| Every restaurant serves coffee. It's one of those | | | | problem is lime (mineral) buildup in the machine. The |
| standard beverages that any food service | | | | best way to prevent this, as mentioned above, is to |
| establishment takes for granted: restaurants of all | | | | use filtered water. However, these surfaces should |
| kinds have always served coffee, and will continue to | | | | be cleaned regularly to ensure quality every time. |
| serve it forever. But unlike other standard beverages | | | | Coffee grounds. The granule size will affect how long |
| like Coke or Pepsi that are made by a third party, | | | | it takes to brew. Very finely ground beans brew |
| coffee is almost always brewed in house. That | | | | much more quickly than coarsely ground beans. |
| means the quality standard varies widely from | | | | Experiment with different grinds until you find one |
| restaurant to restaurant, and any customer who | | | | that results in optimum flavor. The depth of the |
| orders a cup knows it's usually a crapshoot on how it | | | | ground bed in the brewing basket also affects taste. |
| will taste. | | | | A bed depth of 1-2 inches is ideal. A shallow bed will |
| With the rise of Starbucks and the rest of the | | | | result in a weak brew. A deep bed will make the |
| specialty coffee industry in the past 10 years, | | | | water percolate very slowly, which results in a bitter |
| consumer's tastes have become more refined, even | | | | brew. |
| as most restaurants still employ the same old | | | | Not all brewing equipment is created equal, and the |
| standard pourover machine they've always had. And | | | | success of your quest for a great cup can largely |
| even though Starbucks has been getting killed lately | | | | rest on the type of brewing equipment you use. |
| as consumers cut back on $8 lattes, their taste for | | | | When investing in new coffee equipment, it's also |
| quality remains. The fact is, customers want a better | | | | vitally important to purchase a brewer that can |
| cup at a good value. | | | | handle your weekly volume. |
| Restaurants are well positioned to provide good | | | | For Low Volume (0-15 lbs. per week) |
| quality for a good price, and serving a good cup can | | | | Pourovers. This is your standard coffee brewer and it |
| lead to better sales and better profits for any | | | | works just like the one at home. Water is poured |
| restaurateur who takes the time to invest in a quality | | | | manually into a tank inside the machine, heated, then |
| coffee brewing system. | | | | poured over the ground bed. Time, temperature, and |
| That's because not only can you make a tidy profit | | | | water quality can all be hard to control with a |
| on coffee sales alone, but customers who enjoy | | | | pourover, especially as the unit ages. |
| good brews are more likely to order other after-meal | | | | Automatic machines. An automatic unit has a direct |
| items like desserts and drinks. You can also use good | | | | water line for faster brewing. It's also easier to filter |
| tasting brews to boost sales during slow periods | | | | water on a direct line to ensure coffee quality. |
| during the day like late afternoon. A reputation for | | | | Decanters vs. Airpots. |
| great brews plus a few simple appetizers or desserts | | | | Low volume machines dispense brewed coffee into |
| off the menu can become a popular afternoon happy | | | | either a decanter (your standard restaurant coffee |
| hour very quickly. | | | | pot) or an airpot (what you usually see at Starbucks |
| So how do you brew great coffee? Here's some | | | | or a hotel's continental breakfast). Decanters usually |
| basics: | | | | sit on a low-heat warmer to maintain temperature. |
| Water. Coffee is mostly water, so if the water you | | | | The problem is that over time this degrades the |
| use doesn't taste that great or is hard (full of | | | | taste. Airpots, on the other hand, are not heated but |
| minerals), it isn't going to taste that great either. You | | | | can retain the temperature at which the coffee was |
| should always use filtered water to brew. This is also | | | | brewed for a few hours without degrading the flavor. |
| important because a water filter will remove minerals | | | | Airpots also limit the liquid's contact with oxygen, |
| from the water that build up in your brewing | | | | which reacts with elements in coffee and causes an |
| equipment and cause machine failures and bad taste | | | | acidic or bitter flavor. |
| problems. | | | | For Medium Volume (15-50 lbs. per week) |
| Temperature. The ideal brewing temperature is | | | | Satellite brewers. A satellite brewer has digital |
| between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Water | | | | controls that allow you to manage all the elements of |
| temperatures outside of this range can result in weak | | | | the brewing process and dispense into an insulated |
| or bitter tasting brew. Use a thermometer to | | | | holder that can be filled and moved to various |
| measure the water temp in your machine. Modern | | | | locations around the restaurant like server stations |
| digital machines allow you to adjust the temperature | | | | and back bar counters. |
| of the water with the push of a button. Older | | | | For High Volume (50+ lbs. per week) |
| machines may need to have parts replaced. | | | | Urn type machines. An urn type machine can produce |
| Time. This is the most important factor in determining | | | | large amounts of quality quickly and easily. These |
| how the it will taste. The longer water is in contact | | | | units require a lot of up-front investment, but if you |
| with the grinds, the more the soluble elements are | | | | are serving large amounts, there's really no other |
| absorbed into the water. This is what gives coffee | | | | way to go. Urn type machines are automatic and |
| its taste, but the best tasting elements are usually | | | | digitally controlled. |
| absorbed at the beginning of the brewing process. | | | | No matter what kind of restaurant you have, serving |
| The longer water is in contact with coffee grinds, the | | | | quality coffee can create great sales and upselling |
| more compounds that give it a bitter or strong taste | | | | opportunities. Take the time to experiment with the |
| are absorbed. | | | | right combination of equipment and brewing elements |
| Clean surfaces. The surfaces the coffee comes into | | | | until you find a combination that truly gives your |
| contact with inside the machine and outside, like | | | | business a better cup. The results of your |
| decanters, airpots, and cups, can all lend bad tastes if | | | | investment of time and money will be happy |
| they aren't cleaned properly. The most common | | | | customers and (hopefully!) a fatter bottom line. |
