The renaissance of filter coffee in Swiss gastronomy
- Marcus Bohl
- Jun 7
- 4 min read
In Swiss gastronomy, filter coffee, long overshadowed by the ubiquitous "caffe crème," is experiencing a remarkable niche renaissance.
While it remains a rare sight in traditional restaurants and cafés, it has established itself as a trend in upscale and specialized coffee culture.
Dominance of the "coffee crème"
The standard drink in German-speaking Swiss restaurants is "Kaffee Crème" or "Caffè Crema", an espresso with more water added. It is also considered the Swiss equivalent of German filter coffee. This preparation method, using fully automatic piston machines, has dominated the market for decades and corresponds to the common idea of a "normal coffee" in Switzerland. The name "Cafè Crème" comes from the fact that liquid cream (French: crème) is often mixed into the coffee. Alternatively, the "Cafè Crème" is also called "Schümli" in Switzerland.
Trend reversal through the "Third Wave" movement
A change is emerging, especially in urban areas and through the so-called "Third Wave Coffee" movement. This coffee wave focuses on:
Quality and origin: Coffee is treated like wine, with precise information about the growing region, variety, and processing.
Light roasts: Instead of traditional dark roasts, light roast profiles are preferred, highlighting the fruity and floral notes of the coffee bean.
Manual brewing methods: Classic filter coffee is celebrated and brewed by hand ("pour-over"), for example, with a Hario V60 or Chemex. Other "slow coffee" methods such as AeroPress or French Press are also gaining popularity.
Filter coffee as a specialty
In modern coffee bars and specialty roasteries, filter coffee is actively offered as a high-quality alternative to espresso.
It appeals to an audience that consciously seeks a sophisticated, nuanced coffee flavor and is willing to pay a higher price for the more elaborate preparation. Here, filter coffee is synonymous with a freshly and individually prepared cup.
This trend has barely caught on in the wider hospitality sector, from local pubs to traditional restaurants. Investing in specialized equipment and training staff in manual brewing methods poses a hurdle for many businesses. Consumer demand continues to focus on quick and uncomplicated coffee from fully automatic machines.
A divided existence in Switzerland
While filter coffee plays a minor role in the Swiss mainstream, it is experiencing a high-quality renaissance in a growing niche.
In many countries, including the USA and much of Northern Europe, classic filter coffee is the dominant brewing method. In other regions, particularly in Southern Europe, espresso and its variations such as cappuccino or latte macchiato are the first choice.
TONE löst hier Probleme
The TONE Touch 03 solves several of these problems.
Developed in Switzerland and manufactured in Thun on Lake Thun, this coffee brewer enables the efficient preparation of the highest quality filter coffee with minimal training for staff.
The customer always receives consistently high-quality beverages, as the brewing process follows precisely preset and adjustable brewing profiles (specified water quantity, temperature, flow rates, and pulsation patterns in the various brewing phases). The Touch 03 achieves a level of consistency and thus quality assurance that is difficult to achieve with manual preparation. This results in the highest quality with lower personnel costs.
You save massive amounts of time and energy costs. The machine has a direct water connection and uses a new flow-through heating system that completely eliminates the need for a warm-up phase. Just 2 seconds after switching on, the machine is ready to begin brewing. Thanks to a patented heating system, it can save up to 90% energy compared to conventional technologies. This provides the best conditions for both very high-usage days and days with a lot of idle time in between. The machine is always ready for you and doesn't waste unnecessary energy during breaks.
As with manual preparation, the brewing process on the TONE Touch 03 is clearly visible, allowing customers to follow their coffee brewing.
A barista can operate several machines simultaneously, devote time to the customer during the brewing process, and perform other tasks. This greatly reduces the workload for the barista, especially during peak times.
The machine has a small footprint and can be positioned facing the customer, allowing for new bar concepts.
The TONE Touch 03 enables easy operation and consistently high beverage quality at barista level. It is ideal for specialty coffee shops that want to brew even smaller batches with the utmost precision. The TONE Touch 03 can be used for servings from 100 ml to 2 liters.
Since its market launch in June 2020, the TONE Touch 03 has been sold in over 30 countries worldwide and was named Best New Product in the "Commercial Coffee Preparation & Serving" category by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) in 2021.
The powerful single-serve TONE Touch 03 brewer is ideal for cafes and brew bars that demand exceptional quality and consistency in their filter coffees and teas, even for single-serve or smaller batch brews.
It can be prepared using common pour-over utensils such as the Chemex carafe, the Hario V60 dripper, the Kalita Wave dripper, or the Origami dripper, which is also very attractive.
In Switzerland, the TONE Touch 03 coffee machine can be ordered directly from the BOHL Coffee Solutions online shop (bohlcoffee.ch).
You can set it up yourself following the instructions or book a service appointment.
Thanks to BOHL Coffee Solutions' proximity to the development and production of the machine, you have a competent partner at your side who will be happy to provide you with advice and support.
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