I get it.
The Bripe looks like some kind of hipster coffee crack pipe. An absurdist non-answer to a question noone was asking in the first place. The founder looks so eccentric you’d expect he might feel a little hurt if you didn’t think he was eccentric. The creators even created a verb, Briping, for the use of their product as if “I’m Briping up some coffee” could one day be as ubiquitous as “I did a little Googling”. It’s so incredibly far out of expectations of what a coffee maker is, and what a coffee maker should be, that the first use of it you think of is as the butt of a joke. And I know I’ve joked about what a ridiculous bad idea it is.
But why is the Bripe a bad idea? That’s what I found myself asking when I recently happened upon some Briping related memes. And honestly, I can’t come up with anything. If I don’t let myself rely on looks, I can’t find one reason the Bripe should make bad coffee. Nothing about it goes against the principles of good extraction. Full immersion, sufficient heat, all that good stuff. So I ordered one.
And you know what? I love the Bripe. I can say, without a hint of irony, that the Bripe has quickly become one of my favorite ways to make coffee. Let me explain why.
Why I love the Bripe:
- The Bripe makes good coffee. Really good coffee. I’d describe it as adjacent to Turkish coffee in flavor profile. I’ve had delightfully fruity brews (Bripes?), coffee so chocolatey I could have nearly mistaken it for hot chocolate, great results with every coffee I’ve run through it.
- The Bripe is extremely quick and easy to use. Just add coffee, add water, and apply heat. You don’t need good pouring technique, you don’t need good distribution, you don’t even need a cup.
- The Bripe is ratio agnostic. I can get good results at any strength. Stronger than most Turkish coffee or as light as a typical pourover.
- The Bripe doesn’t use much coffee. Sometimes I want coffee late at night, and I often don’t keep decaf on hand. With a 5g Bripe, I can have coffee whenever without worry. Or have several different coffees throughout the day without getting jittery.
- The Bripe actually feels pretty good to use. The silly little pipe thing is actually really nice to drink out of. Sue me.
So I’ve been that recently, when I either don’t feel like fussing with another method or don’t want 15g+ of coffee contributing caffeine, I’ve been reaching for my Bripe. And, as much as it hurts to say…
Briping up some delicious coffee.
