Femobook A68 & A4Z Electric Coffee Grinder Review | The Deep Brew Café

Can the same coffee taste different—just by changing grinders? A68 or A4Z?

At World of Coffee (WOC), Faiz—the owner of The Deep Brew Café from Brunei—ran a controlled demo using the same beans and the same parameters—the only variable was the grinder: Femobook A68 vs. A4Z. The cups showed clearly different flavor profiles.

Whether you prefer layered complexity with pronounced sweetness or you’re after cleanliness, clarity, and fine detail, you can find a match between the Femobook A68 and A4Z.

The notes below reflect Faiz’s cupping impressions from that day.

【Overview: Femobook A68 and A4Z】

Before brewing, Faiz introduced the two grinders—Femobook A68 and A4Z. In his view, they yield clearly different cup profiles: 

The A68 delivers more complexity, while the A4Z prioritizes clarity and a clean mouthfeel.

【A68 vs A4Z: Side-by-Side Brewing — Tasting × Cooling Observations】

Faiz used an anaerobic natural Geisha and kept the same coffee and the same recipe, making the grinder the only variable. He invited attendees to taste how the Femobook A68 and A4Z produced two distinct flavor expressions.

Brew steps:

→ Bloom: 93 °C, 35 seconds

→ Second pour: circular pours to 130 g

→ Third pour: circular, then center pour to 190 g

→ Fourth pour: 89 °C, circular then center pour

Tasting Notes:

Under the same beans and the same parameters, Faiz found that the A68 and A4Z yielded significantly different flavor profiles.

A68 — More Complexity, Pronounced Sweetness

Faiz describes the A68 cup as more complex. As the coffee cools, it gets sweeter and sweeter. [1] 

From repeated use, when he’s after complexity, he reaches for the A68.

Frank

Femobook's Editor

1. The A68 is a multi-purpose grinder and supports a range of brewing methods, eg: espresso, pour-over, AeroPress, moka pot, and French press. 

A4Z — Clean Mouthfeel, Clear Flavor 

Faiz describes the A4Z cup as clean and clear.[1] 

With the same beans, the A4Z makes flavors more defined: when hot, the cup feels clean and juicy, with sweetness showing; as it cools, individual notes unfold and become easier to identify. 

He calls this ability to “dissect your notes” the beauty of the A4Z.

Frank

Femobook's Editor

1. The A4Z is designed for pour-over and fitted with ZP6 burrs (exclusively licensed from 1Zpresso).
The ZP6 manual grinder is known for very low fines and a clean, clear profile—and it was used by the 2023 World Brewers Cup (WBrC) Champion Carlos Medina during his winning routine. 

【Faiz’s Pour-Over Brewing Tips】

1. When the water is soft, use heavy agitation during the bloom.
   Because the local water has softer minerals, Faiz increases agitation in the bloom (to help extraction).

2. Use bloom time to fine-tune the cup.
   A slightly longer bloom mellows down the acidity and tends to give a sweeter, rounder profile; a shorter bloom brings up the acidity.

3. Reduce agitation in the final pours to avoid off-flavors and astringency.
   In the final pours, he shifts from circular to gentle center pours to limit agitation—preventing jagged, edgy notes and astringency.

【A68 vs A4Z: Faiz’s Key Findings】

With the same beans and the same parameters—only the grinder changed—Faiz concludes that the two grinders lead to two distinct cup profiles.

• A4Z: clean and clear cup, high note separation, able to “dissect” finer nuances; comparatively lighter and smoother body. As the cup cools, distinct flavor notes emerge.

• A68: more complex cup with a fuller body; as it cools, sweetness becomes more pronounced.

A68 or A4Z? It ultimately comes down to your preferred flavor profiles.