We’d like to introduce SOFI 72 — Aramse’s v1.0 take on the classic South Indian filter, an unassuming stainless steel brewer that’s been around for decades (maybe even centuries?). You may be thinking, why is this version important? We want to standardise sizes as SOFI takes on the next wave of coffee. How many times have you logged into Instagram or YouTube and seen people scattered across the globe come together over coffee brewing? These communities share recipes, experiments, and bond over learned knowledge and a love for this wonderful drink. That is the world we envision for SOFI.

This narrowing down and redefining size helps with easy communication of recipes no matter where you are. The 72.5mm diameter is capable of brewing a recommended dose of between 15-25g of coffee, enough to make up to 2 cups. Simply dilute the brewed concentrate/decoction with water, or add milk to enjoy your cuppa.

We’re tired of Indian design often being associated with novelty items that are kitsch when it can be so much more — functional, innovative and beautiful. Here’s a no-bypass brewer that’s been around before no-bypass was a thing! SOFI’s matte finish makes this an understated and elegant piece for your kitchen counter. ‘brew aramse’ etched along the side is not just branding — it’s a reminder. To slow down and enjoy the wonderful ritual of brewing coffee.

Made with food-grade stainless steel (304), each brewer has been carefully sourced with stringent QC to ensure consistent quality across all pieces. We conducted extensive brew tests to find a manufacturing partner who met our spec requirements.

This kit comes with 2 very useful accessories, another attempt to bring SOFI into the modern world of coffee brewing — first, a game-changing 9-prong WDT tool designed by the talented jkim_makes that will help you distribute the grounds evenly before brewing, and second, a silicone band to make handling the hot brewer a whole lot easier.

NOTE: We DO NOT include the “tamper” that typically ship with other versions of this brewer. Our extensive testing and science-based experiments shows that this non-essential accessory disturbs the coffee bed and causes uneven extractions. Find out more in the FAQ section.

Community

Hey SOFI enthusiasts, users, and curious onlookers! We’ve created a group where we share all things SOFI — brews, experiments, troubleshooting etc. You don’t have to be a SOFI owner to be a part of this group. There’s no question that’s too stupid to ask, so click below to join and post away.

FAQ

What is SOFI 72 and why is it different from other brewers?

SOFI 72 is Aramse’s standardised South Indian filter. This standalone stainless steel, no-bypass brewer requires no electricity or paper filters to brew a delicious cup of coffee. You just need access to great coffee and hot water, and you’re all set! You get better QC, a custom matte finish that looks elegant on your counter top, and it comes ready with a WDT tool to distribute the grounds, and a silicone band to make handling easier. We would be devastated to see this nifty little brewer with so much potential beyond its current use become a relic of the past. The South Indian filter absolutely has a place in the world of modern coffee and we are on a mission to ensure that happens!

Why is standardisation so important?

The traditional South Indian filter comes in varying sizes, shapes, dimensions and even materials in stores across India. Eliminating the variances from one brewer to the next means that people around the world can now create their own recipes and share it with others. SOFI 72 is an attempt at raising the bar of what is currently available, through standardisation of sizes (72.5mm diameter filter). The goal behind this first step in reimagining the South Indian filter for the modern world of coffee is to promote innovation around brewing with this device.

Why is it called SOFI 72?

The diameter of the brew chamber is 72.5mm. Much like the Lagom P100 has 98mm burrs, SOFI 72 just rolls off the tongue easier than SOFI 72.5! We found 72.5mm to be the ideal size to brew between 1-2 cups of coffee, making it very easy to become your daily brewer of choice. What’s more, this size makes it super portable to take along with you on your travels.

What does our QC process entail?

SOFI 72 is made from high-quality food-grade stainless steel (SS 304). We have gone through extensive QC to ensure:

  • Minimum variance in hole size within the capabilities of the manual punch process.
  • Similar coverage of the holes on the filter across units. This is proved to be the most important factor in getting similar brew results from one unit to the next.
  • That all brewers have a 72.5mm filter.

Because SOFI brews at atmospheric pressure, it is a lot more forgiving than something like espresso. Our extensive testing has shown that long as the brewers have the same filter size, approximately the same number of holes that are well spaced and distributed evenly, and made from the same material, you can consistently replicate recipes across units!

What does the WDT tool do?

The Weiss Distribution Technique (WDT) is widely considered the most effective method of distributing coffee grounds. The WDT tool is a game-changing accessory that uses 0.25 – 0.4mm needles to break up any clumps in the grounds and helps create a well-distributed bed to ensure that water can extract all of the coffee evenly

It says ‘sold out’ on your website. When will the next batch be available?

We did an initial small batch run of just 100 to test the market and see if people would be interested in brewing with SOFI. We completely underestimated demand and were sold out within a couple of days. However, the second batch is in production as we speak, and we are also partnering with some stockists internationally to sell SOFI more easily. If you are interested in becoming a wholesale partner, please email us on support@aramse.coffee.

Why do I get a lot of sediment in my brews?

As with all brewing methods there are some challenges The best way to reduce sediment is to pour more gently. Use ‘the spoon technique’ (as outlined in our user manual) or a Melodrip to achieve this. You can also try swirling less aggressively. Lastly, pour the brewed coffee out of the bottom chamber slowly and stop just as you see any sediment.

Why are my brews stalling?

There are multiple reasons this could be happening:

  • Your grind size is too fine, try going coarser
  • You are pouring too fast from too high — again lower pour height and speed and also try the spoon technique
  • Your grinder is producing too many fines.
  • You’re pressing the brew chamber down too tightly onto the collection chamber or pressing the lid on too tight. This cause an airtight seal and stalls the brew.
  • You’re swirling too aggressively — trying being more gentle and red
  • You’ve dosed too high — try reducing the dose. The ideal range 15 – 20g.
Why are my brews dilute?

Increase coffee dose or reduce amount of water used.

What is a no-bypass brewer?

Pour over brewers like the V60 have ridges which create gaps between the filter paper and walls of the brewer. While brewing, some of the water above the coffee bed slips out through the paper and down these gaps making little to no contact with the coffee. This phenomenon, called bypass, leads to lower extractions, and is why low or no bypass brewers like the KŌNO and Tricolate are gaining popularity. The South Indian filter has been around forever and is also a no-bypass brewer that ensures all of the water to passes through the bed of coffee with no opportunity to go around it.

Is the band heat resistant?

While the band does significantly improve handling of the brewer it can become fairly warm if the top chamber is filled up with very hot water. This scnario shouldn’t arise when brewing the recommended dose of 15 – 25g.