School me on espresso machines for farmers market - Page 2

[poison]

As I look into this more, I'm leaning toward a cone filter drip station setup, to start and feel things out. I'd step up to an espresso machine once I felt it would be worthwhile.

I'm looking at hot water heaters. Anyone have recommendations? I need to add up the total possible electrical output necessary, including hot water, grinder, and possibly the espresso machine and espresso grinder, so I can plan for a generator purchase.

[another_jim]

The Pulser will make back to back espressos as fast as you can prepare the next shot. It won't make milk drinks; but neither will any of the machines you are looking at. Even the Cimbali Junior will have a hard time with that. You need a full sized single grouper with a 4 liter or larger boiler, something like the Rancilio Epoca or NS Appia. If you expect a really long line, you're best off with a two grouper.

In other words, this is one lousy excuse for a home machine upgrade: these warhorses are panel truck espresso machines, not sports cars.

[poison]

LOL, it's no excuse! I suppose I could take my Pulser, and see if the health inspector busts me on it. They actually might not, I doubt they know the minutae of espresso machines.

[miKe mcKoffee]

As I look into this more, I'm leaning toward a cone filter drip station setup, to start and feel things out. I'd step up to an espresso machine once I felt it would be worthwhile.

I'm looking at hot water heaters. Anyone have recommendations? I need to add up the total possible electrical output necessary, including hot water, grinder, and possibly the espresso machine and espresso grinder, so I can plan for a generator purchase.

I highly recommend the Zojirushi 5 Liter CD-LCC50, use two of them at my Cafe for tea and 'cano water. Best price I've found is this eBayer.

[poison]

Ah, see, this is why this site rocks! Thank you!

I was actually going to go down to the local japanese supermarket, because I've seen those things, but I am pretty sure they only have much smaller ones.

So with 2 5L models, one in use, one heating, they should be able to keep up with decent traffic? How long does it take to heat water from ambient temp to 200 degrees?

[miKe mcKoffee]

Forgot to mention I also use them for Press brewing. From cold and full fill take about 50min according to the manual but have never timed it. We turn them off at closing and they turn back on 7hrs later. They heat to boiling then cool to hold at your selected temp (My two 208f, 195f and I forget the lowest). However, I train staff (and self) to never let them run out, refilling the lowest of the two immediately after brewing press pots etc. (especially when brewing two 48oz Presses for Airpot 'house coffee' which of course includes pre-heating the presses so drains 'em pretty good, oh FWIW 1hr max hold) If slammed and both get really low we can cheat and steam a half gallon at a time to boil first (takes about 90 seconds) and fill with very hot water. But it's rather noisy bringing a half gallon of water to a screeching boil and prefer not having that type of "ambiance" unless absolutely necessary, which it should very seldom be. (Or if as is too often the case employee just spaces it, I keep reminding them but one is on the verge of being let go for too often over looking this and other similar "mundane" tasks like keeping the dish bus from over flowing. Final warning day before yesterday. Seven months of reminders is more than enough. She's very good on the espresso machine, latte art and with customers but my patience has had it. She may think she's indispensable but after our last talk I believe she finally believes I will fire her, and I will.

[poison]

Hmm, even if I used 3, draining, filling, and moving on to the next in consecutive order, it'd still be WAY cheaper than the $1200 fetco 5 gallon boiler.

[Paul]

early on in this thread, gas machines were mentioned. I thought i'd post a pic of my latest install. The machine is a 2003 cma san marino 2gr automatic. There is a bit of demand for such machines where I live at the moment. This is the third machine i've converted in as many months.







On this particular machine I installed a neon rocker switch to serve as a 'boost' when decent electricity was available to the cart. It only switches one circuit of the element, 1300w. The burner is about 2.2kw. Heat-up time of the 10L boiler is about 20 mins.

[poison]

Well, I'm about a week away from starting at the farmer's market, barring unforeseen mishaps. I'll update as it goes.

[poison]

I'd really like to know why this nifty piece of gear is $600. Better yet, I'd like to know why I actually bought it.

http://www.espressoparts.com/prod...ng_Experience.html

[poison]

I highly recommend the Zojirushi 5 Liter CD-LCC50, use two of them at my Cafe for tea and 'cano water. Best price I've found is this eBayer.

Thanks to you, I bought two of these.

[poison]

So now I know why the drip station is expensive: it's beautifully made! Looks great, very functional.

I spent today setting up the whole farmer's market setup: tent, coffee gear, etc. Tomorrow is D-Day, my first day at the market!

I'll be up way late tonight, but it should be fun, and worth it tomorrow. Wish me luck!

[CoffeeOwl]

All best wishes!
Have fun! Loving one's work is a bliss.

[sweaner]

Good luck with your new venture. Take pictures and post them for us!

[zin1953]

Good luck, Nate! I hope all went well in your debut. Let us know . . .

[poison]

It went WELL!!

I got there at 7am to setup, and my father-in-law, bro-in-law, and another friend showed up unannounced to help. It went fine, and I learned I need a real system to keep everything in order and speed things up.

We were set up by 8am, but the door to the adjacent building wasn't opened, so I couldn't plug in the Zojirushi hot water gizmos until almost 8:30. This sucked, because the other vendors all wanted coffee. Everything was warmed up at 9, just in time for the customers to start trickling in, and we were a bit slammed by the addition of the vendors who had been waiting.

After that, it was pretty steady, we served 85-90 cups of coffee in 5 hours, which is apparently pretty good for a slow holiday weekend, and our first farmers market ever. We also sold a few lbs of beans, but not nearly as much as I'd like.

I had wondered how the drip station would go over. Will people wait? Will I be able to cope with a crowd? Well, people are mesmerized by the process of making THEIR coffee, and it wasn't an issue at all. People have LOTS of questions about coffee and 'what's good'. I coped OK, but I need to change my layout a bit, and figure out a system when working with my wife.

The equipment recommended here performed flawlessly. The Zojirushi's are simply fantastic, a joy to use. The drip station from http://www.espressoparts.com not only performed great, drew MANY comments, but proved to be worth every penny. I had ordered a Bunn G3 grinder, which didn't arrive in time, so I used my Mazzer SJ to grind a quarter lb at a time. Some might scoff at 'pre-ground' coffee, but it was roasted yesterday, and used within a half hour of roasting. Of course for espresso that would be unacceptable, but for drip I feel very comfortable with it.

Feedback was outstanding. Out of 85-90 people, I got 2-3 neutral responses, and 0 negative remarks. Lots of 'Oh WOW, that's AWESOME!'. It's really nice to be able to interact with the customers, as opposed the the last 3 years of internet only stuff.

Here's a few pics, though not great of the setup.

1) The family.



2) The Booth and crowd.



3) "Did you say 'Starbucks'?????




Thanks for the tips and recommendations in this thread. Invaluable! And yes, my shirt says 'Wake Up People!'.

[zin1953]

Looks great, Nate! Congratulations.

You know, back in the early 1980s, the Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company (whose website is http://www.brewbar.com/ ) developed/invented/patented(?) the "BrewBar" -- or at least they claimed they did. While the beans were not ground-to-order for the drip coffee, they were certainly (and obviously) brewed to order on the BrewBar -- and they offered some 10-12 different coffees via the BrewBar.

One idea, Nate: they posted at first playing cards, and later picture postcards, on the consumer side of the brew bar. That way, they'd tell the customers, "Your coffee is on the King of Hearts," "Your coffee is on the surfer," etc., so a) the employee could help more customers and only worry about pouring the water into the filter, and b) the customer wouldn't grab the wrong coffee (e.g.: French Roast instead of decaf, etc., etc.). Makes it much easier . . .

Cheers,
Jason

[poison]

Thanks, zin!

Good idea there! We did have slight confusion a couple times, and I was thinking of putting a magnetic letter under each cone to alleviate that. I hadn't come to the ever so logical extension you just posted, put the letter on both sides so the customer can see it. The only issue might be, seeing as I'm in California, someone getting dripped on and burned.

[CoffeeOwl]

Congratulations! Nice pictures!

[poison]

Thanks, coffeeOwl!