Barista Magazine

Apr-May 2012

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of these solid reasons. Or there could be fl aws in the very design and execution of the program. Let's look at how these principles can be applied practically to our brew programs. Rethinking your brew program Many jump into manual brewing for seemingly good reasons and quickly fi nd out the hard way that it doesn't make sense for their business. Soon your Chemex is a hassle, and customers are getting fl ustered waiting for your AeroPresses, so eventually, your manual brew devices end up sitting in a corner collect- ing dust. Have you recently taken time to serious think through why brewing by the cup makes sense—or maybe doesn't make sense—for your café? Some people start a program for not so sustainable reasons like, for example, it's cool and eye-catching; it'll make us more money; we need more variety on our menu; we want to be on the cutting edge. T ese aren't bad reasons but maybe manual brewing isn't the best method for accomplishing them. You could just as easily invest in design and marketing to make your café more visually interesting, and you could increase revenue by investing in an automated brewer like the Trifecta or Steampunk to implement something "cutting edge. " Typically we are seeing two types of coff ee bars with manual brewing: shops that are brand new and have it integrated into their set-up from day one, and established shops that are making room for new manual brewing gear. Starting fresh is always a bit easier. A new shop has the luxury of deciding what type of manual brewing process they will be off ering and where. T is allows them to create a workfl ow and the layout needed to execute the brewing process. Choosing equipment, menu and the staff working environment can all be determined in the design of the coff ee shop. T ese elements are key when building a brew bar as additional requirements such as plumbing and electrical may be needed. For established shops, change is always a challenge. We are creatures of habit and so are our custom- ers. When an established coff ee shop wants to add manual brewing to the menu there are a lot of things that will need to be considered. Where will the brew bar be? What equipment do you need? Is there enough space for proper service? How will you add it to the menu? How will your staff manage it? Brewing technique T e end goal of any good brewing program is the customer's enjoyment of a fl avorful cup of coff ee. T at's why it's so sad to see great brew setups and presentations culminate in a mediocre or boring brew. It's easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of 'just making it work' and lose sight of the most important variable: taste! T ere should be a considerable amount of time devoted to researching your brewing technique and applying it well in your particular setup. T e Specialty Coff ee Association of America has a considerable amount of material on manual brewing that is readily available and invaluable to perfecting your brew. A good place to start is T e Coff ee Brewing Handbook by Ted Lingle. Doing thorough research will help you make sure each step of your brew method program is grounded in solid brewing principles and not incorporating superfl uous steps that don't result in in- creased quality. It's also very important to determine the 'nonnegotiables' for quality to keep yourself from cutting corners for speed. If it all seems like too much work, you should ask yourself the tough question: if you can't take the time to employ a brewing technique that produces a good quality cup, should you be manually brewing at all? T e next step is executing the technique that you've developed well. T is takes investment up front in making sure your staff understands good brewing principles and how they are applied in your technique. T ey should not only understand the steps well but the broader concept of how it actually produces a better cup. Also your staff should feel supported that they have enough resources and time to get the job done and done well. Customer experience For most customers, you'll likely be their fi rst introduction to manually brewed coff ee, so it's vital that their fi rst encounter not only educates them about the process but also conveys its value to them. T is is where staff training becomes so crucial to your manual brew program. Your staff sets the tone for the customers' entire experience. If your staff is excited about your coff ees and the way they are brewed, their passion will be contagious to your customers. Is there a focus in your brew training on customer engagement, communicating the value of each cup, and the story of the coff ee, not to mention the brewing method itself? You have a good three-to-four minutes during a manual brew cycle to engage your customers, and every second of that time should be utilized. Here are some good questions to incorporate into your presentation of the coff ee: What's the story of this coff ee, and what is its taste profi le? What manual brew method are you using, and what sets it apart from a regular auto-drip coff ee? What fl avor profi le does it typically produce? What technique are you using to produce the most fl avorful cup? How can they reproduce this at home? T at last one is important in making the entire experience accessible: How can your customers pro- duce this kind of quality brew at home? One of the wonderful things about manually brewing is that it's something your customers can enjoy in their own kitchens. Seeing it fi rst in the café is their introduction and the more engaging that experience is, the more likely they'll be to take a stab at it themselves. You may follow us on Facebook at Barista Magazine follow us on twitter! @BARISTAMAGAZINE WHOLESALE COFFEE, EQUIPMENT & TRAINING. 916.454.1282 TEMPLECOFFEE.COM www.baristamagazine.com 69

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