classified as GMO – especially if they are corn or soy-based.

While there isn’t any genetically modified coffee available on the market, Christophe tells me that in 2005, he managed a project organised by the French agricultural research institute CIRAD. The project was developed to cultivate genetically modified robusta in French Guiana – an overseas department of France on the northeast coast of South America.

“In our research, we studied robusta’s resistance to the coffee leaf miner,” Christophe says. By the end of the trial, he says 70% of the genetically modified coffee plants were completely resistant to the coffee leaf miner – a moth that lays eggs on the leaves of coffee plants, which ultimately kills them.

While the trial produced promising results, the genetically modified robusta plants were never disseminated to local coffee farmers. 

“Our findings were not for commercial use – just to increase our scientific knowledge of coffee production,” Christophe explains.

What about hybrid varieties?

It’s important for us to distinguish between GMOs and hybrid coffee varieties. 

Although hybrid varieties are created through human intervention, they are developed using natural techniques, as Christophe explains.

“Hand pollination can be carried out by humans, but it could also occur naturally through mating or natural recombination,” he says.

Hybrid varieties are often created to combine different desirable characteristics in the same plant, such as high yield and cup quality.

One example is F1 (or first generation) hybrid varieties, which first became available to coffee farmers in 2010.

According to World Coffee Research, the first-ever F1 hybrid to be propagated by seed was Starmaya – a high-yielding arabica variety which is resistant to coffee leaf rust. 

Through seed propagation, as opposed to using biotechnologies such as tissue cloning, agronomists were able to cultivate Starmaya much more efficiently than other F1 hybrid varieties. However, the process of developing any type of hybrid variety is lengthy and can be costly, too.

Other research

Alongside hybrid varieties, Manoj tells me there is also plenty of research underway on genome sequencing for both arabica and robusta plants.

“[Through genome sequencing], we are able to understand the agronomic traits of arabica and robusta, such as quality and tolerance to pests, diseases, and climatic conditions,” he says. “This research will also essentially expedite other studies in the coming years [as the data is more readily available].

“It also means that more desirable characteristics of certain varieties could be more easily introduced to other varieties through conventional breeding methods or molecular gene editing technology,” he adds.

Moreover, further genetic research on some wild coffee species, such as Coffea racemosa and Coffee zanguebariae, could provide agronomists with more information on how coffee plants can naturally become more climate resilient over time.

However, research from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK has found that while these species have some desirable characteristics – including high cup quality when grown using specific farming techniques – yields are generally very low. Ultimately, more research is needed at this point in time.

The challenges associated with GMOs

There’s no denying that there are benefits to cultivating and growing genetically modified crops, particularly for smallholder producers who may be struggling with the effects of climate change. If more research was to be conducted into growing GMO coffee, they could pose a number of benefits.

However, there are also a number of challenges related to developing GMO coffee, as Manoj explains.

“The technology used to develop genetically modified coffee is extremely difficult to navigate,” he says. “The process also consists of several critical steps which would all need to be optimised and improved so that we could understand more about the expression and integration of a coffee’s genes.

“Moreover, there are very few laboratories in the world which have the experience and expertise to develop genetically modified coffee,” he adds. “Other barriers include strict governmental regulation of producing GMOs, as well as negative public perception about genetically modified products.”

Although some organisations and scientific institutions claim that GMO foods are safe to consume, other research indicates that they can be harmful to the environment and human health. 

For instance, in the 2013 Genetically modified foods: safety, risks and public concerns—a review research paper, it was found that consuming GMO foods could increase the chances of an allergic reaction. This is because GMOs contain foreign genes, so the risk that they are contaminated with allergens from other foods can increase.

These concerns have meant that some coffee brands have even labelled their products as certified organic or indicated that they are a part of the Non-GMO project. This is a certification organisation which verifies that a product’s ingredients have not been genetically modified.

It’s evident that we’re a long way off from growing genetically modified coffee, particularly for commercial purposes. However, it is something we could see more of in the future – especially as climate change becomes more of a threat to sustainable coffee production.

But whether consumers would be open to drinking GMO coffee is another question. Ultimately, considering it is still more a concept than something in practice, the only thing we know for now is that more research is necessary.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how rootstock grafting can make coffee plants more resilient.

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However, in recent years, we have seen a growing number of specialty coffee shops serving coffee soft serve – a type of frozen dessert which uses espresso or cold brew as part of the base mixture.

So what exactly is coffee soft serve and how is it made? And with signature beverages and coffee cocktails becoming more common in coffee shops around the world, could it become more popular?

To find out, I spoke with Klaus Thomsen, Chris Sheppard, and Tibor Várady. Read on for more of their insight.

You may also like our article exploring cold brew coffee ice cream.

Where did it come from?

Klaus Thomsen is a co-founder of Coffee Collective in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

“I believe we were the first coffee shop to make coffee soft serve,” he says. “We started serving it in 2016 and it was an instant success.”

He tells me that the idea for coffee soft serve first came about following a conversation with Danish Michelin star chef, Jakob de Neergaard, who also co-owns Jacob & Jakob Icecream.

In order to make high-quality coffee soft serve, Klaus says Jakob suggested using milk with a higher fat content, as adding large volumes of coffee to the soft serve mixture could water it down too much. 

“We then borrowed a soft serve machine and carried out some tests,” he adds. “Within a day, we had created a product that everyone was really excited about.”

As well as Coffee Collective, which sells coffee soft serve (or “softice”) at some of its locations in Denmark during warmer months, more and more specialty coffee shops are starting to offer similar frozen desserts.

For instance, Rosslyn Coffee in London, UK launched its own cold brew soft serve in July 2020, while Espresso Embassy in Budapest, Hungary also started serving soft serve in mid-2021.

How do you make it?

Soft serve is similar to ice cream, but has a softer and less dense texture because more air is incorporated into the mixture during freezing. The air content can be up to 60%, but the ideal range is between 33% and 45% of the total weight. This ensures that the soft serve doesn’t melt too quickly and that it maintains its shape when served.

In general, all ice cream products (including soft serve) need to be frozen quickly to avoid the formation of ice crystals. However, soft serve is often produced and stored at slightly higher temperatures than ice cream to preserve its lighter texture – usually around −4°C (25°F).

Another important ingredient is coffee, which can be brewed either as espresso or cold brew. These extraction methods are better suited for soft serve because they result in a more intense flavour profile, which can stand out against the creaminess and sweetness of the base mixture.

Chris Sheppard is the Head of Coffee at Rosslyn Coffee. 

He tells me that for its coffee soft serve, Rosslyn uses a cold brew made with its house blend which is steeped for 24 hours. The blend is a mix of Brazilian Sitio Grande and Mariano pulped natural coffees which the coffee shop uses for all its milk-based beverages.

“We use this blend to prepare cold brew because it has low acidity levels and a prominent body, as well as flavours of chocolate, nuts, and caramel,” he says. “We think this coffee complements the soft serve well.”

Some believe that darker roast profiles work well as the intense flavours can shine through more. However, this could also enhance the more bitter aspects of darker roasted coffee, too.

Klaus says that Coffee Collective have tried using several espresso blends for its soft serve, but adds that washed or pulped natural coffees can result in a more clean and balanced flavour.

“The quality of your soft serve will never be better than the quality of your espresso,” he tells me – emphasising the importance of always using high-quality coffee.

Coffee freshness is also another important consideration for making soft serve products, as Klaus adds.

“We extract espresso using the same parameters for all of our drinks, and then add the espresso shots into the soft serve base mixture while they are still fresh,” he explains. “After 15 minutes of mixing and cooling [in a specialist machine], the soft serve is ready.”

Choosing a base for your coffee soft serve

Most soft serve products have a fat level between 3% and 6%, while ice cream usually has a fat level of around 10%.

In order to achieve the right texture, most coffee shops tend to use whole cow’s milk. This is because it has a higher fat content than most other types of milk, which results in a creamier and richer flavour.

Tibor Várady is the owner of Espresso Embassy. He tells me that the coffee shop uses organic whole cow’s milk in its coffee soft serve, which also includes espresso.

“We were inspired by Coffee Collective,” he explains. “Klaus gave us advice on how to make our own soft serve, and we use whichever coffee we are serving as espresso to add into the base mixture.”

Chris Sheppard explains that Rosslyn uses cow’s milk from Estate Dairy in Somerset, UK – the same milk used in all its milk-based drinks. 

“We also partner with Happy Endings, who are based in East London, to produce our coffee soft serve,” he adds. “When we first launched the product, we were selling around 10l a week – now we serve around 70l per week.”

The ratio of coffee to milk is also important when making soft serve, as Klaus explains:

“We aim to have a similar milk-coffee ratio to our cappuccinos, so it tastes balanced and the flavours of the coffee are not too overpowering.”

Will it become more popular?

It’s clear that coffee soft serve is a popular menu item in some coffee shops, but does it have the potential to become more common in cafés around the world?

Firstly, Klaus explains that there are some challenges which coffee shops might face when making their own soft serve products.

“The soft serve mix can sometimes clump, and if ice crystals form then it can be a problem,” he tells me. “Maintenance of the machines can also be quite challenging as they require intense cleaning.”

For coffee shops looking to make their own coffee soft serve, they need to ensure they have the space to install a specialist machine – as well as training staff on how to prepare and serve the frozen dessert.

“Moreover, when the weather gets colder, we usually don’t sell enough soft serve, but overall we manage our waste levels,” he adds.

Ultimately, this means that it is only likely to become more popular during warmer months, or in countries which have warmer climates year-round.

You can also use other types of milk to make soft serve. While Klaus, Tibor, and Chris all use whole cow’s milk, it may be possible to use other kinds of milk – although it’s important to note that results may vary.

For example, oat milk company Oatly recently partnered with ice cream chain 16 Handles to make an oat-based soft serve, which has proven popular among consumers.

As well as serving it on its own, coffee soft serve can also be used as base ingredient for other signature menu items.

“Our customers enjoy our coffee soft serve and it’s quite popular already,” Tibor says. “But this year, we focused more on serving it as an affogato.”

Klaus agrees, saying: “We also make it as an affogato by pouring espresso on top.”

Other ingredients can also be added to it, which Klaus explains further.

“We opened our own bakery, the Collective Bakery, last year,” he says. “We knew we wanted to add something new to the soft serve, so we made a coffee crumble topping. 

“The crumble dough is made from purple wheat, which is an ancient grain, which is then mixed with very finely ground coffee,” he adds. “We add it to the soft serve just before serving and it creates a nice crunchy texture.”

“At Rosslyn, we lightly dust the soft serve with 50% dark chocolate from Mörk before serving,” Chris explains. “This helps to accentuate the chocolate flavours in the coffee.”

Menu diversification is becoming more and more common in specialty coffee shops around the world, and coffee soft serve is certainly evidence of this.

As long as you make sure you always use high-quality ingredients, consider the time of year and your local climate, and make sure it’s financially sustainable to both make and serve it, coffee soft serve could well become popular on your menu.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on adding coffee cocktails to your coffee shop menu.

Photo credits: Coffee Collective

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