Serving People Serving Coffee Since 2005
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tion, cooling, charging, and recharging the kegs once they're depleted. (I rarely won these tests of will.) Inefficient and ineffective expenditure of time mark both of these methods. The BUNN refresh differs at the level of CO 2 incorporation. "The in-line system essentially atomizes or mist-ifies the water as it's passing through a water line, and sprays the water into a tiny chamber that's charged with CO 2 ," Rusty says. "Once it's charged with CO 2 , the mist then condenses in-line before being dispensed." This carbonation process has a number of benefits. On the envi- ronmental side, it eliminates plastic and glass bottles, and requires little energy. On the efficiency side, it frees baristas from time spent opening and closing bottles, recycling them, prep- ping kegs, etc. On the economic side, it eliminates the expense incurred from using individual bottles of seltzer. " We are picky about all the beverages we offer and have a lot of strong opinions on the bubble size and taste of sparkling water," says Devorah Fralach, retail man- ager at Equator Coffees & Teas in the San Francisco Bay Area. "To get tight bubbles in our sodas we were opening a new bottle of a high-end club soda for every house- made soda sold. It's much more efficient to carbonate our own filtered water for these." However, the BUNN refresh's improve- ments in texture and composition are per- haps its most interesting advancements. The BUNN refresh boasts water that retains its carbonation for an extended amount of time. "It tickles the palate in a manner that resembles champagne," says Rusty. Both phenomena are consequences of high absorption rates of CO 2 . "The colder the water, the better it holds and absorbs dissolved gases," says Rusty. "In Refresh, the CO 2 is really well incorporated because of the consistently cool temp throughout the carbonation process, so it lasts for a long time after it's dispensed." As for the tickling sensation? It may offer benefits beyond mouthfeel. "BUNN learned from the champagne industry that smaller and more incorporated bubbles actually carry aroma better than larger bubbles," says Rusty. Whether carbonated water is served alongside espresso or in sparkling teas or sodas, this discovery cre- ates innumerable opportunities for experi- mentation. The creative potential of craft water generates new avenues for barista development. "I love getting our baristas thinking about new flavor combinations, its such a great introduction to the world of barista competitions," says Devorah. Whether craft water leads baristas to competition, drink experimentation, or simply better customer service, it certainly creates opportunities for further inquiry into the continuum of flavor and experience. If water is the "beverage of now," as Rusty claims, then the BUNN refresh is poised to lead the specialty-coffee industry in a promising direction. Put simply, "Tiny bubbles rule," says Devorah. "Cue Don Ho!" —Kelsey Viscount 27 www.baristamagazine.com