Serving People Serving Coffee Since 2005
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Continued on page 20 Study Reveals Remedy for Barista Wrist Syndrome The recent study carried out by Dr. Diane Gregory of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, found that Clockwork Espresso's innovative PUSH tamper signifi cantly reduces the risk of injury to baristas and requires a more neutral thoracic and lumbar spine posture. The innovative fl at tamper earned instant in- dustry fame when renowned Barista Champion of the United Kingdom Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, used it onstage during the 2015 World Barista Championship. Impressed by the signifi cant physical risk reduction the PUSH tamper affords, espresso-machine company La Marzocco—long known as a barista advocate—of- fered to support the study and pay for its publication in an open-access journal. "While we were still in the beta-testing phase of the product, I was telling [La Marzocco] about how we had some evidence that would suggest a considerable health benefi t for baristas," says Pete Southern, founder of Clockwork Espresso and inventor of the PUSH Tamper. "We wanted a full independent scientifi c study to be carried out, but funding it was diffi cult at that time, so La Marzocco [stepped in]." Follow the link below to read the study in its entirety. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169814117301324 AWAY TAKE A Coffee-Subscription Service for the People Icelandic coffee powerhouse Sonja Grant and Aussie-in-Norway coffee pro Talor Browne—each co-owner of a venerable coffee-roast- ing outfi t (Kaffi brugghúsið in Reykjavik, which Sonja runs with Njáll Björgvinsson; and Talor & Jørgen in Oslo, which Talor operates with Jørgen Hansrud) have something special in common besides being outspoken proponents of women in coffee: Theirs were the fi rst coffees showcased by the latest coffee-subscription enterprise on the scene, Modern Recreation, or ModRec for short. "You're not wrong," says ModRec cofounder Jess Steffy when asked if our hunch about whether her new venture had a strong female focus. "Even though we weren't exclusively focusing on female-owned coffee-roasting companies, when we sat back to look at the roasters we were most excited to partner with, the list was heavily female." What else sets ModRec apart? For one thing, they ship coffee in the roasters' original packaging, Jess says, "because art." Also, Jess and her ModRec partner, Nicole Scott, will proudly tell you that besides curating extraordinary coffees, "We bring you the people behind the coffee. The ModRec story thrives on promoting the stories of these standout roasters." www.modrec.cc Print Your Own Bar Tools The brainiacs at Brewista have their collective fingers on the pulse of futuristic coffee service in the form of the newly launched line of products, Brewista Printables. The best part? They're all free. The products are offered as 3-D printable STL files that can be downloaded at the Brewista website. The first set of products includes two different platform extensions for Brewista's popular water-resistant Smart Scales, which allow for two cups to be placed side by side on a scale while pulling an espresso shot. Additionally, a file is available to print a support that holds the Smart Scale platform level with an espresso drip tray (for those willing to cut their drip tray), and a portafil- ter stand. According to Brewista's brand manager Christian Krause, the idea for Brewista Printables came about when a Eu- ropean distributor requested a product that didn't have a huge demand in the United States. "Creating the design with 3-D software was relatively simple and quick, so I put it together and showed it to Brian [Gross, Brewista's president]," Christian says. "That's when Brian said, ' We should just let people print it themselves.'" Don't have a 3-D printer of your own? Check with your local library. www.mybrewista.com Brewista's free 3-D so ware allows anyone to print up one of these portafi lter stands.