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What is Single-Serve Pour Over Disposable Filter Bag (Cup-On)? An Ingenious Brewing Method for a Pour-Over Experience anytime, anywhere
Pour over or drip coffee is undoubtedly one of the best ways to enjoy specialty coffee. Hence it is the preferred method for daily coffee brewing for many of us but what if you wanted to have the same taste and experience at your office on a ten-minute coffee break before an important meeting? On a hiking trip? Or on an overseas trip where you are trying your best to minimize your hiking backpack luggage weight?
The answer to all of these tricky situations for a serious coffee lover can be found in an ingenious coffee-brewing method that has been around in Japan for quite a while but is lesser-known in other parts of the world: Cup-on single-serve drip coffee bags (AKA Single-Serve Pour Over Disposable Filter Bag, or sometimes called "Drip on"). They are known by several different names but the common idea behind it is the same: The perfect amount of ground coffee for making one cup of coffee is contained within a filter bag. This filter bag is equipped with a clever piece of paper engineering to stabilize it safely onto your cup. All you have to do is to pour hot water onto the ground coffee inside the filter bag and … voilà! You have a fresh cup of dripped coffee within the shortest amount of time and with the minimum possible amount of work and equipment involved.
What makes “Cup-On” coffee so useful?
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Ease of Use
It is one of the easiest ways to make coffee. You can enjoy specialty coffee without having to master the knowledge and skills for performing a full-blown pour-over. This is also the reason why it also makes the perfect gift for someone who loves coffee but does not have the expertise or time to invest in coffee brewing.
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Incredibly Fast
Think about it – you are shortcutting your way through the time you would have spent otherwise in grinding and measuring your coffee, preparing the equipment, cleaning everything after the brew, and so on. It is so fast that you might be tempted to call it ‘instant coffee’, however, that would be a crime given how different the mouthfeel, taste, and aroma of "Cup-on" coffee is from the usual instant coffee.
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Highly portable and convenient.
The packaging is super light and compact. Imagine being able to carry all you need for a pour-over coffee inside your wallet! As long as you have hot water and a container (mug/cup/flask) you can practically make it anywhere, anytime.
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The experience is as close as it can get to a real pour over
All the key points of the experience of brewing coffee using pour-over can be found when using the "Cup-on" method. First of all, you are welcomed by the intoxicating fragrance of coffee when you first open the filter bag. Then, when you pour hot water onto the ground coffee, you can see a "bloom" and smell the aroma of the coffee. Finally, when you taste the coffee, you would be pleasantly surprised at the smoothness of the mouthfeel and the richness of taste and aroma. It is so good, you have to try it to believe it.
What makes Our "Cup-On" Single-serve drip coffee so special?
At Japanese Coffee Co., we truly care about our coffee and strive to perfect every single product so that you can have a true specialty coffee experience. We pay special attention to even the tiniest details in the making of our "Cup-on" drip coffee products and this is what makes our product stand out from the rest.
- The coffee used in our “Cup-On” drip coffee is our original coffee so you can expect to find the exceptional quality of our coffee beans that have been carefully selected and roasted using our exclusive Sumiyaki Japanese charcoal roasting method.
- After it has been roasted, there is a specific time at which the coffee is at its most delicious state. We package the coffee at this exact state to ensure the preservation of maximum level of taste, aroma, and freshness within each packet of the “Cup-On”.
- The amount of coffee inside each bag has been measured to be perfect for making one cup of coffee and the coffee has been ground to the perfect size to give the best result matching the filter bag. As all of these factors have been tried and tested to be the optimum measurements by the coffee specialists at Sapporo Coffee Kan, you can be assured to get the perfect cup of coffee, every time.
- The shape of the bag that holds the ground coffee is hexagonal and is supported by paper scaffolds. This maximizes stability and ensures an even pour even when done by someone who has never done it before. A uniform pour ensures that the taste and mouthfeel of the final cup are well-balanced and smooth.
- Instead of the bag staying inside the cup hanging, our "Cup-On" coffee bags have been designed specially so it stays on top of the cup. As you can guess, this gives the coffee a "cleaner" and "smoother" mouth-feel and makes the final cup as close as possible to a real pour-over brewed coffee.
An Easy Step-By-Step Guide on how to use the “Cup-On” coffee bags
When you take the “Cup-On” coffee packet into your hand, you will realize that it is very straightforward and quite self-explanatory. However, just to make sure that you feel 100% confident before trying the “Cup-On” drip coffee for the first time, here is a simple guide on how to use it.
- Tear open the protective outer packaging
- Take out the filter bag and hook on the paper ears onto both sides of a clean, empty cup. This might sound a bit confusing but if you see the picture, it will be crystal clear and once you try it yourself you will be able to do this very easily.
- Pour the hot water slowly onto the ground coffee that is inside the filter bag. The amount of water to be poured is the amount that is enough for a standard-sized mug cup. Wait until the brewed coffee has brewed into the cup.
- Take the paper hooks off the cup and dispose of the bag containing the used coffee grind.
- Your perfect cup of coffee is ready to be enjoyed!
Pro Tip:
- Use a spoon to tap lightly on the coffee grind to flatten the surface; this makes the coffee taste better as the hot water will be distributed equally.
- The package also comes with a cut line that allows you to open the package easily.
Buy Our Sumiyaki Coffee in the "Cup-On" Single-serve packages
FAQs about Single-Serve Pour-Over Coffee Bags (Cup-On)
What is a single-serve pour-over coffee bag (Cup-On), and how does it work?
When does single-serve pour-over make practical sense?
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About the author
Kei Nishida
Author, CEO Dream of Japan
Certification: PMP, BS in Computer Science
Education: Western Washington University
Kei Nishida is a passionate Japanese tea and coffee connoisseur, writer, and the founder and CEO of Japanese Coffee Co. and Japanese Green Tea Co., both part of Dream of Japan.
His journey began with a mission to introduce the world to the unparalleled quality of Japanese green tea. Through Japanese Green Tea Co., he established the only company that sources premium tea grown in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil—an innovation that led to multiple Global Tea Champion awards.
Building on this success and his passion for Japanese craftsmanship, Kei expanded into the world of coffee, pioneering the launch of Japanese Coffee Co., the first company to bring Sumiyaki charcoal-roasted coffee to a global audience. His dedication to authenticity and quality ensures that this traditional Japanese roasting method, once a well-kept secret, is now enjoyed worldwide.
Beyond tea and coffee, Kei has also introduced Japan’s legendary craftsmanship to the world through Japanese Knife Co., making handmade katana-style knives—crafted by a renowned katana maker—available outside Japan for the first time.
Kei’s journey continues as he seeks out and shares the hidden treasures of Japan, one cup and one blade at a time.
Learn more about Kei
