Anyone Know Anything About The Clover Machine

[Scorpion]

The following url is for an article from Wired magazine about  a new machine called the Clover.  It is made by the Coffee Equipment Company that has just been bought out by Starbucks, which intends to install Clovers exclusively in its stores, starting in the USA.  Does anyone know anything about it (especially our Snobs from the other side of the Pacific where it has been installed in some stores in Seattle and Boston)?  The company which makes them seems to be playing around with some very interesting ideas.

http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/magazine/16-08/mf_clover

S

[jimmyb]

Re: Anyone Know Anything About The Clover Machine

should be a bit of info if you search the coffee sites.

The general talk was positive until starbucks bought them. There is a few around in Melbourne and I think Mecca in Sydney is getting one soon (has it now??).

[scoota_gal]

Re: Anyone Know Anything About The Clover Machine

St Ali had one at the Melbourne coffee festival way back in March. It was an interesting piece of machinery to watch.

Sadly, I thought at the time that the taste of the coffee cups killed the flavour of the coffee that St Ali used on the day.

[Ray_C]

Re: Anyone Know Anything About The Clover Machine

did you read the comments on the end of the third page made by blind folded barista, chef etc...
it was quite a bit less than ordinary.
give me a blue horse doppio piccolo from my la scala carmen anyday of the week and im in coffee heaven.

Ray.

[luca]

Re: Anyone Know Anything About The Clover Machine

What do you want to know?

They are basically a big, expensive, somewhat automated siphon or filter machine that makes it possible to brew on demand for a whole line of customers with ease. As with those coffee methods, it requires a different roast from espresso and the shots must be dialled in in exactly the same way as you would for espresso - by adjusting grind, dose, water temperature, dwell time, etc. As with any other coffee method, the factor that limits how good a cup you get from it will probably be the beans used, the grinder or the operator.

There are a lot of people who like espresso and find the clover lacking because it offers a thinner brew, like filter or siphon coffee. Personally, I hope that the interest that clovers has sparked results in an increase in consumption of filter and siphon coffee in Australia, but Im not holding my breath.

I dont think that many would disagree that filter/siphon/clover roasts are at their best when not taken as far as espresso roasts. At this point, the bean itself makes a higher contribution to the cup than the roast, relative to espresso (if that makes sense). If there were more public demand for this sort of coffee, it might be that we would start to get more of the absolute top end specialty coffees popping up in Australia - to the benefit of the espresso drinker as well as the filter drinker.

Cheers,

Luca

[hazchem]

Re: Anyone Know Anything About The Clover Machine

Ive had a few coffees out of the Clover at BBB and love it. Great change from the palate heavyweight of espresso, Clover brews are full of flavour and some of the more delicate notes that beans have to offer. It did take a bit of adjusting the first time I tried one, as Luca says the brew is thinner and it had been so long since Id had filter that Id forgotten that.

Well worth a try as while espresso is great, its not the only way to brew and I think that a bean can exhibit different characteristics depending on the brew method. I believe that Allpress have one in Sydney and heard the same about Mecca but havent been in there for ages so dont know for sure. I do wonder where theyd fit it to be honest!

[Ben_S]

Re: Anyone Know Anything About The Clover Machine

I went to BBB on Mon. After doing the palate training - have decided to experiment more with filter / siphon. They had the guatamalan cup of excellence winner from last year on offer in the Clover. I was blown away. Although thinner, the aromas and taste were amazing. You could also really taste the difference as the coffee cooled. I will definitely go back for more.

[mwatt]

Re: Anyone Know Anything About The Clover Machine

I believe that Allpress have one in Sydney and heard the same about Mecca but havent been in there for ages so dont know for sure. I do wonder where theyd fit it to be honest!

Hehe, I think I heard somewhere that the one at Allpress was supposed to go to Mecca, but the Allpress people cant be persuaded to give it up

[Badbrother]

Re: Anyone Know Anything About The Clover Machine

Hi All,

the clover is a stable platform to brew coffee in a similar way to vac pot. Basically it is very repeatable and consistent. We love the way it allows us to taste single origins in a more transparent way than espresso. Espresso technique and machinery tend to provide a wide taste profile of coffee, making it difficult to be consistent between machines and locations etc.
The clover produces a great filter coffee, the Australian taste is certainly very espresso driven but that doesnt mean we should discount that vast quantity of coffees that really only work as filter, ie esmeralda. The clover is a great way to introduce people to cupping and the flavour style that all coffee roasters should understand.......