Photo by Sean Davis
Selecting the right coffee maker for your coffee shop can be a challenge
Coffee shops differentiate themselves from other places that use lots of coffee – such as offices, churches, and the military – because, in addition to brewing coffee in high volume, coffee shops need to offer their customers high quality coffee.
In order to brew high quality coffee, a brewer must brew at the correct temperature and brew in such a way as to get the optimal flavor extraction from the coffee. After brewing, there must be a way to keep the coffee hot without scorching the coffee. Containers that require an external heat source, such as a coffee pot or urn, should not be used in a coffee shop.
That said, one of your top considerations when opening a coffee shop should be investing in the best equipment possible.
For most coffee shops, your best option is a brewer that can:
- Pre-soak the coffee grounds before brewing
- Steep the coffee the correct amount of time
- Brew into some sort of thermal container
Here are 2 models to consider:
Bunn Axiom Airpot Brewer
- The single head can brew 4.2 gallons/hour, and the
- The twin brewer can brew 15 gallons/hour.
- Brews in half-gallon batches into airpots.
- The airpots will keep the coffee hot for a few hours and can be self-serve.
- The brewer has pre-infusion or pulse brew for getting optimal flavor extraction from the coffee.
Fetco CBS-2041e Extraction Brewer
- Single head can brew 3.9 to 11.8 gal/hr depending on electrical configuration.
- Large spray disc and pulse brewing intermittently sprays water over the coffee grounds for maximum saturation and flavor extraction.
- Pre-wet cycle that saturates the grounds before brewing.
- The CBS-2041e brewer brews in 1 gallon batches directly into a Fetco Luxus L3D Thermal Server.
- After filling, the server can be moved to where the coffee will be dispensed – either behind the counter or out where customer can serve themselves.
