The Bee House is a ceramic trapezoidal dripper made in Japan by Zero Japan, based in the pottery town of Mino. It looks like a simple wedge brewer but has two small drainage holes instead of a single large one, a detail that restricts flow more than a Melitta and produces a cup that tastes closer to a Kalita 101 than to any European wedge.
Specialty cafés adopted the Bee House in the early 2010s, particularly in the US, because it offered a Kalita-like cup profile at a lower price with easier technique — the two restricted holes forgive minor pour mistakes in a way a V60 never will. The ceramic body holds heat well and the drawdown lands consistently in the 3:30 to 4:30 window.
A starting recipe: 17 g of coffee to 280 g of water (1:16), medium grind, water at 93–95 °C, three pours in 3:30 to 4:00. Uses standard 1x2 Melitta filters, which are ubiquitous and cheap. The Bee House is a great first pour-over for someone who wants a reliable, sweet, balanced cup without worrying about gooseneck technique or pour rate precision.
