AD Cafe | The Creative Duo Bringing Specialty Coffee to a Wider Audience

AD Cafe is a coffee-focused media brand founded in 2018 by Adi, who comes from a music background, and Mumu, who studied chemistry. By blending music, science, and coffee culture, the duo has built a unique approach to sharing coffee knowledge and experiences.

Today, AD Cafe has grown to more than 200,000 followers across social platforms, with over a million views on YouTube, continuing to introduce more people to the world of specialty coffee.

The X-Ultra: Beginner-Friendly and Easy to Travel With

According to AD Cafe’s Adi, the X-Ultra is one of the most beginner-friendly grinders in the 1Zpresso lineup.

When choosing a hand grinder, he believes a few things matter most: good design, portability, and a compact size. In his view, the X-Ultra performs especially well in these areas, making it a great option for everyday carry and travel brewing.

The External Adjustment Design Makes Grind Changes Easier

Adi also talked about the grinder’s adjustment mechanism.

He explained that hand grinders generally come with two grind adjustment styles: external adjustment and internal adjustment.

The X-Ultra uses an external adjustment dial with numbered markings on the outside of the grinder. Compared to internal adjustment systems, Adi finds this style much more convenient when dialing in grind size.

AD Cafe’s Pour-over Recipe

Brewing Parameters

• Coffee dose: 20g
• Grind setting: X-Ultra at 2 rotations + 2 clicks
• Water temperature: 93°C / 199°F
• Dripper: 1Zpresso Sweet Dripper
• Total water: 300g
• Brew ratio: approximately 1:15

Pouring Method

• Bloom: 40g water for 30 seconds
• Main pour: One continuous pour to 300g total.
  Start with center pouring until around 200g, then gradually spiral outward until finishing at 300g.

** Adi explained that the main purpose of the bloom is to fully saturate the coffee grounds and allow trapped gas to escape, helping create a more even extraction afterward.

** Because the coffee bed in a V-shaped dripper is usually deeper in the center, he tries to focus more water there during the bloom phase, allowing the water to gradually spread outward.

The Design Logic Behind the 1Zpresso Dripper

For this brew, Adi paired the X-Ultra with the 1Zpresso Dripper.

He mentioned that many drippers have been moving toward a “No Bypass” design philosophy in recent years.

According to Adi, one of the 1Zpresso Dripper’s defining features is its two-part internal structure. The upper section is smooth and rib-free, while the lower section uses recessed ribs.

He explained that the recessed rib design helps the paper filter adhere more closely to the dripper walls. With a tighter seal, more water stays within the coffee bed instead of slipping down gaps before proper extraction happens, which can improve extraction during each pour.

Adi also pointed out that the upper section of the dripper flows more slowly, while the ribbed lower section improves airflow and speeds up drainage slightly.

This design helps prevent clogging or excessive pooling at the bottom of the dripper. As a result, the brew can retain some immersion characteristics without steeping for too long.

AD Cafe’s Overall Thoughts on the X-Ultra

Adi considers the X-Ultra a strong entry-level hand grinder, especially for people looking for something compact and travel-friendly.

Beyond its portability, he also appreciates the external adjustment design, which makes grind changes easier.

From a brewing perspective, he mentioned that every grinder produces a different distribution of fines and larger particles, which is why he adjusts brewing methods depending on the grinder being used.

Because the X-Ultra is capable of espresso grinding, Adi believes it produces slightly more fines when used for pour over brewing (compared to grinders designed primarily for pour over). For this reason, he chose a simplified brewing approach with a bloom followed by one continuous pour, intentionally reducing the number of pauses during extraction. His goal was to preserve the changing intensity of flavors throughout different stages of extraction and create a cup with more layered flavor complexity.