Products Breaking T
he sheer scale of high-tech equipment now available to the coffee operator is impressive, with big advances made in
energy-saving, programmable features and information systems. “The main drivers in beverage machine innovation are improved energy efficiency, better cleaning methods and connectivity,” says Andy Threlfall, technical director at the Foodservice Equipment Association. “Man- ufacturers have been improving energy effi- ciency using a variety of methods, such as smaller boilers and improved insulation to reduce heat loss. Another significant grow- ing feature is connectivity, with manufactur- ers providing telemetry to monitor the use and performance of a beverage system remotely.” Energy saving is a major feature of the new
S10 from La Spaziale, says Steve Penk, manag- ing director at the Brew-It Group, and the man who introduced the brand to the UK. “La Spaziale was built around energy effi-
ciency back in the 1960s, and has long been talking about the small amount of electric it needs in comparison to other manufacturers’ equipment. With the steam from the main boiler providing the heat source for the heat exchanger for espresso extraction water, there
It’s in the bag
There have been many attempts to overcome the problem of teabags in a catering situation: how long should it infuse for, and what to do with the spent bag. The latest idea is the Teapy T-4-1 system, which inventor Roland Hill says is already in use in Britain’s most famous motorway service area, the privately-owned Tebay site on the M6. His invention consists of a clear mug with
several features – a lid with a recess to hold a teaspoon and a facility to hold milk, lemon, and so on. It can be carried in one hand to the table; the lid can be flipped and docked next to the mug to hold the used bag, and then goes
40 | The Caterer | 24 November 2023
back on top of the mug to carry both back to the kitchen. There is a similar alternative version to hold loose leaf tea. “Tea in a conventional opaque teapot
changes in strength because the customer cannot tell how strong it is,” says the inventor. “An open mug and tea bag cannot provide ideal brewing conditions, because the liquid is open to the atmosphere and quickly cools. There is typically no means of cleanly disposing of the dripping, used tea bag. “Teapy T-4-1 is an ‘infusion solution’, saving
over 40% labour time and 70%-80% storage space compared to conventional teapot service.”
newground
Coffee machines are offering ever-finer degrees of precision over the level of grind and frothiness of milk, that it’s easier than ever for any member of staff to operate. Ian Boughton gets his caffeine fix
“All the barista has to do is click on the profile they want and let the machine do the rest” Brian Williams, Farrer’s
are several models that work on or around 3Kw. “The new S10 has an eco mode, which lowers
the boiler temperature during downtime, but keeps the boiler at 80ºC when not under pres- sure. This reduces the power because it is not keeping the boiler under pressure for no rea- son. When needed, it can heat up very quickly.” The La Cimbali brand recently launched its
M40 espresso machine with a big focus on energy saving. A new ‘instant thermal system’ is claimed to offer significant energy savings, suggested as up to 75%, both in use and when waiting for use. The system is made from recycled and recycla- ble materials – 44% recycled and 94.4% recyclable.
Power down The concept of only using energy when it is actually needed applies to the very new Unic Stella Epic, a French ‘super premium’ espresso machine that has just arrived in the UK. This is a multi-boiler machine in which thermal stability is managed precisely by pressure transducers and thermal sen- sor. The technology intelligently controls the distribution of heat between the differ- ent heating elements and uses power on only the parts of the machine where it is needed. Modern machines provide baristas with con-
trol over every aspect of the brewing process, says Brian Williams, sales manager Farrer’s, which claims to be the UK’s oldest coffee roaster. “The development of programmable cof-
fee machines has changed the relationship between the barista and the machine. Systems like the one in the San Remo Opera allow the barista to create individual pressure settings, dosage, brew temperature, water volume and so on. These can be created for different bev- erage formats or even for specific coffee vari- eties, and saved to be used when needed – all the barista has to do is click on the profile they want and let the machine do the rest. “Such machines are highly energy efficient
because they are so totally controllable, allow- ing for savings of up to 40% when set to low energy mode.”
Fine grind Such assistance extends now to the manage- ment of grinding, notes the well-known espresso engineer Richard Norman of Mad About Coffee. He observes that coffee specialists know grind- ing to be a vital aspect of brewing good coffee, but that general bar staff rarely appreciate their grinder should be constantly checked. “Machines are now able to co-ordinate with
their grinders, taking out some of the errors or omissions caused by baristas. There are machines in which every third espresso is automatically checked, and if there’s any vari- ance, it will automatically adjust the grinder.” An astonishing development has arrived
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