Restaurant operators are probably familiar with elaborate pour-over rituals, typically seen at specialty coffee bars. The process involves measuring a specific amount of coffee, then pouring water kept at a specific temperature over it in a slow stream. Specific temperatures and measured intervals of pouring all contribute to extracting all the coffee’s flavors and aromas. Optimal extraction, of course, is the key to a great cup of coffee. However, there is more than one way to deliver on that promise—and other ways don’t have to include complex processes.
Regular hot coffee soars above its colder, flashier counterparts
Of course, not many customers want to wait around for a time-consuming pour-over, or pay the upscale price, they just want a great cup of coffee. In fact, according to Technomic’s 2018 Beverage Consumer Trend Report, 59% of consumers consumed regular hot coffee in the last month—more than other drinks like iced coffee (26%), iced tea (25%), hot specialty coffee drinks (21%) or hot tea (20%). The classic drip coffee brewer is popular with restaurant operators as well, because the machines are consistently reliable performers. With small footprints and satellite systems, it’s easy for operators to put a coffee station in the bussing area in addition to keeping a larger workhorse unit in the back of the house.
With the latest innovations in brewing technology, smart machines can deliver top-quality drip coffee cup after cup.
Doug Bishop, director of product management at Bunn-O-Matic Corporation, says, “In order to get all of the optimal flavors and aromas from a coffee during the brewing process it is important that you evenly saturate the coffee. If the finished brewed coffee is the ideal strength, yet some of the coffee in the brew basket was left dry and other areas over-saturated, the resultant flavor may be flat and astringent.”
He explains, “The BUNN Peak Extraction sprayhead is designed to deliver widespread and complete saturation of the coffee grounds. The angled 17-hole design provides just the right amount of distribution and turbulence without causing “Channeling” through the coffee grounds. Combined with pre-infusion and pulse brew capabilities the new line of BUNN brewers provide an amazing drip coffee experience.”
These features perform similarly to pour-over procedures—but are fully automated to satisfy large number of customers during peak serving times.
Recipes for success
Using quality equipment to ensure great extraction is key. It’s easy to adjust the brewing cycles for different types of coffee and grinds. BUNN Infusion Series® brewers offer up to six recipe
buttons and three batch sizes. Those “recipes” are simply instructions to the brewer that detail individual coffee and flavor profiles, using adjustable water volume, bypass percentage, pulse brew and pre-infusion timing routines. Operators can adjust recipes via easy-to-use touchscreens, or BUNN will custom-tailor recipe programs for restaurant clients, which are downloadable via the brewers’ built-in USB ports.
Taking things, a step further, some BUNN brewers use exclusive SmartWAVE® technology that increases turbulence in the funnel for uniformity of extraction. They also offer a choice of pulse brewing routines to adjust flavor profiles.
As any barista can confirm, brewing water temperatures are critical as well. It’s crucial to use equipment that can be programmed to brew coffee at a specific temperature, to ensure proper extraction and an optimal cup.
Grind fine
Another key to optimal flavor extraction is grinding the beans to the proper consistency. Use equipment that offers adjustable grinds. For instance, BUNN BrewWISE® systems have a wireless brewer-grinder interface through its Smart Funnel®, which has an RFID chip embedded in the handle. Information about the grind is transmitted to the brewer, which causes the machine to pull up the right recipe for the perfect brew.
For great coffee, total control of temperature and grind can help prepare the best cup possible. Best of all, with modern equipment operators can satisfy high volume serving periods with barista-like skill.
This post is sponsored by BUNN