Americanos instead of Drip Coffee
My shop owners and I are talking about ditching regular drip coffee in favor of just doing Americanos. We're going to be half a block away from a busy street corner in Chicago, right by an elevated station. So lots of foot traffic.
And before someone jumps on me for not "getting" why drip coffee is awesome, let me add here that love drip coffee. This is a move toward only serving only fresh coffee, with nothing sitting in airpots. I'm a firm believer in slow coffee, so Chemexes and so on will be available for order. And as much as I'd like to have a bank of drippers, I don't think we have the space/plumbing to make it happen.
Thoughts?
And before someone jumps on me for not "getting" why drip coffee is awesome, let me add here that love drip coffee. This is a move toward only serving only fresh coffee, with nothing sitting in airpots. I'm a firm believer in slow coffee, so Chemexes and so on will be available for order. And as much as I'd like to have a bank of drippers, I don't think we have the space/plumbing to make it happen.
Thoughts?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John P on
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Joseph,
I agree wholeheartedly with your posts. We too have never offered conventional Drip, and I strongly believe that ONLY by the cup methods (press, Melitta, Vac Pot, Eva Solo, Chemex) should be used if you are sourcing fantastic coffees.
The problem I've cited in the past regarding Americano over Drip is that most places can't pull a decent shot and this leads to the poor Americano.. the other factor, which is crucial, is water temp. If you are using straight out of the boiler water and pulling your shot into that you often wind up with a bitter Americano due to the temperature of the water being too hot. I've been to a number of first rate shops where I was delivered a kick @ss espresso, but their Americano was lackluster because they gave it no thought and probably never tasted them on a regular basis to assure their execution was on.
We've offered Americano from day one, and have done Press by the cup for a while a few years ago, now, with the Siphon bar, we have exclusively doing Vac Pot/Siphon for nearly two years as our "best" single cup brewing method.
We've never been concerned about the rush with these options, our Press and Siphon have always been in house only. For us it's about creating the best coffee experience for the customer. It's not just about making a cup of coffee... and why in the world would you take the time to source fantastic SO beans, roast them ( or have them roasted) to bring out the best varietal flavors, take the time to make THAT coffee for THAT customer and then stick it in a paper cup? Baffling that some places do this. People will wait for something special.
Coffee excellence, just like many fine foods, isn't for the masses, so don't try to figure out how to bring mass appeal. Create the best coffee you can, constantly educate, and people will go out of their way to find you.
Joseph Robertson said:It seems you attract that which you are. Don't mean to be vague here. It's just that I don't feel I'm forcing anything on our customers by making sure what they consume is the freshest thing I can produce. Yes I do have customers almost every day ask for a drip coffee. I casually mention that the only choices I offer are the espresso machine side or for the time being a french press because we grind and brew and do not have any coffee sitting brewed in any form. So far no one has walked out and gone across the street for drip. If you are already have a customer base that has been getting drip from you it might not be an easy transition to change there habits. Besides it's about what YOU want. To me it's about the kind of presence you want to establish in your corner of the coffee world. If your not happy your customers will see it and most likely go elsewhere for there Java experience. Just my morning coins and thoughts.
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Permalink Reply by Fraser Jamieson on
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We do quite a large number of Americanos and generally get excellent feedback on them. I reserve one group head for "water only" (which solves temperature issues). As I'm grinding, I'm already loading hot water into the cup. Without a portafilter on the group head, even the 20 ounce cup fits under it just fine. But, as I can't see into the cup, I have gotten into using the semi-auto buttons so that I know the exact volume I've loaded. After loaded with water, then I collect the coffee.
Looks great and tastes even better.
By the way, I have my semi-auto buttons programmed for exact amounts as Gross Water Supply, without coffee or a portafilter.
We do all of our decafs as Americanos and are reminded daily that our decaf is the best in town.
We also sell drip coffee which I can't get past my mouth. That's not because drip is bad, it's because our drip is bad.
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Permalink Reply by Brady on
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John P said:
The problem I've cited in the past regarding Americano over Drip is that most places can't pull a decent shot and this leads to the poor Americano.. the other factor, which is crucial, is water temp. If you are using straight out of the boiler water and pulling your shot into that you often wind up with a bitter Americano due to the temperature of the water being too hot. I've been to a number of first rate shops where I was delivered a kick @ss espresso, but their Americano was lackluster because they gave it no thought and probably never tasted them on a regular basis to assure their execution was on.
I couldn't agree more. A good americano is easy and delicious. Pull a good double into 8 oz of good water at the right temp.
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Permalink Reply by Mike McGinness on
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Indeed the problem isn't Americanos, the problem is bad baristas plan and simple. Anyone who uses (standard) HX boiler water to make Americanos is very poorly trained by an idiot.
Indeed highest quality coffee isn't for the masses. So what, does that mean I should lower my shop's standards? I think not. When I got rid of press pot to airpots over a year ago in favor of 100% pour over station bar and press pot to order only I did loose a few impatient morning customers. And gained more who know and care about the quality difference. I choose my shops standards, period. Customers too impatient to wait for quality can go to 7-11 or Micky D's or where ever, I don' really care.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Shipley on
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I'd love to hear what kind of volume you guys with strong brew to order programs are doing? Are you a 200 transaction a day shop 400, 600?
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Permalink Reply by Joseph Robertson on
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Jason,
"Strong brew to order" ?
Joe
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Joseph Robertson said:Jason,
"Strong brew to order" ?
Joe
"Strong brew to order" = espresso?
:)
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99.999837416253% sure he meant strong "brew to order" programs versus programs "brewing in advance" with airpots etc...
And as I've begun talks with a developer on a possible new future location, a prime downtown main arterial freeway feed location that would be primarily a Coffeehouse but with the addition of a drive-thru (already plan approved), I've briefly pondered but not come to any resolution of exactly "what" will be offered at the drive-thru: espresso based only, which would include a "coffee profile type" coffee espresso grinder for the window machine be it an SO or blend? 99% sure the preponderance of people wouldn't know I'd pulled an Americano of my popular (designed and roasted for non-espresso brewing) McLoughlin House blend instead of it being brewed pour over. Or break my quality "brew on demand" oath to self as a roaster and revert to airpots? More likely the former unless too many complaints. But it's a year plus in the future so time to worry about the details later. AND have to get my Roastery Coffeehouse 2nd location open first anyway!!! (Just taking a break from Danish Oiling some oak trim...)
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I meant a strong program. As in have a system and equipment down pat and sell brew to order exclusively or in larger volume than drip. Nothing to do with the strength of the coffee.
Brady said:Joseph Robertson said:Jason,
"Strong brew to order" ?
Joe
"Strong brew to order" = espresso?
:)
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Mike, I've done lots of tests with the machine I'm using and I'm finding that I have a near perfect temperature difference by extracting it the way I do. The head I'm getting water from has a flow restrictor on it, and as we are a near 100% take out sort of place (six ceramic cups in the shop) speed is important as well. We only have one water tower and it's too far away from the espresso machine to be used safely. The whole place is badly designed.
Were it my place I'd do things differently, but as it stands, I'm actually getting really excellent results.
miKe mcKoffee aka Mike McGinness said:Indeed the problem isn't Americanos, the problem is bad baristas plan and simple. Anyone who uses (standard) HX boiler water to make Americanos is very poorly trained by an idiot.
Indeed highest quality coffee isn't for the masses. So what, does that mean I should lower my shop's standards? I think not. When I got rid of press pot to airpots over a year ago in favor of 100% pour over station bar and press pot to order only I did loose a few impatient morning customers. And gained more who know and care about the quality difference. I choose my shops standards, period. Customers too impatient to wait for quality can go to 7-11 or Micky D's or where ever, I don' really care.
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You're drawing water from a group not an HX boiler, totally different and totally good temp range. (like ~200f range instead of initially ~250f minus some traveling directly from HX boiler hotwater tap).
Fraser Jamieson said:Mike, I've done lots of tests with the machine I'm using and I'm finding that I have a near perfect temperature difference by extracting it the way I do. The head I'm getting water from has a flow restrictor on it, and as we are a near 100% take out sort of place (six ceramic cups in the shop) speed is important as well. We only have one water tower and it's too far away from the espresso machine to be used safely. The whole place is badly designed.
Were it my place I'd do things differently, but as it stands, I'm actually getting really excellent results.
miKe mcKoffee aka Mike McGinness said:Indeed the problem isn't Americanos, the problem is bad baristas plan and simple. Anyone who uses (standard) HX boiler water to make Americanos is very poorly trained by an idiot.
Indeed highest quality coffee isn't for the masses. So what, does that mean I should lower my shop's standards? I think not. When I got rid of press pot to airpots over a year ago in favor of 100% pour over station bar and press pot to order only I did loose a few impatient morning customers. And gained more who know and care about the quality difference. I choose my shops standards, period. Customers too impatient to wait for quality can go to 7-11 or Micky D's or where ever, I don' really care.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Thayer on
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I'm running a temporary coffee cart right now with a dual La Marzocco setup: 3 group Linea and the Swift grinder. These two paired allow me to run the thing by myself. Anyway, I only can serve americanos off the cart simply for lack of space- nobody has missed the drip coffee. I explain the similarity between the americano and drip and the differences; people seem to like the education and my dedication to their enlightenment. I only serve espresso and single origin, no decaf. That has also worked to my favor (since I'm on a college campus).
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