Clover Coffee Brewer
In 2008, I read about the Coffee Equipment Company’s Clover coffee brewer. The machine allowed a barista to dial in precise temperatures and brewing times, and it would automate the rest.
At that time, Grape + Bean in Old Town Alexandria had one of the machines, and I stopped in to try a cup. Both cups I had that morning were the finest examples of brewed coffee I had ever tasted.
Later that year, Starbucks bought the machine’s maker, Seattle-based Coffee Equipment Company, and chose to only sell and support the machines internally. From what I can tell, after a very limited run in select shops, their use waned and is almost nonexistent these days.
📰 “At Last, a $20,000 Cup of Coffee“, New York Times, Jan 23, 2008.
📰 “The Coffee Fix: Can the $11,000 Clover Machine Save Starbucks?”, Wired, Jul 21, 2008.
