Coffee lovers are passionate people when it comes to how they drink their morning brew. Taste is all important, as are one’s individual preferences for piping hot, black, bold, flavored or special roast.

America’s thriving coffee culture was spawned largely in the Pacific Northwest, so it’s fitting that Hourglass Coffee, a start-up founded in Oregon, has stirred a new passion among coffee connoisseurs with its cold water brew system, the Hourglass coffee maker.

The cold water filtration process simply extracts the natural flavor of coffee beans without releasing undesirable acids and oils, as heat processing does, say Hourglass cofounders Bob Neace and Todd Maas. In developing Hourglass, the two entrepreneurs were following a tradition of Neace’s grandfather who was famous for serving the “best coffee in town”, cold-brewed in a rudimentary home-made contraption.

The business plan was simple: create a coffeemaker that would produce the same great tasting, low-acid coffee, and would be attractive and practical on a countertop.

Design ingenuity led to the traditional hourglass shape and functionality. Ground coffee “brews” in a brew chamber filled with cold water; the Hourglass is flipped after the desired brewing time (usually 12-24 hours) to drain into the opposite chamber, yielding about eight servings of rich coffee extract. Extract is then blended with hot water according to individual taste. Remaining extract stays fresh in the refrigerator in Hourglass’ nifty carafe, the Bean Kanteen, convenient for making the next cup.

Hourglass selected Eastman Tritan™ copolyester because of the superb clarity and durability Hourglass required in a BPA-free material. 

"By using Tritan™ we gain durability with the benefit of it being safe to use in the dishwasher," says Kim Kapp, marketing director for Hourglass. "This further enhances the product's ease of use." 

High flow ABS is used in the black fluted neck and end caps, providing balance and contrast and setting off the cool blue chambers. More colors are planned for the future.

The durability of Tritan™ makes Hourglass easily portable. It’s safe to tote and practical in a college dorm, at the beach house or camping in the RV. Powered by cold water and time, the Hourglass is also eco-friendly: no electricity required to brew and no paper filters needed.

But the distinctive, smooth taste and low-acid properties of the coffee may be the biggest selling points for Hourglass, especially for people who have sensitive stomachs or acid reflux. Independent lab tests have shown that Hourglass has 69.6 percent less acidity than traditionally brewed coffee, as well as reduced levels of caffeine.

The Hourglass coffeemaker has been introduced “on-the-street” through product demos and tastings in Oregon and Washington, and it is sold in kitchen shops, catalogs and online.

The buzz is about tastier, healthier coffee taking shape in the new Hourglass.