Gothic Steampunk coffee machine brings opulence to caffeine

Coffee. Those humble brown beans inspire a deep and abiding passion, with fanatics devoting both time and money into the perfect cup. And, for some, the paraphernalia ought to reflect the reverence with which they treat the brew -- coffee machines can be things of wonder and beauty.

Rarely, however, are they this magnificent. This towering construction of anodised aluminium, brass and borosilicate glass -- called Gothicism -- is the work of South Korean coffee machine creator Dutch Lab, built by a team of architectural, industrial, and graphic designers under the eye of professional barista Jaewoong Kwak.

It employs the cold brew method of making coffee: letting the grounds steep in room temperature or cold water, then filtering down into the waiting decanter. For this reason, the designers concentrated on the vertical form -- the coffee can fall straight down from the glass canisters. Water is dripped from tanks through the grounds, where it is collected in a beaker. Because Gothic architecture also had an emphasis on the vertical plane, the designers borrowed elements such as pointed spires, the rose windows, the towers, the arches, and ornate decorations.

If you want one of your own, they are available from the Dutch Lab website -- for a price. It comes in at ₩7,500,000, which converts to a cool $7,262 (AU$7766, £4308).

You can see more pictures of Gothicism on the Dutch Lab Facebook page.